Cozy up with a delicious cup of cranberry apple cider! Spiced with warming chai and made with cranberry juice, apple cider and cinnamon, this recipe is a must-have this time of year to warm you from the inside out!
A comforting cup of mulled cider is a must-have this time of year, not only does the welcoming aroma fill the air, but its spicy-sweetness warms you from the inside out.
I like to make a batch of cranberry apple cider whenever the temperatures start to dip and I’m the mood for something cozy and comfortable to sip on. The cozy feeling starts as soon as the pan hits stove, its enticing scent wafting through the house.
Cranberry apple cider is one of my favorites to make around the holidays, with its festive red hue and warming spices, it’s like the best of the holidays in a cup. It’s a spiced cider that’s sweet and tart and spicy all at once. Wonderfully warming chai spices are a nice compliment to the hot apple cider while cranberry and pomegranate juice add a bit of lively color and tartness for an irresistibly tasty winter warmer that’ perfect for cold nights in or holiday gatherings. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
Ingredient Notes:
(Here are a few notes about the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe. As always find the full list of ingredients and directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
- Apple Cider – Use an unfiltered apple cider or apple juice.
- Cranberry Juice – Look for 100% unsweetened cranberry juice.
- Pomegranate Juice – Use 100% unsweetened pomegranate juice
- Maple Syrup – I’ve used maple syrup to sweeten but you can use the sweetener of your choice.
- Ginger – You’ll need fresh ginger, peeled and sliced.
- Vanilla – Use ½ a vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- Cinnamon – You’ll need one cinnamon stick.
- Cranberries – Use either fresh or frozen cranberries.
- Chai Tea – You’ll need 2 chai tea bags.
- Apple – You need ½ a small apple sliced crosswise.
How to Make Hot Cranberry Apple Cider:
(Here are the basic steps and some helpful tips on how to make the recipe. Find the full directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
While most mulled ciders require hours of mulling, this one is ready in a fraction of the time thanks to a couple of chai tea bags. The tea bags infuse the cider with loads of spice in a matter of minutes rather than hours as is common for more traditionally mulled ciders. I like to use caffeine-free rooibos chai tea for its natural reddish hue, as well as to keep the cider kid-friendly (which is always nice when you have family and friends over with their little ones), and late-night before bed-time sipping friendly.
All you need is a quick simmer and steep before pouring yourself a cup. If you do have the time to cook it low and slow, you can also throw everything in the slow-cooker, which is great for keeping a batch warm and at the ready when guests arrive.
- You’ll start by combine the water, apple cider, cranberry juice, pomegranate juice, maple syrup, ginger, vanilla, cinnamon and cranberries in a saucepan and bringing it to a gentle simmer. Lower the heat and keep the mixture at a bare simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Now you’ll add the tea bags, turn off heat, cover and let it steep another 5 minutes or so. Discard the tea bags, ginger and cinnamon sticks.
- Serve warm, garnish with apple slices. Store leftovers in the fridge and re-heat as needed.
So grab yourself a cozy blanket and curl up with a cup of cranberry cider this season.
More Hot Drinks:
Cranberry Apple Cider
Cozy up with a delicious cup of cranberry apple cider! Spiced with warming chai and made with cranberry juice, apple cider and cinnamon, this recipe is a must-have this time of year to warm you from the inside out!
Ingredients
- 2 cups/480ml filtered water
- 1 ½ cup/360ml unfiltered apple cider
- 1 cup/240ml 100% unsweetened cranberry juice
- ½ cup/120ml 100% unsweetened pomegranate juice
- 3 Tablespoons/45ml maple syrup
- ½ -inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced
- ½ a vanilla bean, seeds scraped
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ cup/ 50g fresh or frozen cranberries
- 2 chai rooibos tea bags
- ½ a small apple sliced crosswise
Instructions
- In a large saucepan combine the water, apple cider, cranberry juice, pomegranate juice, maple syrup, ginger, vanilla bean, cinnamon stick and cranberries. Bring to a gentle simmer, lower heat and keep warm at a bare simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add tea bags, turn off heat, cover and let steep another 5 minutes. Discard tea bags, ginger, vanilla bean and cinnamon stick.
- Serve warm, garnish with apple slices. Store leftovers in the fridge and re-heat as needed.
Notes
Variations:
Use all cranberry juice instead of pomegranate juice.
Omit ginger and vanilla and substitute a whole cloves.
Omit chai tea bags.
Storage:
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and re-heat as necessary.
Dietary Info:
Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegetarian, Vegan, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Paleo, Refined Sugar-Free
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 154Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 47mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 1gSugar: 34gProtein: 0g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
LO says
Awesome cookies!
Raia Todd says
Wow, this sounds delicious! Perfect for the holidays. Can't wait to try it!
Shelby @Fitasamamabear says
This looks amazing! I never thought to do a cranberry apple version