5 Warm Apple Drinks for Cosy Autumn Evenings
Warm apple drinks sit somewhere between herbal tea, mulled juice and a drinkable simmer pot. They fill the kitchen with the scent of fruit and spice, but unlike a decorative simmer pot, every ingredient is chosen to be consumed.
In the United States, apple cider often means cloudy, unfiltered apple juice. In Britain, cider usually means an alcoholic drink. The recipes below use cloudy apple juice or non-alcoholic apple cider unless stated otherwise.
A simple base method
For two mugs, combine 500 ml cloudy apple juice with the chosen herbs, fruit and spices in a small saucepan.
Warm gently for 10–15 minutes without letting the mixture boil hard. Taste, strain and serve. Add water if the drink becomes too sweet or concentrated.
Use whole spices where possible. Ground spices can make the drink gritty and difficult to strain.
1. Classic apple, orange and cinnamon
500 ml cloudy apple juice
2 strips of orange peel
1 cinnamon stick
Warm everything gently for 10–15 minutes without boiling hard, then strain and serve. Avoid too much white pith on the orange peel, as it can add bitterness.
2. Apple, ginger and lemon
500 ml cloudy apple juice
3–4 thin slices of fresh ginger
2 strips of lemon peel
Warm gently for 10–15 minutes and strain. For more heat, lightly crush the ginger rather than adding a large extra quantity.
3. Apple, rosemary and honey
500 ml cloudy apple juice
1 small sprig of rosemary
1 strip of lemon peel
Honey to taste, optional
Warm the juice with rosemary and lemon peel. Remove the rosemary after five to eight minutes, then stir in honey off the heat if wanted. Never give honey to children under one year old.
4. Apple, cranberry and clove
400 ml cloudy apple juice
100 ml unsweetened cranberry juice
2 cloves
1 small piece of cinnamon stick
Warm gently for 10–15 minutes and strain carefully. Clove becomes strong quickly, so use it sparingly.
5. Apple, chamomile and vanilla
500 ml cloudy apple juice
A small piece of vanilla pod or a little alcohol-free vanilla flavouring
1 chamomile tea bag
Warm the apple juice with vanilla, remove from the heat and steep the chamomile for three to five minutes. Check the product if you have known allergies to plants in the daisy family.
Drinkable simmer pot or hot apple juice?
A drinkable simmer pot uses food-safe ingredients in quantities intended for drinking. A decorative simmer pot may contain old fruit, large amounts of spices or non-food fragrance and must never be consumed. Read Warming Drinkable Simmer Pots for Cold and Flu Season before turning a home-fragrance recipe into a drink.
Always start with a clean pan and fresh ingredients. Do not drink liquid that has been simmering around the home for hours.
Preparing the drinks in advance
Make the drink earlier the same day, strain it, cool it promptly and refrigerate it in a covered container. Reheat only the amount you need until steaming hot.
Do not keep repeatedly warming the same batch. For the freshest flavour, add delicate herbs and tea only during the final heating.
Easy variations
Replace part of the apple juice with pear juice for a softer flavour. Add star anise only if you enjoy its distinctive liquorice note, and use no more than one small star for a saucepan.
For adults, an alcoholic cider can be warmed gently with spices, but label and serve it separately from the alcohol-free version. Never boil alcohol over an open flame.
Frequently asked questions Warm Apple Drinks
1. Is apple cider alcoholic?
In Britain, cider is normally alcoholic. In many American recipes, apple cider means cloudy, unfiltered apple juice. Check the label before using it.
2. Can I make these drinks without added sugar?
Yes. Apple juice is naturally sweet, so taste the finished drink before adding honey or another sweetener.
3. Can children drink warm apple juice?
Generally yes, once it has cooled to a safe temperature and the individual ingredients are suitable for the child. Avoid honey for children under one.
4. Can I make a warm apple drink in a slow cooker?
Yes, but use a clean cooker, food-safe ingredients and a sensible food-preparation time. Do not treat a decorative simmer pot as a drink.
5. How long can I keep leftovers?
Cool promptly, refrigerate in a covered container and use within two days. Reheat until steaming and discard anything with an unusual smell or appearance.
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