Mulled Apple Cider Mocktail

Cider intensifies after a simmer on the stove with cinnamon, all-spice berries, and cloves – plus a touch of orange.  Chilled and paired with white tea, it becomes a refreshing mocktail that can be enjoyed any time of day.  Garnishes of crystallized ginger, rosemary, and orange peel accent the flavors and keep the festivity going once all the holiday decorations are packed away.  I use sprigs of rosemary as cocktails picks because they are so fragrant and cozy.

White tea is light, bright, and a little bit floral depending on the variety, which makes it a great mocktail component that doesn’t tend to overwhelm fellow ingredients.  Both the tea and cider in this drink benefit from citrus, which I also cut into small slices and add to the decorated ice cubes.  Find my tip for how to keep your drinks chilled but not watered down below.

Ingredients

3 ounces chilled mulled cider (recipe below)
2 ounces chilled white tea
Garnishes:  crystallized ginger, orange peel, and/or fresh rosemary

Mulled Cider

4 cups apple cider
Freshly squeezed juice of ½ orange
2 cinnamon sticks (crushed)
5 all-spice berries
4 whole cloves

Chilled apple cider mocktails stay cold but don’t get watered down when you use ice cubes made from ingredients found in the drink itself.  In this case, I use some of the mulled cider and extra white tea for the ice cubes and fill them with rosemary leaves and small wedges of orange.

Beyond their use in the ice cubes, sprigs of rosemary also can be used as cocktail picks.  Simply remove some leaves from the bottom end of the sprig, thread the garnishes, and place across the top of each glass for a fragrant topper.

How to Make Mulled Cider and White Tea

Combine the apple cider, fresh orange juice, crushed cinnamon sticks, all-spice berries, and cloves in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes.  Strain to remove spices and allow to cool to room temperature before refrigerating.

In the meantime, brew white tea (loose leaf or tea bags) according to package directions using filtered water.  Brew enough for the number of drinks you will be making, with 1 cup being enough for about 4 drinks.  If making white tea ice cubes, brew extra.  Allow to cool to room temperature before refrigerating.

How to Mix the Mulled Apple Cider Mocktail

Since so many delicious flavors have already been incorporated into the mulled cider, a quick stir of the proportions of cider and white tea is all that’s needed.  Add decorated ice cubes and garnishes if desired.

For another drink that incorporates citrus, try this spicy blood orange mocktail, which also features directions for a margarita cocktail version.