Slow Cooker Mulled Apple Cider
Set it. Forget it. Smell fall.
This is less of a recipe and more of an instruction to dump a gallon of apple cider and a handful of spices into a slow cooker.
Which is exactly why I’m making it for our Halloween party.
The whole thing stays nonalcoholic so everyone can drink it. I’ll put bourbon and rum next to the slow cooker for the adults, because I’m not making separate beverages when everyone is perfectly capable of spiking their own cider.
Also, your house will smell incredible.
Slow Cooker Mulled Apple Cider
Serves: A Party
Ingredients
1 gallon apple cider
1 orange, sliced into rounds
4 cinnamon sticks
3 whole star anise
1 teaspoon whole cloves
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
For the Grown-Ups
Bourbon
Dark or spiced rum
Make It
Pour the apple cider into a slow cooker.
Add the orange slices, cinnamon sticks, star anise, cloves and nutmeg.
Cover and cook on LOW for 2–3 hours, until everything is hot and your house smells like you have your life together.
Turn the slow cooker to WARM and leave it there for serving.
You can strain out the spices and orange before serving, or leave everything floating around in there because it looks nice and we're not opening a restaurant.
Ladle into mugs and serve as-is.
Put bourbon and rum next to the slow cooker and let the adults handle themselves.
Good to Know
Keep it kid-friendly. Don't add alcohol to the slow cooker. One batch works for everyone, and the adults can spike individual mugs.
Taste before you sweeten it. Apple cider is already plenty sweet. If yours needs something, add a little maple syrup—but don't assume it does.
Make the house smell good. You can get this going a couple of hours before people arrive, then switch it to WARM and basically forget about it.
For the adults: Start with about 1–1½ ounces of bourbon or rum per mug, then add the hot cider. Or pour as much you want. Choose your own adventure.
That's it.
A gallon of cider. Some spices. A slow cooker.
Set it. Forget it. Smell fall.
