Delicately Fragrant Mulled Cider (in the Crockpot) Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Make Ahead

by: ody

December8,2010

3.5

2 Ratings

Delicately Fragrant Mulled Cider (in the Crockpot) Recipe on Food52 (1)

Cook time 2 hours 30 minutes
Serves a crowd

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Author Notes

I find most mulled things to be tongue-numbingly over-spiced, so this is pretty subtle (hey! you can tell there's apple under there somewhere!), but don't be too hasty to pile on extra spice, because the flavors do get stronger the longer it mulls. The recipe is a combination of ideas I found on the internet, inspiration from ingredients I happened to have on hand (the pear: a real winner), and memories of studding oranges with cloves as a child. A slow cooker makes for an easy, low-maintenance time, but you can also simmer this in a pot on the stove if you must. —ody

Test Kitchen Notes

This is the cider you want mulling in a corner of the kitchen all day long during colder months -- ideally in a slow-cooker (so you can ignore it), but warming on a back burner works too. You can dip in for a mug whenever a new visitor comes in from the chill, and the sweet perfume will beckon them to the kitchen. Ody's spicing is spare, so be sure to choose a great apple cider to start. Unlike more aggressively spiced ciders, you'll really be tasting apple, just tinged with pear, citrus, ginger and spice. - A&M —The Editors

Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Ingredients

1 pear, not too soft; bosc highly recommended
1 orange
1 to 2 tablespoonswhole cloves
1 lemon
3 to 5 whole allspice berries
3 to 5 inches peeled fresh ginger root, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium stick of cinnamon (or a half of a large stick of cinnamon---they're easy to snap, especially if you have some holiday stress to get out!)
2 to 3 gallonsapple cider

Directions

You know your slow cooker best: Get this started in time to allow at least 30 minutes of simmering.
Stud the pear and orange with cloves.
Using a vegetable peeler or sharp knife, peel large pieces of rind from the lemon, trying to avoid the white pith. Give each piece a little twist to release some of the lemon oil.
Put fruits and spices in your slow cooker, pour a gallon of cider over it all, and put it on high heat for a few hours, allowing for at least half an hour at a full simmer. As you drink the cider, top it off every now and then with new cider—the mixture can keep mulling and spicing all day.

Tags:

American
Pear
Clove
Fruit
Make Ahead
Serves a Crowd
Slow Cooker
Christmas
Winter
Thanksgiving
Fall
Vegan

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14 Reviews

Paula M. October 21, 2020

I have been making some form of this in the crockpot for years for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but never thought of using pear. It stays on all day and I just keep adding more cider to replenish the supply as we drink it. We also add a splash of Tuaca liquor, some whipped cream and a cinnamon stick to the mugs!

Victoria M. October 28, 2016

This was delicious! The 2-3 gallons of cider made a giant batch for a party. If I wanted to enjoy this at home, I might only add 1 gallon of cider, but keep the spices/fruit the same amount.

Barrecudette December 20, 2015

Thanks for the recipe! I'm making this for tonight and I'm not clear what happens with the lemon; how much of the rind do you use, and when you say to put the fruit in, are you including the lemon? Thanks again.