Mulled Apple Cider (Slow Cooker)
Make this hot mulled apple cider in the slow cooker for a warming and cozy drink on a cold day.
This easy, comforting mulled apple cider will make your house smell amazing!
Mulled apple cider is a delicious, non-alcoholic drink for all ages to enjoy. If adults want to make it into a cocktail, they can totally spike it. My favorite addition is bourbon.
Ingredients
A gallon of fresh-pressed apple cider is the base for mulled cider. The best kind of cider to use is some sourced from a local farm! We’re blessed to live near some pretty great orchards, so it’s easy to find fresh pressed cider in the fall. If you buy it from the grocery store, it will be refrigerated and probably in the produce department.
Brown sugar sweetens the cider and gives it a rich, caramelly flavor.
Cinnamon sticks, cloves, and allspice are your mulling spices. These warming spices flavor the cider as it cooks, and they smell amazing.
A tiny pinch of salt helps bring out the flavors of the spices.
Variations
Add fruit: Orange slices or fresh cranberries make a festive addition to mulled apple cider.
Spike it: Add an ounce of whiskey (we prefer bourbon) or spiced rum to the mug when serving to make a mulled cider cocktail.
Equipment Needed
You’ll need a 5-quart or larger slow cooker.
How to Make it
Add everything to the crock of your slow cooker and give it a stir. Then, cover it and cook on low for 5 hours.
After 5 hours, switch the slow cooker to the warm setting. Stir and serve hot!
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container (a jar works great) for up to 4 days.
Reheat gently in a pot on the stovetop, or microwave single servings in microwave-safe mugs.
Leftovers alert! Chill leftover mulled cider and use it to make an apple cider martini or an apple butter bourbon cocktail.
Serving Tips
Use up leftover apple cider
You can make mulled cider to use up apple cider. It’s fine to use slightly less than a gallon of cider to make mulled cider. If you bought apple cider to use a small amount in a recipe like my kale crunch salad, you can use the rest to make a pot of hot mulled cider.
You could also reserve ½ cup of the cider to make mulled wine in a separate crockpot. Perfect for parties when you want more than 1 option!
How to serve mulled cider
Serve hot mulled apple cider in regular mugs or tempered glass mugs meant for serving hot beverages.
Once the cider is done cooking, change the slow cooker setting to warm and allow guests to serve themselves.
If you’re hosting a large group, try making multiple options for a warm drink. You can fill a second crockpot with mulled wine or crockpot hot chocolate, and set up a pot of hot coffee. It’s a perfect addition to a hot chocolate bar with all the fixings!
When to serve hot apple cider
- Mulled cider is perfect for cozy fall or winter days.
- It’s a festive addition to cold-weather holidays and get-togethers. I always make a pot around Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s perfect for friendsgiving, too.
- Make mulled cider to enjoy after a day at the pumpkin patch or while carving pumpkins.
- This is perfect for tailgating, RV camping, bonfires, and other outdoor events, as long as you have an electrical outlet nearby.
More Cozy Drinks
Mulled Apple Cider (Slow Cooker)
This delicious, warming cider will make your house smell amazing!
Ingredients
- 1 gallon of fresh-pressed apple cider
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 12 cloves
- 12 allspice berries
- A pinch of salt
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours.
Serve hot.
Notes
Keep it warm: Switch the slow cooker to the warm setting after 5 hours. Allow guests to serve themselves.
Make spiked hot apple cider: Add an ounce of bourbon, whiskey, or spiced rum to the cup when serving to make a mulled cider cocktail.
Add fruit: Sliced oranges or fresh cranberries make a festive addition to the pot!
