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Best Homemade Spiked Apple Cider with Cinnamon Whiskey

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This spiked apple cider with cinnamon whiskey is the ultimate fall cocktail—warm, cozy, and incredibly easy to make in a slow cooker. With apple cider, cinnamon whiskey, fresh oranges, and whole spices, it’s a crowd-pleasing drink that makes any gathering feel special.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 64 ounces (8 cups) apple cider
  • 1 ½ cups cinnamon whiskey (e.g., Fireball or Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire)
  • 2 large fresh oranges (1 juiced, 1 sliced for garnish)
  • 4–5 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 teaspoon whole cloves
  • 3 whole star anise pods
  • 1 whole vanilla bean (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
  • 2–3 tablespoons maple syrup (optional, to taste)
  • Apple slices (for garnish, tossed in lemon juice to prevent browning)

Instructions

  1. Prep your slow cooker (or pot). If using a slow cooker, rinse and dry the insert. For stovetop, set a large pot on the stove.
  2. Combine the cider and spices. Pour the apple cider into the slow cooker or pot. Add cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and star anise pods. If using a vanilla bean, split it lengthwise, scrape the seeds into the cider, and drop the pod in as well.
  3. Add the citrus. Juice one orange directly into the cider. Use a vegetable peeler to strip long pieces of peel from the second orange (avoid the white pith) and drop them into the pot.
  4. Pour in the cinnamon whiskey. Measure 1 ½ cups and add to the pot. Stir everything together.
  5. Set the heat. For slow cooker: LOW for 2-3 hours or HIGH for 1-2 hours. For stovetop: medium-low heat, simmer gently (small bubbles around edges, not a rolling boil).
  6. Taste and adjust. After about 1 hour, taste the cider. If it seems sharp or tart, add 2-3 tablespoons of maple syrup to taste.
  7. Strain before serving. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a large pitcher or individual mugs. Ladle the cider through the strainer to remove whole spices and orange peels.
  8. Garnish and serve. Pour strained cider into mugs. Add a fresh cinnamon stick to each mug. Float a thin slice of orange and a slice of apple on top. Optionally, add a star anise pod for visual drama (warn guests not to eat it).
  9. Keep it warm for refills. If using a slow cooker, leave remaining cider on the WARM setting. If using a stovetop pot, transfer strained cider back to the slow cooker or keep in the pot on the lowest heat, stirring every 20 minutes.

Notes

Don’t skip the straining step to avoid biting into whole cloves or star anise. Taste as you go to adjust sweetness—some ciders and whiskeys are sweeter than others. Keep the cider warm but do not let it boil to preserve alcohol and flavor. For a non-alcoholic version, omit the whiskey and add extra apple cider or juice. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: spiked apple cider, cinnamon whiskey, fall cocktail, slow cooker drink, warm cocktail, apple cider recipe, holiday drink

Find it online: https://goldensimmer.com/best-homemade-spiked-apple-cider-with-cinnamon-whiskey/