Wassail

A classic fall drink served warm and sometimes spiked, the irresistible aroma of wassail channels the holiday season. This beverage, whether served on its own or laced with a bit of liquor, is bound to warm you up from the inside.

 

What is Wassail?

Traditional wassail is a hot beverage that hails from England, served on blustery days after a long horse ride or hunt. In the States, it is sometimes just referred to as hot apple cider, but with a few extra ingredients.

While you can serve wassail at any time, it’s great for holidays like Christmas or Thanksgiving or for taking with you to warm up while caroling. Or, just whip some up to toast the onset of sweater weather.

It is perfect with an apple cider donut or air fryer donut, our favorite apple coffee cake or a slice of cinnamon coffee cake.

Wassail Drink Ingredients

These simple ingredients come together to make an unforgettable wassail. It’s basically comfort in a cup!

• Small Apples – Choose the variety that you like. Fuji and gala apples will add sweet flavor while Granny Smith or Braeburn will make the drink more tart. 
• Whole Cloves – Cloves are one of the spices that give the wassail its signature warm flavor.
• Apple Cider – This is the base of the wassail and gives the drink its signature flavor.
• Orange Juice – Orange juice brightens up the wassail. 
• Whole Star Anise – This adds a sweet and mildly spicy flavor. 
• Cinnamon Sticks – Cinnamon gives the wassail its warm flavor and aroma. 
• Ground Ginger – Ginger adds a mild spiciness to the drink. 
• Ground Nutmeg – This spice adds even more warmth. 
• Honey – Use this to sweeten the wassail. 
• Brandy or Grand Marnier – If you want to spike your wassail, these two are good options.

Variations

There are loads of ways to put your own twist on this simple drink.

• Spices – Add in allspice or adjust the spices to taste. You can also opt to use whole spices instead of ground spices — just wrap the spice blend in cheesecloth. Or, you can use a mulling spice blend. Sometimes this is sold at the grocery store in handy bags (similar to tea bags) that can be easily dropped into the liquid — no measuring necessary!
• Liquor – We like to add Brandy or Grand Marnier, but you can use any liquor you prefer. Some great options that perfectly complement the fruit and spices are dark rum, bourbon or rye whiskey, or cognac. If you want to amp up the apple flavor, you can also try apple brandy.
• Wine – Instead of liquor, add wine. Just pour it into the juice mixture about 15 minutes before serving to allow it to warm up without cooking off the alcohol. We love using a dry red wine like cabernet sauvignon or a zinfandel when we’re in the mood for bolder flavor, but you can use a dry white wine, too.
• Cranberries – For a tart twist, splash in some cranberry juice and fresh cranberries.
• Garnish – Use herbs like rosemary and thyme or add lemon slices.
• Sweetener – Swap out the honey for maple syrup for even more seasonal flavor. Or, stir in some brown sugar for a little molasses-style sweetness.
• Juices – Add lemon juice for a little brightness.

How to Make Homemade Wassail

This drink is so easy to make you might be tempted to make it all throughout the chilly months.

1. Warm the apples. Stick the cloves into the apples before warming them in a large pot. 
2. Add the other ingredients. Pour in the apple cider and orange juice before stirring in the star anise, cinnamon sticks, ginger, nutmeg, and honey. 
3. Warm. Leave the mixture on low heat for about an hour on low heat.
4. Serve. Use a ladle or large spoon to fill mugs. Add a shot of brandy, Grand Marnier, or your favorite liquor and garnish with a thin slice of fresh orange.

More Holiday Cocktails and Drinks

There’s nothing like snuggling up with a cocktail on a cold winter night. Here are some of our favorites.

To learn more about Sweetland Cellars, visit boordy.com.