Slow Cooker Mulled Cider Recipe
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This slow cooker mulled cider is my go-to drink for fall and winter parties. It’s only takes 5 minutes to pull together, and costs very little—certainly a lot less than soda or alcohol. It’s always been a hit with both kids and adults, so it eliminates the need to prepare separate beverages, and keeps party prep to a minimum.
Start a batch 4 hours before your guests are scheduled to arrive, and your house will smell amazing by the time everyone gets there. To serve, just stick a ladle in the slow cooker, and let your guests fend for themselves. This will free you up to enjoy the festivities.
Slow Cooker Mulled Cider Recipe
This recipe makes 16 (8-ounce) servings of mulled cider, so it’s perfectly-sized for parties. To make a family-size version, just cut the ingredients in half.
Cook Time:
4 hours
Ingredients:
What You Do:
Cut the orange into thin slices. I used a mandolin to quickly cut a bunch of thin, uniform slices, but a knife and cutting board will also get the job done.
Cut your orange slices in half, so you’ll have plenty of oranges to garnish cups later.
In a slow cooker, combine all of the ingredients. Cover, and cook on low for 4 hours. Scoop out the spices before serving.
Tip:
- Tie your spices up in a bit of cheesecloth, or tuck them inside a spice bag or large tea ball, so they’ll be easy to remove when your slow cooker mulled cider is ready to serve.
Store any leftover slow cooker mulled cider in the refrigerator, and use within 3 days.
Slow Cooker Mulled Cider Variations
- Add ginger or black peppercorns for a spicy note.
- Use apple juice, instead of apple cider to cut the cost of the recipe.
- Swap the sliced orange for a sliced lemon, or apple.
Stove-Top Mulled Cider
Prefer to make your mulled cider on the stove? Just pour the ingredients in a large pot, and heat on low for 1 hour.
Want to give mulled cider mix as a gift? Make my mulling spice mix instead. It’ll give you a bunch of individual spice bags that you can use for neighbor, co-worker and teacher gifts. Just pair one with a gallon of cider, and you’re done!
Slow Cooker Mulled Cider Recipe
Use your slow cooker to make a batch of mulled cider. You just need apple cider and a few basic spices.
- Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 16 (8-ounce) servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 gallon apple cider
- 1 orange
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 1 teaspoon whole allspice berries
- 1 teaspoon whole cloves
Instructions
Using a knife, or mandolin, cut orange into thin slices. Then, cut slices in half.
Add ingredients to a slow cooker; cover; and cook on low for 4 hours.
Remove spices, and ladle apple cider into mugs or cups. Add an orange slice to each cup, for a festive touch.
Notes
- Use a spice bag, a piece of cheesecloth or a large tea ball to contain the spices, so they’ll be easier to remove from your slow cooker mulled cider.
- Stove-Top Version: Pour ingredients in a large pot, and cook on low for 1 hour.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours (on low)
- Category: Drinks
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: slow cooker mulled cider recipe, mulled cider recipe
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Thank you for reminding me of this! And I never thought to use the crockpot. I *pinned* under holiday foods, but this would be wonderful just for the fragrance.
Yep, it makes the whole house smell great.