Wassail is an apple cider beverage with a strong citrus flavor.🍊 The first time I remember having this delightful holiday drink was at the annual Christmas celebration at Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation. They made this British drink in a large cast iron pot hung over a fire. It smelled and tasted wonderful, so I was determined to make up a batch at home!
My version has a mixture of orange, cranberry, pineapple, and lemon juice along with the base of apple cider. This drink is sweetened with brown sugar and is flavored with 6 mulling spices: cinnamon sticks, ginger root, whole cloves, allspice berries, lemon peel and orange peel. Busy Baker 🍞 and I enjoy this delicious festive beverage even more than mulled apple cider!
Festive Wassail
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Prep Time: 30 minutes -
Cook Time: 1 hour
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Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
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Yield: 13 cups
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
Wassail is a warm cider drink that has strong citrus flavors. This recipe is perfect for you to share at your holiday gathering of friends and family.
Ingredients
- 4 cups apple cider
- 4 cups orange juice
- 2 cups cranberry juice
- 2 cups pineapple juice
- 1/2 cup lemon juice, squeezed from 4 lemons
- 1/3 cup lemon rind, cut from 4 lemons
- 1/2 cup orange rind, from one navel
- 1-inch piece ginger root, peeled and sliced into coins
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 1/4 teaspoon whole cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice berries
For Serving
- 1 cinnamon stick and half a slice of a navel orange per serving cup
Instructions
- Pour the apple cider, orange juice, cranberry juice, and pineapple juice in a large pot.
- Stir in the brown sugar, whole cloves, and allspice berries.
- Cover the pot and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Peel the ginger root, slice it into thin coins, and add to the pot. Stir.
- Cut off the rind from 4 lemons, slice into thin strips, then add to the pot. Stir.
- Squeeze the juice from the 4 lemons and add it to the pot.
- Cut off the rind from 1 navel orange, and slice into thin strips then add to the pot. Stir.
- Cut off the rind from 1 navel orange, and slice into thin strips.
- Add the 3 cinnamon sticks to the pot and stir.
- Turn the heat down to medium low and let the pot simmer with the lid on for one hour.
- Remove the cinnamon sticks, cloves, and allspice berries as the flavor will be stronger if you leave them in for too long.
- Keep the lemon and orange peel in the wassail.
- If desired, garnish each cup with a cinnamon stick and a half a slice of orange.
- Serve warm.
Notes
- If you don’t have the time to make your own peel, place a few slices of orange and lemon into the pot instead.
- This can be easily made in a large crock pot if desired.
- Unused juice can be frozen and thawed to make another batch of wassail later.