Quick Spiked Apple Cider with Cinnamon Whiskey
A warm and comforting spiked apple cider made with cinnamon whiskey, perfect for holiday parties or cozy nights in. This simple recipe comes together in under 10 minutes with just a few ingredients.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Beverage
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups (960 ml) apple cider
- 1 cup (240 ml) cinnamon whiskey (e.g., Fireball or Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire)
- 1–2 tablespoons (15–30 ml) honey or maple syrup (optional)
- 4–6 fresh orange slices (for garnish)
- 4–6 cinnamon sticks (for garnish)
- 6–8 whole cloves (optional)
- 2–3 star anise pods (optional)
Instructions
- Pour the apple cider into a medium saucepan. Set the heat to medium-high and let it start warming up until steaming, but not boiling.
- Add optional spices (cloves, star anise) if using. Stir occasionally and heat for about 4-5 minutes until steaming.
- Reduce the heat to low to keep the cider warm without boiling.
- Remove the saucepan from heat and let it sit for 30 seconds to cool slightly.
- Pour in the cinnamon whiskey and stir gently until fully combined.
- Taste and adjust sweetness with honey or maple syrup if desired, or add more whiskey for a stronger drink.
- Ladle the spiked cider into mugs, filling about three-quarters full.
- Garnish each mug with a cinnamon stick and an orange slice. Optionally add a clove or star anise for presentation.
- Serve immediately while warm.
Notes
Don’t boil the cider to avoid concentrating the sugar and losing alcohol. For parties, keep the spiced cider warm in a slow cooker on the ‘warm’ setting after adding whiskey. The non-alcoholic version can be made by skipping the whiskey and adding extra cinnamon sticks and vanilla extract.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8 oz (240 ml)
- Calories: 240
- Sugar: 30
- Sodium: 15
- Carbohydrates: 33
Keywords: spiked apple cider, cinnamon whiskey, warm cocktail, holiday drink, easy recipe, apple cider, whiskey drink