Enjoy this spiced apple punch warm from the stovetop or slow cooker. 

The winter holidays—a time of parties, feasting, gift-buying, festivals and sugar (so much sugar!). It seems like it's always been this way, with Christmas making itself seen in shops before December even begins.

Yet in many ancient winter traditions, the season kicked off in just the opposite way—with fasting, contemplation, and rest. As the final fall harvest came in and the nights grew longer, we wintered in our homes until at last the longest night passed and the light began creeping back into the days. And that is when we celebrated. 

This is the time of the wassail. Both a noun and a verb, a wassail is a spiced apple punch, often spiked with brandy or whiskey, and served from a communal bowl during a night of wassailing—caroling and merriment meant to celebrate the new year. 

There are as many versions of wassail as there are people who drink it. In some cases, a wassail is interchangeable with mulled apple cider. In others, the wassail is tarter, with cranberry or pineapple juice. 

You can use our version as a starting place to create your own favorite blend. Enjoy with or without alcohol. 

Gather your ingredients

• 2 medium honeycrisp apples

• 1 medium navel orange

• 1 lemon

• ½ gallon of apple cider

• 1 mulling spice pack or an equivalent blend of whole spices (cinnamon sticks, anise, cloves, peppercorns,  and dried citrus)

• 10 extra whole cloves

• 2 tbsp brown sugar

• Optional: 

• ½ cup of cranberry juice cocktail or ¼ cup of pineapple juice

• Frozen cranberries

• Bourbon or brandy

Make the wassail

• Push the whole cloves into the skin of the honeycrisp apples

• Slice the orange and half the lemon into thin rings and juice the other half of the lemon

• In a large pot or slow cooker, add the cider, brown sugar, spice pack, lemon juice, whole apples, and citrus slices

• Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and let cook for an hour or more

• Taste the wassail and add more sugar if you like, or add additional tart juices

• Ladle into mugs, with or without a shot of brandy or bourbon