Description
This Hot Bourbon Apple Cider is warm, aromatic, and deeply comforting—infused with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, citrus, and bay, then finished with smooth bourbon. It’s an easy make-ahead cocktail that fills your kitchen with the most irresistible holiday aroma and is perfect for cozy gatherings, winter parties, and festive celebrations.
Ingredients
- 1/2 gallon of apple cider
- 5 cinnamon sticks (or 3-4 teaspoons ground cinnamon)
- 10 crushed cardamom pods (or 2 teaspoons cardamom)
- 10 whole cloves (1/2-1 teaspoon ground cloves)
- 2 bay leaves
- One orange: zest and juice
- 1-2 cups of water (see notes)
- 24-ounce bottle of Bourbon
- Garnishes: dried orange slices, star anise or cinnamon sticks
Instructions
- Simmer. Place apple cider in a Dutch oven with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaves, and one large, wide strip of orange zest (use a veggie peeler). Add a cup of water and bring to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer on medium-low heat for 20 minutes (or longer), letting the spices infuse.
- Season. Add juice from half the orange, and taste, adjusting spices and orange juice to taste.
- Combine. To serve, pour a 1-2 ounce shot of bourbon into a mug, and ladle the hot spiced cider overtop.
- Garnish with a dried orange slices (see more options below).
Notes
If your cider tastes too sweet (some ciders are sweeter than others), add more hot water and more orange or even lemon juice.
Make the spiced cider ahead, cool and refrigerate for up to 4 days, reheat when ready to serve,
You can combine the bourbon with the cider if you prefer, but really, I like the option of making some drinks stronger and some lighter, and some sans alcohol.
Variations: Feel free to experiment with other spices, such as ginger, nutmeg, allspice, black pepper, etc.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 236
- Sugar: 20.6 g
- Sodium: 45.6 mg
- Fat: 0.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 24.7 g
- Fiber: 1.7 g
- Protein: 0.4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
