Wassail is apple cider’s older, hotter cousin. It’s spicy, it’s gingery, it’s got that citrus twist. Ooh lala! This drink will warm you down to your toes before you can say Jack Frost. Plus it makes the house smell amazing! This recipe has fresh sliced apples and oranges that slow cook and magically turn into something like candy. I can NOT stop eating them! Wassail is easy to throw together, and makes you seem like the hostess with the mostess for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years!
Table of Contents
- Wassailllllll be bussin
- The best wassail
- A here we go a-wassailing…
- Wassail recipe ingredients
- How to make wassail
- Spices to use for wassail
- What to serve with wassail
- How to store leftover wassail
- Can you freeze wassail?
- Wassail frequently asked questions
- More cozy drinks to try
- My Favorite Wassail of all time! Recipe
Happy October! We played hookie last week and took the kids to the beach.
If Valentine’s one-handed cartwheel is any indication, it was definitely the right choice! I think this is how we all felt! I’ll be showing this photo to the kid’s truancy officer. How can you say this wasn’t educational?? She’s even holding a fistful of collected seashells in the hand you can’t see.
Now we are back to reality and back to Halloween prep! Have you got your costume yet? I’m running our church’s Trunk or Treat and Chili Cookoff event this weekend, so we are all ready to go. Kind of. I think I left half my brain at the beach. I’m sure it will all come together in the end, right??
If you are on the hunt for something fun to serve the kiddos trick or treating around the neighborhood, may I suggest Wassail??
Wassailllllll be bussin
The first time I tried Wassail, I was spending Christmas at Eric’s parents house, before we were officially engaged (I was 19). My now-mother-in-law Kris served this delicious warm spiced apple-y drink to the whole crowd, in these adorable glass Christmas mugs. I could see real cloves and cinnamon sticks tied in a bundle, floating in the pot.
I had two revelations: cinnamon doesn’t just come in powder form, and also it’s possible to serve real glassware to people, even 15 people, instead of plastic Solo cups. And then you just…do the dishes afterward. 🤯
There was no end to my astonishment. (This was also the trip that I learned that people, real people, use cloth napkins, and not just the Queen of England.)
The experience was so exotic compared to what I was used to, that Wassail has always held a special “fancy” place in my heart. But it’s actually not that fancy, it’s suuuper easy to throw together! I’m so excited to share this recipe with you, which my sister Laura helped me put together by combining a couple recipes, one from her mother-in-law, and the other from my friend Niki, who is part of our TFC writing team!
The best wassail
This is not your mama’s wassail. This recipe has a little “oomph” to it, as the recipe title says.
What is wassail? It has a wide definition, but essentially it’s apple cider with some spices, often with a citrus twist. This “recipe” has been around since the middle ages (more on that below!) so that explains why there are about a million versions. After messing around a bunch, I’ve settled on one that I am in LOVE with. This is my wassail-recipe-forever, here’s why:
- We’re using apple cider for the best, richest flavor
- brown sugar sweetens things up and adds rich molasses flavor
- citrus: this is my favorite hack. To bring in TONS of lemon and orange flavor without making it too sour, we are adding frozen lemonade and orange juice concentrates. This creates the perfect balance and a very RICH wassail that you probably haven’t tried before.
- LOTS of whole spices like cinnamon sticks, cardamom, candied ginger, cloves, allspice berries, and nutmeg. I LOVE a spicy oomph wassail, but you can of course tone it down (especially if you’re feeding a buncha kiddos.)
- fresh oranges and apples bring in fresh flavor, and the freaking BEST snack for whoever is lucky enough to be the one making this. Seriously guys. After sitting in all this cider and spices, these apples and oranges taste like candy. I would eat them on ice cream. I would eat them with yogurt. I would eat them in a box. I would eat them with a fox. I would pull out each slice individually with my fingers with every pass through my kitchen…try not to judge.
A here we go a-wassailing…
Have you ever heard that Perry Como song at Christmas time and wondered what the heck he was talking about? Turns out, wassailing is old-school cool. This history is so fun, read on:
Back in the middle ages (yes, that long ago!) wassailing was a Christmas time tradition where peasants and their feudal lords would exchange holiday good cheer. Peasants would ask for charity (“give us our figgy pudding”), and the lord would give food and drink in exchange for good will and harmony for the next year.
