Mulled Apple Cider (Slow Cooker or Stovetop)
Developed and tested by Robyn Conley Downs
on Oct 28, 2026 
This easy mulled apple cider takes about 5-minutes of hands-on work and just 4 simple ingredients. Simmer it on the stove or let the slow cooker hold it warm, then serve the non-alcoholic or alcoholic version (recipe includes instructions for both) for the perfect fall drink!
Warm Spiced Cider
Okaaaaay, this warm mulled cider will make your house smell like a fall candle (in the best possible way), and it’s what I make from the first cold weekend straight through the holidays.
All you need to make it is a jug of fresh-pressed cider and a couple warming spices.
If I have a bit of extra time I like to toast them first, which makes a noticeable difference if yours have been in the cabinet a while.
I created this warm cider so it scales to whatever you need, from 32-ounces up to a gallon, making it super versatile for fall festivities (truly, it’s my favorite drink for a crowd to serve on Halloween and Thanksgiving!).
In testing, I simmered the oranges in with the spices at first, thinking it would layer in more citrus, and instead they overpowered the cider and left it slightly bitter.
That’s why I recommend they go in at the end as garnish, which tastes better and looks much prettier, too!
On that note, be sure to use whole spices only
I tested ground and the cider went cloudy with a sandy grit at the bottom of every mug. And keep it at the lowest possible simmer, because boiling can turn it bitter and cook off too much liquid, leaving you with more of a syrup than a drink.
Now, on the topic of how to spike it, if serving to a mixed crowd my answer is by the mug.
Add 1½ ounces of bourbon or rum to each individual mug and then just ladle in the warm cider.
If you’d rather spike the whole batch, half a bottle does it, but add it at the end so the alcohol doesn’t cook off.
You can make it up to a day ahead and reheat, or let the slow cooker hold it on warm for hours while people help themselves.
And for more apple recipes that will have your house smelling better than a fall bakery, my slow cooker cinnamon apples fill the house with the same smell, and my apple loaf cake is fall perfection.
Make Mulled Apple Cider When:
- You’re hosting and want something warm that takes care of itself all afternoon.
- It’s Halloween night and people keep coming in from the cold.
- You want your whole house to smell like a fall candle.
- You’re feeding a mixed crowd, since kids and adults drink from the same pot and anyone who wants bourbon adds it to their own mug.
- Thanksgiving morning, Christmas Eve, or any holiday where people are standing around the kitchen.
- You need something for a crowd that scales easily, because this works from 32-ounces up to a gallon without changing a thing!
Welcome to My Kitchen, Let’s Make Slow Cooker Apple Cider!
Robyn’s Testing Tips for Crockpot Cider
- Use fresh-pressed unfiltered cider if you can find it, since that’s where the flavor comes from. I tested this with unfiltered apple juice and it worked fine, so don’t skip the recipe over it, but the cider version is noticeably better.
- Don’t add sweetener before you taste it. I tested a version with maple syrup stirred in and it was cloying in my opinion, because good cider is already plenty sweet on its own.
- I’ve held this on warm in the slow cooker for four hours during a party and it only got better. The spices keep infusing, so pull them out once you strain or it’ll eventually go bitter.
- Save the strained spices if you’re making a second batch that weekend. I’ve reused cinnamon sticks and star anise once with good results, though the cloves are spent after the first round.
Hot Mulled Apple Cider (Slow Cooker or Stovetop)
Equipment
- Dutch Oven (optional)
- Slow Cooker (optional)
Ingredients
- ½ gallon fresh-pressed, unfiltered apple cider (64-ounces)
- 2 cinnamon sticks, plus more for serving, optional
- 1 teaspoon whole cloves
- 2 whole star anise
- orange slices, for serving
- thinly-sliced apple, for serving
For Spiked Mulled Apple Cider (optional)
- ½ bottle bourbon or rum (375ml), or 1½ ounces per mug
Instructions
Stovetop Instructions
- Toast the Spices: In a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat, add the cinnamon sticks, cloves, and star anise. Toast for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the spices are fragrant.
- Simmer: Pour the apple cider into the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low.
- Simmer on the lowest setting, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes. Be careful not to boil, which can make the cider bitter, and will reduce the liquid too much. The longer it simmers, the more developed the spice flavor.
- Strain and Serve: Strain out and discard the whole spices, then garnish with a fresh orange slice and a cinnamon stick if you like.
- Spike it: For a spiked version, add 1½ ounces of bourbon or rum directly to individual mugs before pouring. Or add the full amount to the strained cider and serve.
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Combine: Add the apple cider, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and star anise to a 6-quart slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Cook: Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours, or until gently simmering and fragrant.
- Strain and Serve: Strain out and discard the whole spices. Switch the slow cooker to warm for serving (this keeps the cider at the perfect temperature throughout a party!)
- Ladle into mugs and garnish with a fresh orange slice and a cinnamon stick if you like.
- Spike it: For a spiked version, add 1½ ounces of bourbon or rum directly to individual mugs before pouring. Or add the full amount to the strained cider in the slow cooker and serve.
Notes
- I wrote this recipe so you can easily scale it up or down depending on the amount you want to make, from 32-ounces up to a gallon or more!
- Use whole spices only, as ground spices will make the cider cloudy and give it an unpleasant sandy texture! Toasting the spices is especially nice if you’re using spices that are on the older side.
- Fresh-pressed unfiltered apple cider gives the best flavor; but I tested this with unfiltered apple juice and it worked, too.
- I feel like this goes without saying, but make sure your slow cooker is very clean before adding the cider, especially if you use it to cook savory foods often.
- I tested this by adding the oranges first and I felt like it overpowered the cider and made it slightly bitter. That’s why I prefer adding the oranges and apple slices at the end. Also it makes a much prettier presentation.
