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Quick Slow Cooker Wassail Spiced Apple Cider

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This quick slow cooker wassail is the kind of recipe that makes you look like a hero with almost no effort. It’s warm, spiced, and deeply comforting — exactly what you need on a busy weeknight or a lazy weekend.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 cups (1.9 liters) apple cider
  • 1 large orange, sliced into rounds
  • 1 large apple, cored and sliced into rounds
  • 3 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 tablespoon whole cloves
  • 1 teaspoon whole allspice berries
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Optional: ¼ cup bourbon or dark rum per serving

Instructions

  1. Wash the orange and apple thoroughly. Slice the orange into rounds about ¼-inch thick. Core the apple and slice it into similar-sized rounds. Leave the peel on both.
  2. Pour the apple cider into the slow cooker first. Add the orange slices, apple slices, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, allspice berries, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Stir gently.
  3. Cover the slow cooker with the lid. Set it to LOW for 4-6 hours or HIGH for 2-3 hours.
  4. After the cooking time is up, taste and adjust sweetness or spice as needed. Add more maple syrup if desired, or let it cook longer with an extra cinnamon stick.
  5. For a clean drink, pour through a fine-mesh strainer. For a rustic look, ladle directly from the slow cooker, avoiding larger spice pieces.
  6. Serve warm in mugs. If adding bourbon or rum, add 1-2 tablespoons per serving to each mug individually. Garnish with a fresh cinnamon stick or orange slice if desired.

Notes

This wassail is forgiving and can be left on LOW for up to 8 hours. The flavors deepen as it sits, so making it a day ahead is recommended. For a lower-sugar version, reduce or skip the maple syrup. Toasting the spices in a dry skillet for 2 minutes before adding enhances flavor. Keep the slow cooker on WARM or LOW when serving over several hours to prevent over-reduction.

Nutrition

Keywords: wassail, spiced apple cider, slow cooker, holiday drink, apple cider, warm beverage, winter drink

Find it online: https://evadinnerideas.com/quick-slow-cooker-wassail-spiced-apple-cider-recipe/