It’s also how Christmas caroling got started! Isn’t that so fun? (To get the real tea, read on wiki about wassailing, including the not-so-holiday-spirit side (“we won’t go until we get some!” 😳) Next time I come caroling at your house I’m not leaving until I get my figgy pudding! Just kidding, put away your pitchforks please.
“Wassail” is kind of like “aloha.” It was a greeting, a farewell, and the name of the drink they lugged around with them door to door, where it was served communally. Meaning, everyone just took a swig from the same big ol’ bowl. YUM. (I’ll take an individual Christmas mug that my mother-in-law lovingly takes the time to wash afterward, thank you very much.)
Wassail recipe ingredients
You’ll love how simple this is to make. There are a few specialty items you may not have on hand, but they make all the difference! Look through this list, and be sure you check the recipe card for full instructions and ingredient measurements.
- white sugar
- dark brown sugar
- apple cider
- frozen orange juice concentrate
- frozen lemonade concentrate
- whole cloves
- whole allspice berries
- fresh nutmeg
- ground cardamom
- cinnamon sticks
- candied ginger
- apples
- orange
How to make wassail
First up, grab a big ol’ pot. A 6-quart pot will do you just fine for a single batch of this Wassail. See notes if you want to double the batch, a doubled batch makes a LOT, perfect for a crowd. (I have a hack for making this recipe doubled even if you only have a 6 quart pot.)
Bring the water and sugar up to a boil, or almost a boil. The goal is to heat it enough that the sugar dissolves. Once the sugar is mostly dissolved, start adding in all the rest of the ingredients, starting with the lemonade and orange juice concentrates:
For a single batch of this recipe as written, you only need HALF of each can of lemon and orange concentrate. I realize this is annoying. But you need a HUGE pot to add all the liquid necessary for using the full cans of concentrate, so I opted to write the recipe for a smaller amount so that it will fit easily in a 6-quart pot. (If you have a big pot and want to double the recipe, see notes. If you don’t have a big pot and STILL want to double the recipe, I have a hack for that too!!)
And now, we interrupt your regular programming to share this message: you can replace the orange and lemon concentrates with either cranberry or pineapple juice. Cranberry will lend a particular holiday-flavor, and pineapple is extra sweet and more tropical. All 3 versions are delicious, but if I had to pick, I would choose the citrus, so that’s why I included it in the recipe. This picture shows the amount you need for a DOUBLE batch of this wassail.
Okay, back to the recipe!
These are whole cloves and whole allspice berries:
Using real, whole spices (not ground ones) makes a HUGE difference for flavor!
Pour in your apple cider:
And add in some candied ginger. This is a LOT of ginger, don’t add this much!! Candied ginger comes in all shapes and sizes, you want about 1 inch of candied ginger for a single batch. (When Laura made it, she bought ginger that was in tiny bits, so she added 8-10 pieces. I bought these big ol honkin pieces, and added that whole handful the first time around. It was SPICY!! 😂 1 inch is about what you want.)
Add in the fresh fruit. Any type of apple will do, whatever you like or have on hand is great!
Whatever you do, just don’t skip this step. I’m telling you, these apples and oranges are like CANDY at the end. So so good.
And don’t forget the cinnamon sticks. They bring such amazing flavor! Plus they are so fun to garnish each mug with, cinnamon sticks feel so fancy.
That’s it! Heat it up for an hour or so and serve. Don’t forget, you can also make this in the crockpot, see recipe!
Spices to use for wassail
These are the spices I use when making Wassail. (The anise is JUST a garnish, not necessary.) Some of them are more common and you may already have them (whole cinnamon sticks and whole cloves), while others are less common, like the allspice berries. Look through these to get an idea of what you’ll need!
What to serve with wassail
Figgy pudding, obviously!! Haha. I think wassail is the perfect “set it in the back and watch it disappear” kind of drink. There is no specific menu or type of food needed. Truly, the best companion for wassail is chilly weather. It can be served at a Halloween party, at Thanksgiving or Christmas, on New Years, or any other winter holiday. Bring it in thermoses to an outdoor soccer game, on an outdoor winter hike, or just leave it in the crockpot to drink from all day long during a cozy day at home!
