Easy Homemade Wassail – The Stay At Home Chef

There’s nothing quite like a steaming cup of wassail to warm you up when it’s cold outside. It’s a holiday tradition with a blend of apple cider, citrus flavors, and all those cozy warm spices. It simmers in a pot and will fill your house with your favorite holiday scents.

For more winter drinks, try our decadently thick Italian hot chocolate or our caramelized cinnamon hot chocolate.

Not only is this recipe delicious, it’s also incredibly simple to prepare. With just a few ingredients and a little simmering, you’ll have a hot drink ready to share with family and friends. Bonus: your house will smell amazing while it cooks! Serve it as is or with a splash of your favorite spirit for a festive treat everyone will love.

Ingredient Notes

• Apple Cider: Go for fresh, unfiltered cider if you can—it’s got the best flavor. Regular apple juice works too, but cider has a bolder and tangier apple flavor.
• Orange Juice: Fresh-squeezed is awesome, but bottled juice is totally fine for this recipe.
• Lemon Juice: A splash of lemon juice brightens everything up. Fresh is great, but bottled works too.
• Apples: Any apples will do the trick, but tart ones like Granny Smith add a nice sour balance to the sweetness.
• Oranges: Thick slices not only add flavor but look pretty in the pot too! Navel oranges are a great choice.
• Brown Sugar: Use light or dark brown sugar, depending on how deep you want the flavor. Add more or less to suit your taste.
• Cinnamon Sticks, Cloves, and Allspice: These spices make wassail, well, wassail! Whole spices are best, and they are easy to scoop out before serving.
• Optional Booze: Want to give it a little kick? Add a splash of rum, brandy, or bourbon when serving!

Apple Cider vs. Apple Juice

Apple cider is bold, tangy, and has a strong, fresh apple flavor. Apple juice is sweeter and smoother, and it’s filtered and pasteurized, which gives it a clear appearance and a more mellow flavor.

For wassail, apple cider is definitely the way to go if you want that bold, cozy vibe, but apple juice will work too! You’ll just want to tweak the recipe a little bit to account for the extra sweetness.

Start by reducing the brown sugar by about 2 tablespoons, since apple juice is naturally sweeter. You might also want to bump up the spices slightly—add an extra ½ teaspoon of cinnamon or a couple more cloves. You can taste as you go to make sure it’s right for you.

Optional Garnishes

You can make your wassail feel extra special and festive with garnishes. Try serving each cup with a cinnamon stick as a stir stick. You can also toss in a few whole cranberries for a pop of color or place a thick orange slice on the rim of each glass to match the citrusy goodness inside.

Adding Alcohol

If you’re looking to give your wassail an adult twist, it’s super easy to add alcohol. Brandy, rum, or bourbon are all great options. For the best results, add the alcohol directly to individual cups when serving rather than the entire pot. This way, everyone can choose whether to have their wassail spiked or not. Start with about 1 ounce per cup and adjust to taste.

Serving Wassail

Straight from the Pot: Serve your wassail straight from the pot or Dutch oven you used to make it. You can even place it on a portable burner if you want to move it off the stove to a buffet or drink station. Keep the heat at the lowest temperature.

Thermal Carafe or Hot Drink Dispenser: These are perfect for keeping wassail warm and makes it easy to serve during a party. Just pour the wassail in, and your guests can help themselves!

Slow Cooker: Keep your wassail on the warm setting in a slow cooker for hours. It’s an easy, hands-off way to serve it, and your kitchen will smell amazing.