Citric Acid Free Spiced Mulled Apple Cider
Warm, fragrant, and deeply comforting, this spiced apple cider is the kind of drink that makes a cold evening feel like a celebration. Fresh apple cider gets a long, slow simmer with Ceylon cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and cloves until every sip is rich with layered spice. A touch of pure maple syrup rounds out the sweetness without introducing any of the citric acid that sneaks into so many commercial cider blends and flavored syrups. That's the real win here ā store-bought mulled cider mixes and bottled juice drinks are notorious for hidden citric acid as a preservative, so making this from scratch with whole, unprocessed ingredients puts you fully in control. Ceylon cinnamon is a thoughtful choice over the more common cassia variety, and the whole spices are simply strained out at the end, leaving nothing behind but a beautifully clear, amber cupful. Serve it straight from the pot into your favorite mug with a fresh apple slice and an extra cinnamon stick for a presentation that looks far fancier than the effort involved.
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Learn more āIngredients
4 servings
- 4 cups fresh apple cider (not fermented or hard cider)
- 2 ceylon cinnamon sticks
- 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 4 whole green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 3 whole cloves
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup, or more to taste
For serving
- 2 fresh apple slices, for serving (optional)
- 1 ceylon cinnamon stick, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the apple cider, Ceylon cinnamon sticks, ginger slices, cardamom pods, and cloves in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Warm until the cider just begins to steam and small bubbles form at the edges, about 5 minutes ā do not let it boil.
- 2
Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently, uncovered, for 20 minutes, until the cider is deeply fragrant and the spices have fully infused.
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