If you’re looking to serve it as part of a tea, and want to have specific items to go alongside it, cookies that are less sweet and crispy are a great choice. Here are some of my faves!
- Swedish Sour Cream Twists (Layered Yeast Cookies) >> my favorite dipping cookie! flaky, pastry-like deliciousness
- Gingersnap Cookie Recipe >> spice on spice, and I’m not sad about it
- Crispy Swedish Cardamom Cookies >> a crispy-crunchy family classic we make every year
- Thin and Crispy Sugar Cookies (Grandma Prudy’s Recipe) >> so buttery they shatter in your mouth in the BEST way
- Homemade English Tea Biscuits from Plum Deluxe
- The Classic Shortbread recipe that I’m posting here in a couple weeks. The BEST combo.
How to store leftover wassail
Wassail needs to be kept in the refrigerator, for sure. Wait for it to cool, then put it in a pitcher, or glass mason jars if it’s just a bit. Or, save the plastic jugs from the apple cider and pour any extra wassail back into them, then store in the fridge. It should stay good for about a week!
To reheat for a crowd, pour all of it into a pot on the stove or in a slow cooker and heat until warm. You might want to add a little water as you reheat, it tends to get more and more concentrated as time goes on. For individual servings, add some into a mug and warm in the microwave for a minute or two.
Can you freeze wassail?
Yes! It freezes very well. And since this recipe makes a giant pot (especially if you double it), you may find yourself with enough to save for a future get together! Wait for the wassail to cool, then pour into ziplock freezer bags. Or, save the apple cider jugs and pour leftover wassail into them.
Either way, be sure to leave some space in the bag or the jug (at least an inch or two) for the drink to expand. If the container too full, it will overflow in the freezer and make a big mess (ask me how I know)! To use, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, on the counter for a few hours, or just put the whole frozen chunk in a pot on the stove or in a slow cooker and heat on low til warm.
Wassail frequently asked questions
Wassail is a super delicious warm drink usually made by combining apple cider, citrus, apples, or other fruit, and warming spices like cinnamon and ginger. Once all together, it gets heated up and the flavors steep and intensify. Kind of like a giant pot of super-flavored tea that starts with cider instead of water! Originally it was made with alcohol like hard cider or ale. And while there are recipes today with alcohol in them, you’ll find that a good number of recipes (like in this post) are totally alcohol free.
Well, to be honest, in modern times they are pretty much the same thing! Basically, they are both warm drinks (usually a cider, ale, or unfiltered apple juice) with spices and fruits added. The main difference comes down to how the drink was consumed. Wassail was very specifically served from a “wassail bowl” that everyone drank from communally. The act of wassailing was more than just the drink, so any beverage served from the wassail bowl became wassail! Nowadays, of course, most people are choosing NOT to drink from a communal bowl, so wassail is the word used for any version of this warm, fruity spiced drink.
Like a lot of other words and phrases, wassail is a borrowed term. In this case, it came to English from Old Norse and meant “be in good health” or “be fortunate”. It was first used as farewell or a hail (greeting). You can kinda see the remnants of the “hail” in the second half of the word wassail. The term came to be used as a type of toast (like “cheers”) and then eventually started to be used for the drink itself. Isn’t language cool?!
No way! Wassail is for anytime you want it. It is traditionally a Christmas drink, but has evolved into something that can be enjoyed anytime. Since it’s served warm with lots of spices like cloves and cinnamon, most people enjoy it most in chilly weather. I think it’s perfect for any fall or winter get together!!
I don’t drink, so I may not be the best person to make recommendations on this! But I did do some research and found that some common additions are brandy, bourbon, and sherry. People also seemed to like various rums and wines as well. Another idea is to swap out some of the apple cider for hard cider. If you have a favorite, or try something and like it, let us know in the comments what worked for you!
More cozy drinks to try
- Homemade Hot Chocolate Recipe (Crock Pot Option) >> you won’t want to go back to powdered mixes after trying this easy version, it’s the best
- Easy Honey Hot Chocolate for One >> for when you need some cocoa right now, just for you
- Coconut Tres Leches Hot Chocolate >> it’s like the milkshakes of hot chocolates, so thick and creamy!
