Warm Apple Cider Cloves (Printable)

A spiced apple cider infused with aromatic cloves and cinnamon for a cozy, warming drink.

# Ingredient List:

→ Base

01 - 4 cups fresh apple cider

→ Spices

02 - 8 whole cloves
03 - 2 cinnamon sticks
04 - 1 star anise (optional)
05 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

→ Citrus

06 - 1 orange, sliced

→ Sweetener (optional)

07 - 1 to 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup, to taste

# Directions:

01 - Pour the apple cider into a medium saucepan.
02 - Add the cloves, cinnamon sticks, star anise if using, ground nutmeg, and orange slices to the saucepan.
03 - Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
04 - Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes to fully infuse the spices and citrus.
05 - Taste and add honey or maple syrup if additional sweetness is desired.
06 - Strain the cider through a fine mesh to remove the spices and orange slices.
07 - Serve the warm cider in mugs, optionally garnished with a cinnamon stick or orange slice.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It fills your home with the kind of smell that makes people wander into the kitchen asking what you're making.
  • You can have it simmering on the stove in less time than it takes to find matching mugs.
  • It tastes like effort but requires almost none, which is exactly the kind of magic we all need sometimes.
02 -
  • Don't let it boil hard or the spices turn bitter and the cider loses its brightness.
  • Strain it before serving—biting into a whole clove is a mistake you only make once.
  • If you're making this ahead, reheat it gently and add a splash of fresh cider to wake up the flavors.
03 -
  • Toast the cinnamon sticks in a dry pan for thirty seconds before adding them—it deepens their flavor in a way that feels like cheating.
  • Use a ladle to serve so you don't splash hot cider everywhere like I did the first time I tried pouring straight from the pot.
  • If you want it sweeter without adding sugar, use a cider that's been pressed from sweeter apples like Fuji or Gala.

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