Warm Cinnamon-Spiced Apple Cider Punch
A comforting hot apple cider infused with cinnamon sticks, cloves, and orange peel, perfect for sharing during cold holiday gatherings. This American Christmas recipe, ready in about 30 minutes, brings together apple cider, cinnamon sticks, and whole cloves for a refreshing, crowd-pleasing drink — a bright, easy pour for parties, gatherings, or any warm-weather afternoon when you want something festive without alcohol-only options. Each serving lands at about 120 calories and feeds 6, so it works for entertaining, brunch, or a non-alcoholic option at the bar cart. Tap "Add this recipe to your weekly plan" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 6 cups apple cider
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tbsp whole cloves
- 4 orange peel strips
- 2 whole star anise
- 4 slices (about 1/2 inch each) fresh ginger slices
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp lemon juice, fresh
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: In a large pot, combine 6 cups apple cider, 3 cinnamon sticks, 1 tbsp whole cloves, 4 strips of orange peel, 2 whole star anise, and 4 slices of fresh ginger.
- Step 2: Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to low and let steep, uncovered, for 20 minutes until fragrant and spiced.
- Step 3: Remove from heat and strain out the spices and peels using a fine mesh sieve.
- Step 4: Stir in 2 tbsp honey and 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice until the honey dissolves completely.
- Step 5: Serve hot in mugs, garnished with an additional cinnamon stick or orange peel strip if desired.
