Lactose Free Spiced Mulled Apple Cider

Total time30 min

Prep time5 min

Cook time25 min

4.6

(16)

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 layered with cozy, aromatic flavor. A touch of pure maple syrup rounds out the sweetness naturally, so there's no refined sugar or dairy anywhere near this recipe — it's completely plant-based by default, not by compromise. Since the whole thing is built from fruit, spices, and a drizzle of maple, anyone avoiding lactose can drink it freely without scanning a single label. The trick of keeping the heat low and never letting it boil preserves the bright, fresh character of the cider while still coaxing out every bit of spice. Strained into a mug and garnished with a fresh apple slice, it looks just as good as it tastes. This is the kind of recipe you'll want on repeat from the first cool snap of autumn all the way through the holidays.

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Ingredients

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 — 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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