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Cozy Slow Cooker Wassail with Cinnamon Sticks: Best Easy Holiday Drink

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This cozy slow cooker wassail with cinnamon sticks is the ultimate easy holiday drink. Made with apple cider, orange juice, honey, and whole spices, it fills your home with a warm, festive aroma and is perfect for parties or quiet winter nights.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 cups apple cider
  • 2 cups orange juice, freshly squeezed if possible
  • 1/2 cup honey (or maple syrup)
  • 4 cinnamon sticks (plus extra for garnish)
  • 1 tablespoon whole cloves
  • 2 star anise pods (optional)
  • 1 orange, sliced into rounds
  • 1 lemon, sliced into rounds
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly grated if possible)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Instructions

  1. Prep the citrus and spices: Wash the orange and lemon thoroughly. Slice them into 1/4-inch rounds. Measure out the whole cloves, star anise, and cinnamon sticks. Grate the nutmeg if using fresh.
  2. Combine everything in the slow cooker: Pour the apple cider and orange juice into the slow cooker. Add the honey and stir until dissolved. Drop in the cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, star anise pods, and citrus slices. Sprinkle in the ground nutmeg and ginger. Stir well.
  3. Set it and forget it: Cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours or on high for 1-1.5 hours. Low heat is preferred for deeper flavor infusion.
  4. Check and adjust: Taste the wassail. Adjust sweetness with more honey, spice with another cinnamon stick, or tartness with a squeeze of lemon juice.
  5. Remove the whole spices: Use a slotted spoon or fine-mesh sieve to remove the cinnamon sticks, star anise, and whole cloves. Leave one or two cinnamon sticks for visual appeal if desired. The citrus slices can stay or be removed.
  6. Serve warm: Ladle the wassail into mugs. Garnish each mug with a fresh cinnamon stick and a thin orange slice if desired.

Notes

Don’t boil the wassail as it can make the citrus peel bitter and the honey metallic. For deeper flavor, toast the whole spices in a dry skillet for 60 seconds before adding. This recipe doubles easily for larger crowds. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and flavors deepen overnight. For a spiked version, add 1/2 cup dark rum or bourbon just before serving.

Nutrition

Keywords: wassail, slow cooker wassail, holiday drink, cinnamon sticks, apple cider, mulled cider, easy holiday punch

Find it online: https://willarecipes.com/cozy-slow-cooker-wassail-with-cinnamon-sticks-best-easy-holiday-drink/