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Quick Spiced Cranberry Clove Wassail – Easy Homemade Recipe

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A warm, fragrant drink that tastes like you spent hours on it, even though you didn’t. This quick wassail combines fresh cranberries, apple cider, and whole cloves for a cozy, crowd-pleasing beverage ready in under 20 minutes.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 cups apple cider (unsweetened or lightly sweetened)
  • 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon whole cloves
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 orange, thinly sliced (for garnish)
  • Optional: 1/2 cup bourbon or dark rum (for adults-only version)

Instructions

  1. Combine the liquids. Pour the apple cider, orange juice, and honey (or maple syrup) into your pot. Stir them together with your wooden spoon until the sweetener dissolves completely.
  2. Add the spices and cranberries. Drop in the whole cloves, cinnamon sticks, and cranberries. Give everything a gentle stir.
  3. Bring to a boil. Turn the heat to medium-high and let the mixture come to a rolling boil. You’ll see the cranberries start to pop open after about 5-7 minutes. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t boil over.
  4. Reduce and simmer. Once it’s boiling, lower the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 8-10 minutes. The cranberries should be completely soft and most of them should have burst open. Press them gently against the side of the pot with your spoon to release any remaining juice.
  5. Taste and adjust. Take the pot off the heat and carefully taste a small spoonful. If you want it sweeter, stir in another tablespoon of honey. If you want more spice, add another cinnamon stick and let it steep for 5 minutes off the heat.
  6. Strain the wassail. Place your fine-mesh strainer over a large heatproof bowl or directly into your serving pitcher. Pour the wassail through the strainer to catch the cloves, cinnamon sticks, and cranberry solids. Press down on the solids with the back of a spoon to extract every last drop of flavor.
  7. Serve immediately. Pour the strained wassail into warm mugs and garnish with a fresh orange slice and a cinnamon stick if you have them.

Notes

Don’t boil the cloves too long (max 15 minutes) to avoid bitterness. Use a light hand with sweetener at first; cranberries release tartness gradually. Toast cinnamon sticks in a dry skillet for 30 seconds per side for extra depth. Serve hot but not boiling (around 160°F). For adults-only version, stir in bourbon or dark rum after straining.

Nutrition

Keywords: wassail, cranberry, clove, spiced cider, holiday drink, quick, easy, homemade

Find it online: https://lolaspoon.com/quick-spiced-cranberry-clove-wassail-easy-homemade-recipe/