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It is getting dark earlier and the temperature is about to dip (anything below 70°F may as well be the Antarctic for us Floridians). Worry not, we have the perfect cocktail to warm you up on those “chilly” fall and winter evenings. This Hot Spiked Apple Cider is a mulled cocktail that you can prepare in a Crock-Pot or on the stove in a Dutch oven. Slowly simmering baking spices, sliced fruit, apple cider and orange juice this drink packs in all of those tasty fall flavors. Finally, you’ll finish it off by spiking it with your favorite rum (or whiskey) resulting in a deliciously warming drink that will have you returning for seconds.
This recipe supports local by using local Florida rum. Check out our recommendations below for best rums distilled in Florida and help support local Florida distilleries. We hope you enjoy this Hot Spiked Apple Cider recipe. Happy fall!
WHAT INGREDIENTS DO I NEED TO MAKE HOT SPIKED APPLE CIDER?
THE ALCOHOL
The beauty of a hot punch style drink, like Hot Spiked Apple Cider, is that you can use whatever type of alcohol you like. You can use any dark spirit in this recipe like whiskey, aged rum or brandy and you can even experiment with mixing these different spirits together. That said, if we had to pick, we would recommend using an aged or spiced rum as it is the perfect pairing for the apple and baking spices in this warm cocktail.
Spiced Rum: We like to double down on the spices in this fall cocktail by using a spiced rum. These styles of rums can be unaged or aged and then have spices added to them.
Our go to Florida spiced rum is Siesta Key Spiced Rum from Siesta Key Distillery in Sarasota. This spiced rum compliments the ingredients in this cocktail perfectly adding hints of cinnamon, allspice, and vanilla as well as some delicious honey sweetness.
Recommended Spiced Rum:
- Siesta Key Spiced Rum- Siesta Key Distillery
- Big Five Spiced Rum – Big Five Rum
- Wicked Dolphin Spiced Rum – Wicked Dolphin Distillery
- Oak & Palm Spiced Rum- St. Petersburg Distillery
Gold or Dark Rum: Alternatively you can use a Gold or Dark. This style of rum has been aged in barrels to give it a richer, bolder flavor, typically developing intense vanilla and molasses flavors. This style of rum is bold enough to shine through in this hot apple cider cocktail.
Our favorite is the Florida Mermaid Rum from Njoy Distillery in Weeki Wachee. This 3-year-old Florida sugar cane rum is blended with a Caribbean pot still rum before being aged in their own whiskey barrels for 90 days. The result is a delicious rum that has plenty of vanilla and almond notes that makes it a great base for this cocktail.
Recommended Gold or Dark Rum:
- Florida Mermaid Rum- Njoy Distillery
- Wicked Dolphin Gold – Wicked Dolphin Distillery
- Pot Distilled Rum- St. Augustine Distillery
- Oak & Cane Gold Rum- Oak & Cane Distillery
THE MIXERS
The Apple Cider: It’s that time of year again and apple cider is everywhere. During the fall and winter months you should easily be able to buy apple cider at your local store or farmers market. Unfortunately for us Floridians, apples grow best in cold climates, so you won’t be buying any local Florida apple cider. The apple cider you can purchase in the store will likely be from our friends from up north in Washington, New York, and Michigan, where over 75% of our apples are grown.
The Spices: For this mulled apple cider recipe, It is important that you use whole spices rather than ground. You want the flavors to gently soak into the apple cider mixture during the 3-hour cooking time. If you used ground spices you wouldn’t get the same depth of flavor and the texture would end up grainy. Whereas the Cinnamon and Cloves are a must, the Star Anise is optional, but if you have it in the pantry then it will add further complexity to the fall spice mix.
Recommended Spices:
The Vanilla Extract: Make sure that you choose “pure vanilla extract” which is made only from natural vanilla beans, water and alcohol. If it doesn’t contain the word “pure” then it is a cheaper imitation that is artificially made. Due to the scarcity of vanilla, and the fluctuation in crop yields, vanilla is expensive. That said, a little goes a long way. We use Nielsen-Massey, but Rodelle is another good option.
Recommended Vanilla Extract: Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Extract, 4 oz
WHAT EQUIPMENT DO I NEED TO MAKE HOT SPIKED APPLE CIDER?
The Crock-Pot: This hot spiked punch is made in a slow cooker to slowly combine the ingredients resulting in a delicious spiced drink. For this recipe you will need a 4 quart or bigger slow cooker. We use the brand Crock-Pot, which is sturdy, reliable and always gets the job done. If you don’t already have one then we would recommend the beautiful black and white patterned Crock-Pot. Alternatively, you can cook this on the stove in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Just bring to a boil, turn down to low, cover and leave for 2 hours. If you opt for this method, then make sure you keep checking it to ensure it doesn’t re-boil.
Recommended Crock-Pot: Crock-Pot 4.5 Quart Black & White Pattern
The Glass: As this is a hot cocktail you will need to serve it in a glass built for warm beverages. A coffee mug works perfectly so pick your favorite mug and enjoy. If you are hosting friends, or enjoy mulled drinks, then level up your warm cocktail game by purchasing yourself some insulated glass cups.
Recommended Glass Mugs: JoyJolt Double Wall Insulated Glass Cups
We hope you enjoy the Hot Spiked Apple Cider Cocktail Recipe below, and as always drink local and drink responsibly. Cheers!
This post contains affiliate links and we may earn a small commission when purchases of recommended products are made. This is at no additional cost to you, and every penny goes into buying and trying more tasty Floridian tipples.
Hot Spiked Apple Cider Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ Gallon Apple Cider (8 Cups)
- 2-3 Cinnamon Sticks
- 6 Whole Cloves
- 2 Whole Star Anise (Optional)
- 1 Orange cut into 8 pieces
- 1 Apple Cut into Slices
- 1 Tablespoons Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1.5 cups Orange Juice
- 2 cups Rum or Whiskey
Instructions
- Step 1: Add all ingredients except the alcohol to a 4-quart or larger crock pot.
- Step 2: Simmer on low for 3 hours.
- Step 3: Add the Alcohol and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
- Step 4: Remove the fruit and spices.
- Step 5: Serve with a ladle in a heat proof glass or mug.
Notes
Note: If you don't have a Crock-Pot then use a large Dutch oven on the stovetop. Bring to a boil, turn down to low, cover and simmer for 2 hours. Check regularly to ensure it isn't cooking to vigorously.
Other Fall Cocktail Recipes To Try:
