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Quick Spiced Wassail Punch with Orange & Cloves (Easy Recipe)

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This quick spiced wassail punch with orange and cloves comes together in under 20 minutes, fills your whole house with that warm, holiday smell, and tastes better than anything you ever ordered at a pub. It’s the perfect warm, comforting drink for weeknights or holiday parties.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 cups apple cider (not apple juice)
  • 2 cups orange juice, freshly squeezed if possible
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed (light or dark)
  • 1 large navel orange, sliced into rounds
  • 12–15 whole cloves
  • 3 cinnamon sticks
  • 4 star anise pods
  • 1 teaspoon whole allspice berries
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • Fresh cranberries (optional garnish)
  • Additional orange slices (optional garnish)
  • Star anise (optional garnish)

Instructions

  1. Prep the orange slices. Wash your orange thoroughly. Slice it into ¼-inch thick rounds. Take each round and poke 3-4 whole cloves into the peel (not the flesh—the peel holds them better).
  2. Combine the liquids. Pour the apple cider, orange juice, and water into your large pot. Place it over medium heat.
  3. Add the spices and sweetener. Drop in the clove-studded orange slices, cinnamon sticks, star anise, allspice berries, and brown sugar. Add that tiny pinch of salt. Stir everything together with your wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves.
  4. Bring to a gentle simmer. This should take about 5-7 minutes. You’ll see small bubbles forming around the edges of the pot. Once it’s simmering, reduce the heat to low.
  5. Simmer for 10 minutes. Let it bubble gently, uncovered. Stir occasionally to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom.
  6. Taste and adjust. After 10 minutes, grab a clean spoon and take a sip. Need more sweetness? Add another tablespoon of brown sugar. Want more spice? Let it simmer another 5 minutes. Too strong? Add a splash of water or apple cider.
  7. Strain (optional) and serve. If you want a clear punch without floating spices, pour it through a fine-mesh strainer into a serving bowl or directly into mugs. Ladle into mugs and garnish with a fresh orange slice or a star anise pod if you’re feeling fancy.

Notes

Don’t boil the punch—boiling will make the orange peel bitter and evaporate the delicate aromatics. A gentle simmer is all you need. Stud the cloves properly by pushing them all the way into the orange peel so only the little heads are showing. This punch actually gets better after sitting for an hour or two. If you’re making a big batch for a party, use 1.5 times the spice blend instead of 2 times. Spices can get overwhelming in large quantities. You can always add more, but you can’t take them out.

Nutrition

Keywords: wassail punch, spiced punch, orange and cloves, holiday punch, quick wassail, easy wassail, warm punch, Christmas punch

Find it online: https://willarecipes.com/quick-spiced-wassail-punch-with-orange-and-cloves-easy-recipe/