Mulled Cider with Ground Cinnamon and Whole Cloves (No Sticks Needed)

You can make mulled cider with ground cinnamon. The catch is that ground cinnamon is bark and does not dissolve, so stirred straight in it leaves the cider gritty and hazier than it should be. Tie the powder loosely into two nested paper coffee filters, steep it like a tea bag, and you get a warmly spiced cider with no grit and no sticks needed. Whole cloves go straight into the pot, because they lift out easily.

Ingredients

• 1/2 gallon (8 cups / 1.9 L) pasteurized apple cider
• 2 teaspoons ground Ceylon cinnamon
• 12 whole cloves
• 1 orange, cut into thin rounds
• 4 thin slices fresh ginger (optional)
• 1 to 2 tablespoons maple syrup or brown sugar (optional)

Equipment: a large pot, two round unbleached paper coffee filters (basket style), nested, and kitchen string, a ladle and a fine sieve.

Method

1. Spoon the ground cinnamon into the center of the nested coffee filters, loosely, without packing it. Gather the edges into a pouch and tie it tightly with kitchen string, leaving a long tail.
2. Pour the cider into the pot and add the cloves, orange rounds and ginger, if using. Drop in the cinnamon bundle and tie the string tail to the pot handle.
3. Heat over medium-low until the cider is steaming and small bubbles form at the edge, about 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Turn the heat to low and keep the cider just below a simmer for 15 minutes, until it smells clearly of cinnamon and cloves. Do not let it boil hard.
5. Taste and sweeten with maple syrup or brown sugar if you like. Lift out the cinnamon bundle without squeezing it, which would push the powder into the cider.
6. Ladle the cider through a fine sieve into mugs, leaving the cloves, orange and ginger behind.

No coffee filter?

Use a fillable paper tea bag, or a double layer of cheesecloth tied the same way. If you have none of these, whisk the cinnamon straight into the cider, simmer as above, then take the pot off the heat and leave it for 10 minutes off the heat; some powder will settle and some will not. Ladle from the top and pour through a paper coffee filter set in a sieve. Expect it to be slow, and the last cup will be hazy.

Ground cloves are the harder case. They cloud the drink and leave sediment, which is why our guide to whole and ground cloves recommends whole cloves for mulled cider. If ground is all you have, put 1/2 teaspoon in the bundle with the cinnamon and taste before adding more.

Notes from the stove

• Ceylon cinnamon is milder than the cassia in most US jars, so 2 teaspoons gives a gentle cider. For a stronger one, add a third teaspoon to the bundle.
• Keep the heat low. The spices only need a gentle heat to give up their flavor, and the cider tastes fresher for it.
• For a crowd, make it in a slow cooker: put everything in, cover, heat on low until steaming, then hold it on the warm setting. Lift out the bundle once the cinnamon tastes right.
• Pick pasteurized cider. The FDA says juice and cider sold in packages without pasteurization or another safety process must carry a warning label, while cider sold by the glass at orchards and farm stands does not need one, so ask if you are unsure.²

Storage and reheating

Strain out the spices and fruit first, then refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, as USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service advises; it gives leftovers 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.³ Reheat it on the stove to at least 165°F, the temperature the same USDA guidance gives for reheating leftovers; a thermometer is the only way to be sure.³

FAQ

Can I add ground cinnamon to apple cider?

Yes, but it will not dissolve. Steep it in a tied coffee filter or tea bag, or let it settle and strain the cider through a paper filter, so the drink has no grit.

How much ground cinnamon equals a cinnamon stick?

King Arthur Baking gives 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon for each stick.¹ With milder Ceylon, start at the higher end.

Can I make mulled cider ahead?

Yes. Make it, strain it and refrigerate it within 2 hours, then reheat it to at least 165°F. Use it within 3 to 4 days.³

Can I use this method for mulled wine?

The bundle works the same way. Keep the heat low and do not let the wine boil.