Artificial Food Coloring Free Vegan Mulled Cider
Warm, fragrant, and deeply spiced, this mulled cider is the kind of drink that makes a cold evening feel like a celebration. Every ingredient here is exactly what it sounds like — whole spices, fresh orange, apple cider, and a touch of maple syrup — so there's no guesswork about what's actually in your mug. That matters more than you might think, since many store-bought spiced ciders and holiday drink mixes sneak in artificial dyes to achieve that rich amber color or festive appearance on the label. Here, the gorgeous deep hue comes entirely from the cider itself and the slow simmer with cinnamon, cloves, allspice, star anise, and orange rounds. The maple syrup adds a gentle, earthy sweetness that feels far more complex than plain sugar, and the optional vanilla rounds everything out beautifully. It comes together in one saucepan with almost no effort, and the smell alone is worth making it. Ladle it into mugs with a fresh cinnamon stick and an orange slice, and it looks as impressive as anything you'd order at a holiday market.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 6 cups apple cider
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 6 whole cloves
- 6 whole allspice berries
- 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
- 1 star anise
- 1 orange, sliced into rounds
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract (optional)
For serving
- cinnamon sticks, for serving (optional)
- orange slices, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the apple cider, cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice berries, peppercorns, star anise, and orange rounds in a medium saucepan. Stir in the maple syrup.
- 2
Bring the cider to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, until the cider is fragrant and deeply spiced.
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