Citric Acid Free Hot Spiced Cranberry Drink
Warm, deeply spiced, and fragrant with cinnamon and cloves, this mulled cranberry drink is the kind of thing that makes a cold evening feel instantly cozier. Many store-bought spiced ciders and holiday drink mixes sneak in citric acid as a preservative or flavor enhancer, which can make finding a safe option genuinely frustrating. This recipe sidesteps that entirely by starting with 100% cranberry juice and building all the flavor from whole spices, orange peel, and a touch of maple syrup — nothing hidden, nothing processed. The slow, gentle simmer (never a rolling boil) coaxes every bit of warmth out of the allspice berries, cloves, and cinnamon sticks before they're strained away, leaving behind a beautifully clear, ruby-red drink. Maple syrup does double duty here, adding a rounded sweetness that plays off the tartness of the cranberry in a way that feels almost luxurious. You can dial the sweetness up or down one teaspoon at a time, so it's easy to make it exactly right for your taste. Ladle it into mugs, tuck in a cinnamon stick, and it's ready to impress.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 4 cups cranberry juice (100% juice, no added sweeteners)
- 1 cup water
- 3 tbsp maple syrup, plus more to taste
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 whole cloves
- 4 whole allspice berries
- 3 strips orange peel (about 3 inches each, pith removed)
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
For serving
- orange slices, for serving (optional)
- cinnamon sticks, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the cranberry juice, water, maple syrup, cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice berries, orange peel strips, and ground ginger in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- 2
Heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture just begins to steam and small bubbles form around the edges, about 8–10 minutes. Do not bring to a full boil.
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