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I’ve never been much for brown liquor. Give me gin, vodka, something clear and crisp, and I’m a happy puppy. But one wicked cold afternoon in Connecticut, I found myself craving something… deeper. I’d dug out this recipe for spiced cider, and with some decent bourbon in the cabinet (left by our friend Ginger), I decided to try it.
The whole kitchen filled with the scent of citrus and spice, and even Raja and Chloe, our long-gone furbabies, padded in, making figure eights around the kitchen chair legs, convinced I was making something for them. Hope dies hard in our house.
I poured a mug, settled by the fire, and honestly? It was perfect. Warm, gently sweet, just boozy enough to make me feel like I was getting away with something. I’ve made it every winter since—sometimes for a crowd, sometimes just for me, always with that same sense of quiet comfort.
Why Our Testers Loved This
Our testers loved that this bourbon spiked apple cider was “warm, delicious, and comforting.” They were also delighted that there were options to make it kid-friendly so that everyone can enjoy it.
Notes on ingredients
- Apple cider–This is the raw, unfiltered apple juice that you’ll find in the refrigerated or gourmet section of your grocery store, not the alcoholic beverage.
- Bourbon–Since the bourbon flavor is quite pronounced, use a smooth, drinkable bourbon that you like drinking.
Step-by-step instructions
- Infuse the cider. Combine the apple cider, citrus zest, and whole spices in a saucepan and simmer for 3 minutes. Turn off heat and let the cider steep for 10 minutes.
- Strain the cider. Discard the citrus zest and whole spices, and stir in the bourbon. Serve hot, garnished with cinnamon stir sticks, freshly grated nutmeg, or lemon twists.
Recipe FAQs
Depending on the amount you’ve made, you have a few options. A thermos or insulated carafe is good for a few servings.
If you’re at home and want to make a larger amount, you can keep the hot spiced apple cider (without the alcohol) in a large pot on a low-temperature burner or slow cooker. Add the alcohol as you serve the cider.
You can make the apple cider cocktail, without the alcohol, in advance then reheat the cider and add the bourbon as you serve the drinks. The premade cider will last up to 3 days in the fridge, making it great for pre-planned winter activities.
Both are made from pressed fresh apples, but apple cider is fresh and unfiltered, and often unpasteurized. It has a shorter shelf life than apple juice, which is filtered and pasteurized to be shelf stable.
Pro tips & troubleshooting
- To make this spiced cider without alcohol, leave the bourbon out and add extra apple cider.
- If you’re making a large batch and find it awkward to strain it all, put your whole spices and citrus zest in a cheesecloth pouch or nut milk bag and tie it to secure everything inside. When you are finished simmering the cider, just remove the pouch.
- For a lower-alcohol drink, reduce the amount of bourbon to 1 or 1 1/2 cups.
More Great Apple Cider Drink Recipes
Write a review
If you make this recipe, or any dish on LC, consider leaving a review, a star rating, and your best photo in the comments below. I love hearing from you.–David
Featured Review
Oh my goodness! Hard stop. The arctic cold arrived today, hence comfort and warmth were needed. This warm apple cider is addictive. I kept it in a thermal carafe and added the bourbon when ready to serve. To avoid doing a face plant while cooking the rest of the meal, I cut the bourbon in half. The theme of the day was apple. This cider went great with apple cider-braised pork shoulder for our dinner entree, and downright sinful with an apple cake slice. The lemon and orange really helped to keep it from being cloyingly sweet. Perfect balance. I plan on making this for Thanksgiving to accommodate all my family members.
MaryKay
Spiced Cider
Ingredients
- 4 cups apple cider
- Zest from 1/2 medium orange, preferably organic
- Zest from 1 lemon, preferably organic
- 1 stick cinnamon, plus more for garnish (optional)
- 4 whole cloves
- 3 allspice berries
- 2 cups bourbon
- Lemon twists, for garnish (optional)
- Freshly grated nutmeg, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Combine the cider, orange and lemon zest, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice berries in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the mixture steep for 7 to 10 minutes.
- Strain the spiced cider into a coffee pot or other heatproof vessel and discard the solids. Add the bourbon and stir to combine. Serve the spiked spiced cider warm in coffee mugs, pint glasses, or heatproof wine glasses with a cinnamon stick, twist of lemon, and grated nutmeg, if desired.
Notes
- Non-alcoholic variation–Leave out the bourbon and add extra apple cider for an alcohol-free spiced cider.
- Tie up your spices–To avoid the straining step, combine the citrus zest and spices in a cheesecloth pouch or nut milk bag. When the cider is finished steeping, just remove the pouch.
- Storage–The cider can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Rewarm over medium-low heat before serving.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
Did you know only 68% of the recipes we test make it onto the site? This recipe survived our rigorous blind testing process by multiple home cooks. It earned the Leite’s Culinaria stamp of approval—and the testers’ reviews below prove it.
I found this spiced cider to be quite an excellent drink for a winter day. It warms one from head to toe. If you’re intending to drink more than a mugful, or if you’re not using a smooth, drinkable bourbon, I’d suggest maybe cutting back the liquor to 1 1/2 cups, as otherwise, this spiced cider can pack a punch.
After steeping the cider, I strained it through some cheesecloth, which I thought worked very well. On a side note, this also makes a great nonalcoholic spiced cider that you could give to the kids.
I made this spiced cider recipe without the bourbon because I was serving this to kids, plus I didn’t want to fall on my ass. I subbed more apple cider for the bourbon, and the drink was still warm, delicious, and comforting. We love the addition of orange, lemon zest, and allspice. This tastes so much better than store-bought cider!
Oh my goodness! Hard stop. The arctic cold arrived today, hence comfort and warmth were needed. This warm apple cider is addictive. I kept it in a thermal carafe and added the bourbon when ready to serve. To avoid doing a face plant while cooking the rest of the meal, I cut the bourbon in half. The theme of the day was apple. This cider went great with apple cider braised pork shoulder for our dinner entree, and downright sinful with an apple cake slice. The lemon and orange really helped to keep it from being cloyingly sweet. Perfect balance. I plan on making this for Thanksgiving to accommodate all my family members.
MaryKay, I’m swooning over here! The Arctic chill! The apple-themed dinner! The cider in a thermal carafe. I love it all. I especially love your bourbon restraint (and reasoning!) and that you’ve already slotted this into your Thanksgiving game plan. The only thing: Where’s my invitation?
Just double-checking – apple cider you use here is plain apple juice, not the apple cider with alcohol (“hard apple cider”)?
Correct. Just plain old apple cider—which is just apple juice of sorts that’s not fermented.
Can’t wait to try this recipe, it looks great!
Did nobody else notice that the citrus and spice in the picture looks like a goldfish?
Jenn, this spiced cider is so stunning in taste, we were hoping no one would notice that the photograph from the book has a rather unfortunate placement of clove against orange zest! At least we know now that it wasn’t just the bourbon whispering to us…