Every year, we buy a bunch of cider from the local orchards. Every year, we try to find a mixture of spices to mull the cider, both so that we can “cook” the cider to preserve it better, and so we can add flavor to it. We’ve tried all sorts of different premade packets, and they all are tasty, but we have never quite hit upon one that perfectly suits our tastes… until now.
This is a pretty simple spice mixture, but there may be a couple of surprises in there for those of you used to the packets you buy at the store.
More importantly, I extremely encourage you to find a local spice store and buy whole spices for this mix. Whole spices have a lot more flavor than pre-ground spices, and you can pack them all in a tea sachet so they don’t leave gritty bits in the cider.
This recipe makes enough mulling spices for a couple of gallons of cider, so anything you don’t use, you can seal up in a jar for the next batch!
Mulling Spicers for Apple Cider
Equipment
- Rolling Pin
- Tea Sachet
Ingredients
- 2 Oz Cinnamon Sticks
- 3 Tbsp Cardamom Pods
- 3 Tbsp Dried Orange Peel
- 2 Tbsp Whole Allspice Berries
- 2 Tbsp Whole Cloves
- 2 Tbsp Whole Star Anise Pods
- 2 Tbsp Whole Black Peppercorns
Instructions
- Place the cinnamon sticks, cardamom, allspice, cloves, and star anise in a zipper-lock bag.
- Crush the spices with a rolling pin. This will break them open and start to release the oils that help flavor the cider. You don't need to fully pulverize them, just break them apart.
- Add the orange peel and peppercorns, and shake to combine.
- To mull cider; add 4-5 tablespoons of the spice mixture to a tea sachet or bag and tie it off. Pour a gallon of cider into a large pot with the sachet, and heat until steaming, but not boiling. Turn off the heat and let steep for at least 15 minutes, or until the cider is as spiced as you like it. Then, allow the cider to cool before returning it to a jug for storage.