When you’re finally done baking all those pies, brining and prepping the turkey, or maybe it’s a rainy Fall or Winter day and it just feels right, how about some mulled cider? With rum? Yes? We thought so.

This recipe is very similar to one my hubby’s stepdad makes for us when we go over to their place this time of year, except no rum, which I’ve always thought would be right nice. This one has citrus goodness with fresh orange juice and the rind is simmered in there as well. Add in some apple cider, cranberry juice, cinnamon sticks and other yummy spices, and soon you’ll be feeling the warmth of the season infuse you. Should we, maybe, edit that for a greeting card? But without the rum references? Or with rum? Oh heck, yes, with.

Behold - the spices! In there, besides cinnamon sticks, are some whole cloves, brown sugar and nutmeg.

You’re going to add all those spices to the apple cider, cranberry juice and the fresh-squeezed orange juice and rind. Simmer, simmer and simmer! Then you add in that rum. Or, if you prefer to leave it out (gasp), you can do that, too.

In no time at all, you’ll have a warm mulled cider that is perfect for kicking back and relaxing with - your reward for working hard, or hardly working, whichever is on your agenda, this holiday season. Hope you enjoy!

Mulled Cider with Rum

Slightly adapted from Mulled Cranberry, Apple and Rum Cider, The Flavors of Bon Appétit 2006 cookbook

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Level: Easy Serves: about 6 cups

• 1 large orange
• 3 cups cranberry juice cocktail
• 3 cups apple cider
• 3/4 cups (packed) light brown sugar
• 3-4 cinnamon sticks
• 18 whole cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 6 tablespoons dark rum
• 6 additional cinnamon sticks (optional)
• 6 orange slices (optional)

Using a vegetable peeler, remove peel from orange in long strips and place them in a large saucepan. Halve orange and squeeze juice into pan. Add cranberry juice, cider, sugar, the 3-4 cinnamon sticks, cloves, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 25 minutes. (Can be made ahead up to this point, covered and chilled.) Add rum to cider; simmer for 5 minutes. Ladle into mugs and garnish with cinnamon sticks and orange slices, if desired.

Notes:

My vegetable peeler revealed itself to be a fraud - no, wait a minute. It’s a vegetable peeler, not fruit peeler. Anyway, mine wouldn’t peel the orange. At all. So I had to use a knife. Please be careful if you have to do this. I’m almost certain I’d have gotten a disapproving look and comment from my mother (love you, mom).

This drink does have a nice, strong flavor. It was a little too strong for my sister, and I think one reason was the nutmeg, which I cut back a little from the original recipe. If you don’t want to use rum, you don’t have to.

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