About this recipe

A warming, fragrant pot of classic spiced apple cider — simmered low and slow with whole cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, and fresh orange slices. This is the kind of drink that fills your home with an irresistible aroma and brings everyone to the kitchen. Made entirely on the stovetop with simple pantry spices, it's endlessly scalable for a crowd and tastes even better the longer it simmers.

Instructions

1. 1

   Pour the apple cider into a large pot over ^[medium heat].

2. 2

   Add the orange slices, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, star anise, allspice berries, nutmeg, and ginger (if using). Stir in the brown sugar if you'd like a slightly sweeter cider.

3. 3

   Bring the apple cider to a gentle simmer over ^[medium heat] — you want small bubbles rising to the surface, not a rolling boil. Reduce heat to ^[low] once it starts to simmer.

4. 4

   Simmer on ^[low], uncovered, for at least 20 minutes to let the spices fully infuse. The longer it simmers (up to 2 hours), the deeper and more complex the flavor will be. Stir occasionally.

5. 5

   Taste the apple cider and adjust as needed — add more brown sugar for sweetness, or let it simmer a few minutes longer for a more intense spice flavor.

6. 6

   Using a fine mesh sieve, ladle the hot apple cider into mugs, leaving the whole spices and orange slices behind. Garnish each mug with a fresh cinnamon sticks and an orange round, if desired. Serve immediately.