Rebecca Nielsen's Recipe

Deluxe Hot Apple Cider

Category: Hot Drinks

ready in < 10 minutes
difficulty: easy
Serves/makes 2 8oz mugs

2 c apple cider (the cloudier the better)
1/2 c guava necter (the red kind)
1/2 orange or 1 clementine cut in half
2 T dk real maple syrup
2 T brown sugar
1 t pumpkin pie spice
2 star anise
3 cinnamon sticks

(optional: 2 to 4 oz. Southern Comfort or Dark Rum)

Pour apple cider and guava necter in medium saucepan. Squeeze orange half or both halves of clementine into pan then drop them in.

Add maple syrup, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. Wisk together.

Add star anise and 1 cinnamon stick.

Over med-high heat bring to rolling boil wisking occasionally. Boil 1 - 2 minutes. Turn off heat.

Put one cinnamon stick in each mug and pour mixture in.

For adults pour 1 to 2 ounces Southern Comfort or Dk Rum in each mug and then add apple cider mixture. Do not cook alchohol in with the mixture as the flavor seems to get lost.

I make up the mixture in a pan at night before bed and it's all ready for the morning.

I always loved giving my kids warm drinks on cold Chicago mornings like hot chocolate and warm apple cider. One morning I wanted something more interesting than tea and started playing around with the big jug of apple cider I had. I think I have come up with the comfort food of the warm drink world. You will feel like you have been hugged when you drink this. Enjoy!