Easy Traditional Christmas Wassail

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Merry Christmas Everyone!

With the hectic Holiday schedule that we have around here it normally comes with a huge chunk of time carved out for baking and making yummy treats.  One of the traditions we’ve picked up is to create a hot pot of wassail to enjoy whilst baking.  Nothing quite compares to sipping on a steaming mug of spiced ciders and juices while waiting for the goodies in the oven to finish baking.

Wassail literally means “be healthy” in the old English language.  Traditionally it was associated with people going door-to-door, singing and offering a drink from the “wassail bowl” in exchange for gifts.  In the middle ages, wassailing was typically an exchange between lords and their peasants to encourage charitable giving.  When the lord would give gifts of food and drink to the peasants, they would bestow their blessing and toast the lord.

Now that you have had a bit of a history lesson we can get to the good stuff ;).  The earliest version of the drink was warmed mead with roasted crab apples dropped in.  However modern recipes normally begin with a base of wine, juice, or mulled ale with the option of added sherry or brandy.  Really the recipe is up to the maker, and this is a modified version of a recipe we’ve had for awhile.

What you need:

  • 2 cups water
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 3 whole cinnamon sticks
  • 1.5 tsp whole cloves
  • 1/8 tsp ground ginger
  • 5 cups apple cider
  • 2 cups orange juice

Step 1: Toss water, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger into a large pot and bring to a boil

Step 2: Boil the mix for about 10 minutes, stirring and making sure it does not burn

Sugar & Spice

Step 3: Strain out the cinnamon sticks and cloves, the liquid will be a little thicker and most likely a golden brown color

Step 4: Add in apple cider and orange juice

Step 5: Warm thoroughly and serve – spike if you wish 😉

I usually throw it in the crockpot on warm if I’m going to be drinking on it for a few hours

Refrigerate the leftovers and reheat whenever you are ready

Merry Christmas everyone!

Love and joy come to you,

And to you your wassail too;

And God bless you and send you a Happy New Year!

Enjoy!

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About the author

Mads
Hey everyone, I'm Mads! I am a graphic designer by day and adventurer by every other second. I have a thirst for experiencing life and that means appreciating the small and quiet parts as well as the big and exciting parts. I read, write, hike, travel, and watch nerdy t.v. shows and movies. I am wife to the best guy in the universe, sister to THE coolest people you will ever meet, and mother to 4 adorable fur-babies. I have always loved creating new and unique ways to beautify and brighten our home. Our life is small, simple, adventurous, and kind of amazingly imperfect.

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