Spiced Hot Apple Juice (Printable)

A warm, flavorful apple drink infused with cinnamon and spices for cozy enjoyment.

# What You Need:

01 - 4 cups unsweetened apple juice

02 - 2 cinnamon sticks

03 - 4 whole cloves

04 - 2 star anise pods

05 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger (optional)

06 - 1 orange, sliced

07 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup (optional, to taste)

01 - In a medium saucepan, combine the apple juice, cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, grated ginger if using, and orange slices.

02 - Warm the mixture over medium-low heat until just below simmering without boiling.

03 - Reduce heat to low and steep the mixture for 10 to 15 minutes to extract the flavors.

04 - Taste and sweeten with honey or maple syrup as desired.

05 - Strain the hot juice into mugs, discarding spices and orange slices, then serve immediately.

01 -

It's ready in twenty minutes, which means you can have something that tastes like it simmered all day without actually waiting.
The spices do all the heavy lifting—no complicated techniques, just patience and a good saucepan.
It fills your kitchen with a smell so good that people will ask what you're making before they even see the mug.

02 -

Never let this boil hard or the spices will turn the drink bitter and ruin the whole thing—medium-low heat is your friend, even if it feels slower than you'd like.
Fresh ginger makes a real difference in the final taste, adding a subtle warmth that bottled ginger never quite captures.
Unsweetened apple juice is important; the sweetened versions can make this drink cloyingly sugary before you even add honey.

03 -

Use whole spices instead of pre-ground whenever possible; they infuse cleaner and taste less like dust.
If you want stronger spice flavor, don't add more spices—just let the mixture steep longer while keeping the heat low, and you'll get depth instead of harshness.