- Pineapple Apple Cider >> serve it warm in the winter for a tropical treat, or chilled for when you want to celebrate fall but it’s still 90 degrees outside
- Sparkling Christmas Slush Drink >> ok, not warm. But it is PERFECT for serving at holidays as a fancy drink, especially for kids or adults who don’t do alcohol!!
- Authentic Golden Milk (Turmeric Milk Tea) from Tea for Turmeric
- How to Make the Best Chai Ever from Hathi Cooks
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My Favorite Wassail of all time!
Ingredients
- 6 cups water
- 6 tablespoons white sugar
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 6 ounces frozen orange juice concentrate HALF of a (12-fluid-ounce) container
- 6 ounces frozen lemonade concentrate HALF of a (12-fluid-ounce) container
- 4 cups apple cider
- 1/4 teaspoon whole cloves about 10 whole cloves, or halve this to 5 cloves if you don't like it spicy
- 1/4 teaspoon whole allspice berries about 10 berries
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh nutmeg grated with a microplane (or 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom or up to 1/2 teaspoon
- 4 whole cinnamon sticks
- 1 (1-inch piece) candied ginger*
- 1 large apple cut into slices (don't remove skin)
- 1 large orange cut into rounds (don't remove skin)
- fresh cranberries to garnish
- star anise to garnish
Instructions
- Add 6 cups of water to a 6-quart pot. Add 6 tablespoons white sugar and 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar. Set the pot over high heat. Let the sugar dissolve in the heat. Once it's mostly dissolved, you can start adding the other ingredients, even if it hasn't boiled.
- Open both cans of frozen orange juice and lemonade concentrate. Add about half of each can to the pot. (Save the other halves of the concentrate together in a ziplock and store in the freezer, for the next time you make this! See notes about doubling the recipe))
- Add in all remaining ingredients: 4 cups apple cider, 1/4 teaspoon whole cloves, 1/4 teaspoon allspice berries, 1/4 teaspoon fresh nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom, 4 whole cinnamon sticks, 1 (1-inch) piece of candied ginger.
- Cut the apple into slices, leaving the peels on. Wash the orange thoroughly, and cut it into rounds, peel on. Add the apple and orange to the pot and stir thoroughly.
- Put the lid on. The burner should still be set to high heat. Let the mixture come to a boil, then immediately lower the heat to medium-low, to maintain a gentle bubble. Vent the lid so steam can escape.
- Heat over medium-low for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally, or up to 2-3 hours, if you like. The longer you heat it, the "spicier" the wassail will taste.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the apples, oranges, and all spices. You can pour the wassail through a mesh strainer or colander, if you are really committed to having no whole spices in your drink (or if you are worried about it getting too spicy.)
- Serve the Wassail in mugs, garnished with fresh cranberries, fresh oranges or apples, fresh rosemary, etc. I like to serve a cooked apple or orange slice in each mug, they are SO incredibly tasty! See note for more ideas.
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a slow cooker and stir well. Heat on HIGH for 1-2 hours, or LOW for 3-4 hours. Stir the pot every hour or so. The longer you heat it, the more concentrated the flavors and the more spicy it will be.
- You can leave this in the crockpot for many hours, but be aware that the apples and oranges will start to disintegrate if left in too long (ask me how I know, I made this overnight one time.) It still tastes great but you miss out on the tasty apples.
- Storage: Store leftover wassail in a pitcher, or in quart mason jars. Remove the spices before storing, unless you want if to keep getting more an more spicy. Reheat in a mug in the microwave, or pour it back into a pot and heat on the stove (or in a crock pot).
Notes
- 12 cups water (OR 8 cups if you want this to fit in a 6-quart pot; add 2-4 cups water at the end, see above note)
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 8 cups apple cider
- 12 fluid ounces frozen orange juice concentrate
- 12 fluid ounces frozen lemonade concentrate
- 1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon whole allspice berries
- 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon fresh nutmeg
- 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 6-8 whole cinnamon sticks
- 2 (1-inch) pieces of candied ginger
- 2 apples, sliced
- 2 oranges, cut in rounds
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