Gelatin Free Hot Spiced Cranberry Drink
Warm, deeply spiced, and vibrantly ruby-red, this hot cranberry drink is the kind of thing that makes a cold evening feel instantly cozier. Pure cranberry juice gets simmered low and slow with cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice berries, orange peel, and a touch of ground ginger until the whole kitchen smells incredible. Maple syrup does the sweetening here — no refined sugar, no mystery additives — and you can dial it up or down to match your taste. Many store-bought spiced cider and punch mixes sneak in gelatin-based clarifying agents or other animal-derived ingredients, so making this from scratch means you know exactly what's in your mug. The gentle simmer (never a rolling boil) keeps the flavors bright and balanced rather than bitter or flat. Straining out the whole spices at the end gives you a beautifully smooth, clean drink that looks as good as it tastes. Serve it in your best mugs with an orange slice and a cinnamon stick, and it's practically a centerpiece.
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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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