Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups (950ml) pure apple juice or cider (unfiltered preferred)
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 whole cloves
- 2 star anise pods
- 1 small orange, sliced (peel included)
- 1 small apple, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp honey (optional, for sweetness)
- Pinch of ground nutmeg (optional)
- Splash of bourbon or calvados (optional for adults)
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine apple juice, cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, orange slices, and apple slices.
- Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat—do not boil.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and let steep for 15–20 minutes to deepen flavors.
- Strain the cider into mugs, discarding solids.
- Stir in honey and optional bourbon if desired.
- Serve warm, garnished with extra apple slice or cinnamon stick.
Notes
- For a non-alcoholic version, simply omit the bourbon.
- For a stronger flavor, let the cider steep longer (up to 1 hour) or make a concentrate.
- Stir in a pinch of black pepper for an extra ‘Wolf’s Breath’ kick.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Fantasy-inspired Slavic
- Diet: Vegetarian, Vegan (if honey is omitted)
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 110 Kcal
- Sugar: 22g
- Sodium: 5mg
- Fat: 0.2g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 0.5g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
