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Easy Cranberry Clove Wassail – Best Budget-Friendly Holiday Drink

budget-friendly wassail with cranberry and cloves - featured image
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This budget-friendly wassail with cranberry and cloves is a warm, aromatic holiday drink that’s easy to make and costs under ten dollars for a big batch. It’s perfect for gatherings and uses simple ingredients like frozen cranberries, apple cider, and whole spices.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups frozen cranberries (about 200g)
  • 4 cups apple cider (about 950ml)
  • 2 cups orange juice (about 475ml)
  • 2 cups water (about 475ml)
  • ½ cup brown sugar, packed firmly (about 100g)
  • 2 tablespoons honey (about 30ml), optional
  • 1 tablespoon whole cloves (about 6g)
  • 3 to 4 cinnamon sticks
  • 2 whole star anise
  • 1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into coins (about 5cm)
  • 1 teaspoon allspice berries (about 2g)
  • Orange slices, for garnish (optional)
  • Handful fresh cranberries, for garnish (optional)
  • Apple slices, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Combine the liquids. Pour the apple cider, orange juice, and water into a large pot. Turn the heat to medium-high. Bring to a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil.
  2. Add the cranberries. Dump in the frozen cranberries straight from the bag. No need to thaw. Stir with a wooden spoon.
  3. Add the sweeteners. Stir in the brown sugar and honey. Keep stirring until the sugar completely dissolves, about 2 to 3 minutes.
  4. Add the whole spices. Drop in the whole cloves, cinnamon sticks, star anise, sliced ginger, and allspice berries. Stir well.
  5. Simmer gently. Reduce the heat to low. Let the wassail barely bubble for 20 to 25 minutes.
  6. Taste and adjust. After 20 minutes, taste. If you want it sweeter, stir in another tablespoon of honey. If you want more spice, let it simmer another 5 minutes.
  7. Strain the wassail. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a large heatproof bowl or pot. Carefully pour the wassail through the strainer. Press down on the solids with the back of a spoon to extract all the liquid. Discard the solids.
  8. Serve hot. Ladle the strained wassail into mugs. Garnish with orange slices and fresh cranberries if desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

Don’t boil the spices; high heat makes cloves bitter. Use whole spices to avoid cloudiness and grit. The wassail can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days; flavors deepen. For a slow cooker version, cook on low for 3-4 hours or high for 1-2 hours, then strain. For a spiked version, add 1 cup dark rum or bourbon after straining.

Nutrition

Keywords: wassail, cranberry, clove, holiday drink, budget-friendly, easy, slow cooker, spiked, vegan, gluten-free

Find it online: https://novanosh.com/easy-cranberry-clove-wassail-best-budget-friendly-holiday-drink/