This traditional Wassail recipe has been handed down for generations and is one of my favorite easy holiday drinks. It's a delicious warm cider drink that balances the flavors of orange and apple with cinnamon and spices!
Looking for more drink recipes? Try this Homemade Eggnog, Creamy Hot Cocoa, Christmas Punch, or Slow Cooker Caramel Apple Cider!
Why I love this drink:
- Tradition – This is a treasured family recipe that will always remind me of the holidays. We love to make a batch to enjoy with neighbors as we pass out treats on Halloween to the trick-or-treaters. We always enjoy it on Christmas morning as well.
- Cozy – One batch will fill your house with the most wonderful aroma of apple and cinnamon. It's the best drink to enjoy on a cold, snowy day.
- Delicious – this hot wassail recipe is not overly sweet and has all the perfect flavor balance.
What is Wassail?
Wassail is like the tastier sister to Apple Cider. Traditional wassail was made with hard liquor, apples, brandy, and other spices. This recipe is made with cloves, apples, cinnamon, lemon, orange, ginger, and nutmeg and is a nonalcoholic wassail recipe. You could certainly add alcohol if you wish by adding a splash of brandy, bourbon, rum, or whiskey, to taste.
How to make Wassail:
Prep Apples: Poke the whole cloves into the apples on all sides.
Combine Ingredients: Add all of the ingredients, including the apples, to a large pot over medium low heat then bring to a simmer. Simmer for 30-45 minutes.
Serve: Remove the apples and whole cloves then ladle hot wassail into mugs and enjoy!
Storage and Reheating Instructions:
To Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also make this in advance and store in the refrigerator until ready to heat and enjoy.
To Reheat: Use the microwave, stove, or slow cooker to reheat this hot wassail. Just heat until it's your desired temperature.
More Holiday Recipes:
- Halloween Pizzas
- Rack of Lamb
- Homemade Caramels
- Easy, No-Fuss Thanksgiving Turkey
- Apple Crisp
- Classic Pumpkin Roll
- Baked Ham
- Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
- Red Velvet Cookies
- Easy, No-Fuss Prime Rib
- Baked Apples
- Chocolate Fudge
Follow me for more great recipes
Recipe
Wassail
Ingredients
- 2 apples
- 8 cups apple cider
- 2 cups orange juice
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 15 whole whole cloves ,or ½ tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 Tablespoon light brown sugar , optional
Instructions
- Poke the whole cloves into the apples on all sides.
- Add all of the ingredients, including the apples, to a large pot over medium low heat.
- Bring to a simmer. Simmer for 30-45 minutes.
- Remove the apples and whole cloves. Ladle into mugs and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Follow Me
I originally shared this recipe November 2013. Updated October 2017 and October 2022.
This post contains affiliate links.
this sounds great, I can’t wait to make this for the fam. Would you use brandy or rum in this?
I’ve never tried, but I’m sure you could.
Can this be done in a slow cooker?!
Hi Megan,
You can definitely make wassail in the slow cooker. I would place everything in your slow cooker and cook for about 3 hours on high.
What kind of apples to find best to use for this? I’m probably wrong, but in your video it looked to be Honeycrisps perhaps?
Any apples will work! 🙂
My grandson and I started making wassail during the Christmas holidays several years ago when he would make mountains of brown sugar cinnamon on his plate of toast. He is 16 now and still remembers making wassail at Grandma’s as a toddler☺️
I made this for a baby shower I hosted during the holidays. Theme was “Baby it’s cold outside”. It was a big hit. Everyone kept coming back for more. My daughter-in-law who doesn’t even like apple cider loved it. And it made the house smell wonderful! I will definitely make it again, probably making it a new holiday tradition.
I have all ingredients except cinnamon sticks…can I use cinnamon instead of the sticks? If so …how much?
Hi Jerry,
You could substitute a few teaspoons of cinnamon but it may just sort of float in your drink and not blend in well.
Is it bad that I celebrated the first day of fall a few days early and made this tonight? With the leaves already starting to change where we live, I wanted a little fall treat. The was perfect! Not only was it delicious, but it made our house smell like fall! Yum! I can’t wait to try more of your fall recipes.
This must sound silly, but every year, we celebrate half-Christmas and throw a party with our friends. This year, I was assigned drinks. I brought this wassail and it was easily the party favorite. I received so any compliments, and so, my compliments to you.
I made this for my Christmas party today and it is so yummy! I added about 1/4 cup of brown sugar to sweeten it up.
Yumm! Glad you liked it! Thanks for commenting 🙂
I’m glad that I came across your comment, as I took your advice & did the same of adding 1/4 cup of brown sugar & it was wonderful!! I also added 5 star anise & 1 teaspoon of allspice, with all of the powdered spices tied in a cheese cloth which I tied to the pot handle & allowed it to bob in the wassail while it simmered. I would occasionally stir the wassail, squishing the cheese cloth against the side of the pot as I stirred. It turned out incredible!! I also added about 1.5 cups of brandy to it afterward, & it is still amazing with the brandy.
Snowed here last night and I could definitely use a warm mug of this!