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Cozy Slow Cooker Christmas Wassail Punch – Best Holiday Drink

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This warm, fruity, and gently spiced slow cooker wassail punch fills your house with an unmistakable Christmas aroma. It’s a set-it-and-forget-it holiday drink made with real apple cider, fresh orange slices, and just the right amount of cranberry for a perfect balance of sweet and tart.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 cups (1920 ml) apple cider
  • 2 cups (480 ml) cranberry juice (100% juice)
  • 1 cup (240 ml) orange juice (fresh-squeezed preferred)
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) honey or maple syrup
  • 1 large orange, sliced into rounds
  • 1 large apple, sliced into rounds
  • 4–5 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) whole cloves
  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) whole allspice berries
  • 2-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced into thin rounds
  • 2–3 star anise pods (optional)

Instructions

  1. Wash the orange and apple thoroughly. Slice them into thin rounds, about 1/4-inch thick. Remove seeds from apple slices if desired. Peel the ginger and slice it into thin coins.
  2. Pour the apple cider, cranberry juice, and orange juice into a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Add the honey or maple syrup and stir until dissolved.
  3. Add the cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, allspice berries, ginger slices, and star anise (if using). Arrange the orange and apple slices on top of the liquid.
  4. Cover the slow cooker and set to low. Let it simmer for 3-4 hours, until the kitchen smells aromatic and the fruit slices have softened slightly.
  5. Taste and adjust sweetness or spice level as desired. Add more honey for sweetness, more cranberry juice to balance, or let it simmer longer for more spice.
  6. Serve warm by ladling into mugs. Include a few fruit slices and a cinnamon stick in each cup if desired. Keep the slow cooker on ‘warm’ setting for parties.

Notes

For a deeper flavor, toast the cinnamon sticks, cloves, and allspice in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 1 minute before adding to the slow cooker. To avoid guests biting into whole cloves, tie the spices in a cheesecloth sachet for easy removal. For an adult version, stir in 1 cup of bourbon, dark rum, or brandy after simmering. Leftover punch can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days (remove fruit and spices first) or frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: wassail punch, slow cooker punch, Christmas punch, holiday drink, mulled cider, apple cider punch, cranberry punch, warm punch, party drink, non-alcoholic holiday drink

Find it online: https://dinadinnertable.com/cozy-slow-cooker-christmas-wassail-punch-best-holiday-drink/