As the weather cools (a bit!), we all feel like snuggling up on the couch with a cozy blanket and a hot drink. Hot mulled cider is a cold-weather staple around here, and this version is made even more delicious with the addition of health-boosting elderberries.
Unlike tart cranberries, elderberries add a mild flavor with a hint of musk. They pair wonderfully with sweet apples and aromatic spices. You can cook them on the stove or in a crockpot; either way, your home will smell amazing.
Hot Apple Cider
Apple cider is a traditional fall favorite made by boiling down cider with spices. Some recipes call for adding brown sugar, maple syrup, or other sweeteners. The apples themselves add plenty of sweetness when boiled down. Unlike filtered apple juice, cider is richer and more flavorful.
You can also add the same spices to wine to make mulled wine. You can also find a recipe for apple cider in a slow cooker here. In this version, instead of apple cider, you boil apple slices in water. I find it easier to make it from scratch when you have lots of apples in season.
Beneficial spices
Spices don’t just add flavour, they also have powerful health benefits. Warming spices support your immune system during the winter. Flavours include cinnamon, cloves, star anise, cardamom pods and ginger. They’re naturally antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal, helping to ward off winter illnesses. Plus, they’ll leave you feeling warm and cosy.
Spices like cinnamon and cloves have rubefacient properties, drawing blood to the skin’s surface. Increased circulation to the outer layer of skin makes you feel warmer and more refreshed, and they also aid digestion (after those too many Christmas cookies!).
What makes this hot cider recipe different is the addition of elderberries, which gives you a warm drink and elderberry syrup with antiviral properties to fight the flu. Elderberries themselves don’t have much flavor, but they do enhance the effects of the cider. Read more about the benefits of elderberries here.
Slow Cooker vs. Stovetop Hot Cider
I often make this in a slow cooker so I don’t have to keep an eye on the stove. You can do it either way, but I recommend cooking it with the lid off. The enticing aroma of warm apples and spices wafts through the air and gets you in the seasonal spirit. Make it on Halloween or Christmas Day and serve it to your guests (or family).
Cider Ingredient Options
There are many different combinations and variations of hot cider available. If you have pre-made hot cider spices, feel free to use them along with the elderberry. Options include:
- Allspice berries
- Cardamom pods
- Cranberry juice
- Sliced ​​ginger
- Pepper
- Cinnamon stick
- Cloves (whole)
- Orange slices or orange peel
- Lemon slices
The recipe below is my favorite, but feel free to adjust the quantities and ingredients to suit your tastes.
Mulled Elderberry Cider Recipe
This aromatic hot cider is packed with the health benefits of elderberry, making it the perfect way to warm up and boost your immunity during the colder months.
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Add apple cider, elderberries, fruit slices, and spices to a large pot or Dutch oven.
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Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.
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Once the cider has released its aroma, strain the spices and fruit through a strainer or cheesecloth, which can then be composted.
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Pour the cider into a mug, garnish as desired, and drink while warm.
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Store any leftovers in the refrigerator and reheat on the stove before serving, or serve cold.
Nutritional Information
Mulled Elderberry Cider Recipe
Serving Size (1 cup)
calorie 159
Calories from fat 5
% Daily Value*
fat 0.5g1%
Saturated Fat 0.1g1%
Polyunsaturated fats: 0.2g
Monounsaturated fat 0.03g
sodium 13 mg1%
potassium 367mg10%
carbohydrates 39 grams13%
Fiber: 2g8%
32g sugar36%
protein 1 gram2%
Vitamin A 55 IU1%
Vitamin C 15mg18%
calcium 46mg5%
iron 1 mg6%
*Percent Daily Values ​​are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
- You can also make this in a slow cooker by adding the ingredients and simmering on low heat for 3-4 hours.
- Do not add raw or dried elderberries as a garnish, as elderberries can cause digestive upset if not cooked beforehand.
Elderberry cider garnish
Get out your favorite mug and add a few garnishes of your choice. After boiling and straining the cider, try garnishing it with fresh apple or orange slices. You can also stir in a large cinnamon stick for added flavor. Or, you can add a splash of rum for a hot toddy.
For more elderberry recipes, try these elderberry gummies My kids love them!
What spices do you like to add to your mulled cider? Leave a comment and let me know!
