Brewing Mulled Cider
Mulling Spices & Hot Cider
Piper & Leaf Mulling Spices are the perfect way to warm up during those chilly fall and winter days! Use this fragrant blend of fruits and spices into any apple juice to make a tasty batch of hot, spiced cider. Enough for the whole family to enjoy! The drinks taste amazing (and it will make your kitchen smell incredible in the process)
Each bag of our mulling spices will make you 5 half-gallon batches of mulled deliciousness. And it takes less than 30 minutes to prepare! Keep reading to hear the recipe for making the perfect mulled drinks!
The Mulling Recipe
Ingredients:
- 3 Tbsp Piper & Leaf Mulling Spices
- 2 Qt your favorite apple cider (or apple juice or red wine!)
- 1/4 C of dark brown sugar*
- A couple of garnish pieces out of your Mulling Spice bag
*optional - this makes your cider extra sweet
How to Brew:
- Pour the 2 Quarts of apple cider (or juice or wine) into a large pot and set the stovetop on medium heat
- While the cider heats up, get your mulling spices ready! Pull the bag of spices out of the muslin and set aside a couple of large pieces to use as a garnish! We included big slices of oranges, apples, and some cinnamon sticks just for this purpose
- Heap 3 Tablespoons of mulling spices into a large infuser. We like to use the mulling spices' empty muslin bag as our strainer!
- If desired, stir in the 1/4 Cup of brown sugar once the cider is warm enough to dissolve it. Make sure it all mixes in so the sugar doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot!
- Once your cider is hot, but NOT yet boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer
- Place the mulling spice infuser into the pot (like a giant tea bag) and throw the garnish pieces directly into the cider
- Allow the spices to simmer for at least 20 minutes to get the fullest flavor! This is the best part because the aroma of the mulling spices fills the kitchen with a warm and comforting scent. There is no need to stir (but it won't hurt anything if you're the type who likes to watch the pot)
- After 20 minutes, you can remove the infuser! Or leave it in so your mulled cider gets stronger even while it's being served
- Ladle the cider into mugs and distribute to the whole family. Enjoy!
Be sure to seal up the rest of your mulling spices to keep them fresh! When you're done brewing in your muslin bag, empty it and wash it so you can steep more mulled cider in the future. Fun fact - all of our muslin bags can be used as infusers this way! We screen-print our muslin bags by hand with a non-toxic ink so you can always use one as a tea strainer in a pinch (this can be a lifesaver while traveling! Never leave home without some tea)
Just Brewing for Yourself?
Don't worry, you can easily make your mulled cider one serving at a time! Enjoy a hot mug of cider when you're home alone without having to worry about a whole batch going to waste. Here's the key to making one delicious mug-sized serving!
Ingredients for 1 Mug(10-12oz) of Mulled Cider:
- 1 1/2 tsp of Piper & Leaf Mulling Spices
- 10-12oz of your favorite apple cider
- 1-2 tsp of dark brown sugar (optional)
Brewing 1 Mug of Mulled Cider:
- In a small saucepan, heat the cider until it is just shy of boiling
- Turn off the heat and stir in the brown sugar
- Scoop the mulling spices into a tea ball (or other tea infuser) and drop it into the pan to steep
- Let it steep for 8-12 minutes while bobbing the teaball up and down occasionally for better flavor infusion. If you want a stronger spice flavor, you can always steep for longer!
- When finished, remove the mulling spices and carefully pour the cider from the saucepan into a mug. Enjoy your Mulled Cider for One!
