Name: Mulling Spices for Cider
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 10
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups cinnamon stick pieces; 1.5 cups orange rind peel cut up; 1.75 cups whole cloves; 1.5 cups allspice berries; 1 cup pink peppercorns

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Here's an easy homemade holiday gift idea for everyone on your list. Combine spices in jars to create a tasty mulled cider spice mix. It can also be used for mulled wine or a room fragrance that simmers on the stove.

Jars and bags of mulling spices. Cinnamon sticks, cloves and allspice berries.

If you enjoy making some homemade goodness for people on your holiday list this mulling spice aka "Wassail" recipe is a good one.

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Bag of cinnamon sticks and a wooden mallet crushing them.

Making a Mulled Cider Spice Mix

You may already have cinnamon sticks in your arsenal, I certainly did. Instead of buying cinnamon chips just go to town with a wooden mallet and take all the days' frustration out on the bag. Soon you will have plenty of cinnamon chips for your spice blend.

What Goes into a Mulling Spice Mix?

I'm using cinnamon chips, orange peel, allspice, cloves, and pink peppercorns but you can vary this recipe based on what you have or what you like. Some people use cardamom pods, star anise, or other types of peppercorns. You could also use different kinds of citrus peels such as lemon or lime.

Homemade mulling spices in a pot full of cider.

How to Make Hot Mulled Cider

All you need is about 3 tablespoons of the mulling spice mix to 1 gallon of fresh apple cider. Drop the spices directly into the pot as shown above or place them in a tea ball or drawstring tea bag to fish out later. Simmer the spices in the cider on medium to low heat for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

What About Mulled Wine?

You can use the same spices to a bottle of red wine to make a delicious mulled wine. I'd cut down the amount to about 1 tablespoon of spice mix to a standard 750ml bottle of red wine. Also, you can use a relatively cheap wine as spices will probably over-shadow any nuances from an expensive wine.

Stovetop Potpourri or Room Freshener

Use a small amount of the spice mix recipe in a pot of water and simmer it on the stove or in a slow cooker when you want your house to smell good.

Mulling spices for cider in jars and bags. A small drawstring tea bag a cup of cider and dried orange slices, cinnamon sticks, clove and allspice berries.

Store the mulling spices in pretty glass jars as shown above or bag them up for gits. Add a little drawstring tea bag if you want as part of the gift.

You can use the round label for jars.

Or these rectangular labels for bags. Just click on the images.

Aerial view of a pot of mulled cider, a glass mug of cider with a cinnamon stick and dried orange slices, cinnamon sticks and clove and jars of spice mix.

How many people do you want to thank this holiday season? Maybe a bag or jar of mulling spices would be the perfect gift to give.

More Homemade Drink Mix Gifts

Mulling Spices for Cider

Yield: 10

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Here's a great easy gift idea. Combine spices into a jar for making mulled cider, wine, or use as a room fragrance.

Ingredients

2 cups cinnamon stick pieces
1.5 cups orange rind peel cut up
1.75 cups whole cloves
1.5 cups allspice berries
1 cup pink peppercorns

Instructions

Combine all the spices in a large bowl.
Fill each jar with spices leaving a little room at the top for a drawstring teabag.
Fold up the teabag and place it on top.
Print out labels for recipe instructions and glue them on top of jars.
To use place 3 tablespoons of mix in a bag or tea ball, or directly in one gallon of apple cider in a large pot on the stove.
Simmer for 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

The spice mix can be placed directly in the pot but if you are worried about straining it you can use a tea ball, drawstring teabag, or muslin pouch.

For making mulled wine use 1 tablespoon per standard bottle of red wine.

For room fragrance use 1 tablespoon to a pot of simmering water.

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