Mulled Wassail Recipe (2024)

Wassail is a traditional holiday mulled hot apple cider. Served with or without alcohol, wassail is traditionally served warm or hot. This is the perfect holiday drink to ring in the new year, toast on Christmas eve, or enjoy on cold winter days.

This is an easy wassail recipe filled with mulled cider, fruits, and spices. This is a delicious drink that is perfect during the winter months, especially during the holiday season. You might refer to this recipe as an apple cider punch or a cider wassail recipe, I just call it delicious. This is a favorite holiday drink of our family. I hope you enjoy it so much, it becomes a holiday tradition for your family, too.

Mulled Wassail Recipe

This is such a simple recipe and it can be served with or without liquor, so it is a great option for a Christmas party, New Year’s Party – well, any holiday party where there will be children in attendance as it is not spiked. A mug of wassail is a fabulous warm holiday drink. Make it special by adding garnishes on small plates or bowls near the wassail bowl so people can dress up their drink!

What exactly is a wassail?

According to Webster’s dictionary, it is an early English toast to someone’s good health. It is also a hot drink that is made with wine, beer, or cider, spices, sugar, and usually baked apples and is traditionally served in a large bowl especially at Christmastime.

What liquor goes with Wassail?

Rum or whiskey are perfect complements to apple cider beverages.

If you would like more festive beverages for the holiday season, try one of these drink recipes:

● Cranberry Bliss co*cktail
● Homemade Eggnog Recipe
● Holiday Cranberry Sangria Recipe
● Hot Buttered Rum Recipe

Tips and variations for making this mulled wassail recipe:

● If you cannot find apple cider, substitute unfiltered apple juice.
● You can add one orange instead of two, or add more than two.
● This recipe places the whole orange into the pot. If you like you can use all orange slices, or place one whole orange in the pot and use a second orange to make slices.
● You can add one apple instead of two or add more than two. If you are using small apples you may want to use two apples to begin with, and add a third for good measure.
● If you like more – or less- ground cinnamon, ground clove, ground ginger, brown sugar, adjust accordingly.
● This recipe can be doubled or tripled to make a big batch for a large gathering.
● Add cranberries to the pot if you like. They are not necessary but do add a nice color.
● No cranberry juice in this recipe.
● As listed, this is a family recipe as it contains no liquor. If you are adding liquor, add a shot to individual mugs, and then add the wassail. The liquor will burn off a bit. Here is the USDA study on how much alcohol will burn off. The longer you heat it, the more it dissipates.
● If you transfer to a punch bowl for serving, the wassail will cool off unless on a hot plate (if you do this, make certain your punch bowl can take the heat!)

Mulled Wassail Ingredients:

● 2 quarts Apple Cider
● 1½ cups Orange Juice
● ¾ cup Pineapple Juice
● ¼ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
● ¼ teaspoon Ground Cloves
● ¼ teaspoon Ginger
● 4 Cinnamon Sticks
● 2 Oranges
● 1 Tablespoon Whole Cloves, divided
● 2 Apples
● 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar

Mulled Wassail Mise en Place:

● Large Stock Pot
● Measuring Spoons
● Measuring Cup
● Ladle
● Knife
● Cutting Board

Mulled Wassail Directions:

1. Combine apple, orange, and pineapple juices in a large stockpot. Place on stove and begin to heat over a medium-low flame.

2. Add in the ground cinnamon, cloves, and ginger.
3. Add in cinnamon sticks.

4. While the wassail is heating, take an orange and peel off several strips with a paring knife.
5. Add strips of the orange peel to the pot.
6. Place whole cloves into the orange where the peel has been stripped away.

7. Place the entire orange in the pot.

8. Slice the apple and add whole cloves to the slices.
9. Place apple slices and brown sugar into the pot.
10. Simmer wassail and serve hot.

11. To serve, garnish with cinnamon sticks and fruit slices if desired.

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