Cranberry Orange Holiday Wassail
A warm and festive drink combining the sweet and tart flavors of cranberry and orange, perfect for holiday gatherings.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 150kcal
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1/2 gallon apple cider (1.9 liters)
- 3 large oranges
- 5 bags orange spice tea
- 2 cups fresh cranberries (about 200 grams)
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (about 80 grams), plus more for garnish
- 1 pear, chopped
- 1 Macintosh apple
- 5 star anise , plus more for garnish
- 2 large Mexican cinnamon sticks, broken into smaller pieces , plus more for garnish
- 8 whole cloves
- 1/2 cup agave syrup or honey (120 ml)
Instructions
Preparation
- Pour the apple cider into a medium-sized crockpot and set it to low heat.
- Using a peeler or small sharp knife, carefully peel the skin off of 2 of the oranges and add the zest to the crockpot.
- Juice these oranges directly into the cider and add the remaining pulp as well.
- Slice the third orange, and set it aside for garnishing the wassail later.
Cooking
- Add all the remaining ingredients: tea bags, cranberries, pomegranate seeds, chopped pear, Macintosh apple, star anise, broken cinnamon sticks, and cloves to the crockpot.
- Turn the crockpot up to high and cook for 4 hours, stirring occasionally and tasting for desired spice and sweetness.
Serving
- Once ready, strain the wassail to remove whole spices and fruit pulp, then pour it back into the crockpot and keep it warm on low.
- Serve the wassail warm and garnish each cup with an orange slice, a cinnamon stick, a star anise, and a few pomegranate seeds.
Notes
You can make this wassail ahead of time and reheat it. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Consider adding more cloves or ginger for a spicier kick or trying grape or cranberry juice as a base instead of apple cider.