DIY: Mulled Apple Cider, With a Secret Ingredient

Cold nights need warm drinks; the kind you can linger over. Olivia Rae James has been warming up her nights with a boozy, citrusy take on mulled cider. Spiked with red wine, this mulled cider gets a combination of sweet and spice from the addition of grapefruit, apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. We’re planning to keep a big pot on the stove this winter. And don’t be surprised if you see us taking an evening walk, thermos in hand. To warm the heart cockles, we say.

Photography by Olivia Rae James.

Mulled Apple Cider

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 3 cups fresh-squeezed apple juice
• 2 cups dry red wine
• 1 grapefruit, thinly sliced (can be substituted for your citrus of choice)
• 1 apple, thinly sliced
• Cinnamon (whole and ground)
• Nutmeg (whole and ground)
• Cloves (whole and ground)

Instructions:

Combine apple juice and red wine in a pot over low to medium heat. Add sliced grapefruit, apple, and a handful of cinnamon sticks, cloves and nutmeg, according to taste. Let simmer for at least ten minutes. Add ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves (if necessary, to taste). Serve warm.

For more cocktails ideas, see:

• The Ethicurean Apple Flip
• Festive Recipes: Apple Cocktails for the Holidays
• Festive Recipes: 5 Irresistible Cranberry Cocktails