Soulitinerary

Make the perfect Traditional Wassail Recipe with apples, citrus, and warm spices. A cozy, historic holiday drink ideal for Christmas!

A steaming pot of a Traditional Wassail Recipe instantly transforms your kitchen into a living postcard of the holidays!

Ingredients For Traditional Wassail Recipe

This makes about 10–12 cozy mugfuls, depending on how generous you are!!

For The Wassail Base

• Apple cider (not apple juice) – 8 cups (2 liters)
• Orange juice (no pulp, 100% juice) – 2 cups (480 ml)
• Pineapple juice – 1 cup (240 ml) (adds that round, festive sweetness)
• Black tea – 2 bags or 2 tsp loose leaf, brewed strong in 1 cup (240 ml) hot water

For The Whole Spices And Citrus

• Whole cinnamon sticks – 4–5
• Whole cloves – 10–15, plus extra for studding fruit
• Whole allspice berries – 8–10
• Fresh nutmeg – ½ tsp, freshly grated (or ¼ tsp ground, if needed)
• Star anise – 2 (optional but gorgeous and aromatic)
• Oranges – 2, well-scrubbed
• Lemon – 1, well-scrubbed

For Sweetness And Depth

• Brown sugar – ¼–½ cup, packed (start with ¼; you adjust later)
• Honey – 2 tbsp
• Vanilla extract – 1 tsp
• Pinch of fine sea salt – ¼ tsp (enhances everything, doesn’t make it salty)

For The Boozy Option (Traditional-style)

Choose one or a mix:

• Dark rum – ½–1 cup
• Brandy – ½–1 cup

You’ll stir this in at the end so the flavor stays bright and the alcohol doesn’t cook off completely. If you want a zero-proof version, skip it completely—the base is still incredible.

How To Turn A Heavy Pot Into A Holiday Cauldron

Step 1: Brew The Tea So It’s Ready

• You do not want to be scrambling for tea once everything else is simmering.
• Boil 1 cup of water.
• Add the 2 black tea bags (or 2 tsp loose tea in a strainer).
• Let it steep for 5 minutes for a strong, tannic brew.
• Remove the tea bags or strain out the leaves.
• Set the brewed tea aside; it should look dark and smell robust.
• Tea gives the wassail that subtle backbone and keeps it from tasting like “spiked juice.”

Step 2: Toast The Spices For Serious Aroma

• Toasting the spices is the difference between “oh, this smells nice” and “what are you making, and when can I move in?”
• Place a large, heavy pot (at least 5–6 quarts) over medium-low heat.

Add:

• Cinnamon sticks
• Cloves
• Allspice berries
• Star anise (if using)
• Stir the spices around in the dry pot for 2–3 minutes.
• You’ll notice the cinnamon getting fragrant, and the cloves and allspice waking up.
• Do not walk away; whole spices jump from toasted to scorched very quickly.
• Once the kitchen smells like a Christmas market, you’re ready for the liquid.

Step 3: Build The Liquid Base

Carefully pour in the:

• Apple cider
• Orange juice
• Pineapple juice
• Brewed black tea
• Stir gently to distribute the toasted spices through the liquid.

Add:

• Brown sugar (start with ¼ cup)
• Honey
• Vanilla extract
• Sea salt
• Stir until the sugar dissolves completely.
• You now have a pot of liquid that already smells good but is about to level up.

Step 4: Add The Citrus Like Old-School Wassail

• Traditional wassail loves whole, floating citrus—it’s half drink, half centerpiece.
• Take one orange and one lemon.
• Use a sharp knife to slice just a tiny bit off the ends so they sit flat if you need them to.
• Use a small knife or toothpick to poke shallow holes around the orange in a decorative pattern.
• Press whole cloves into those holes to stud the orange like a little citrus Christmas pomander.
• Slice the second orange into ½-inch rounds.

Now:

• Gently lower the clove-studded orange into the pot.
• Add the lemon (whole) and the orange slices.
• They float, they perfume, and they look exactly like holiday spirit in citrus form.

Step 5: Simmer, Don’t Boil

• This is where patience gives you flavor instead of sad, stewed juice.
• Turn the heat to medium until you see tiny bubbles forming around the edges.
• Immediately reduce the heat to low.
• Let the wassail simmer gently for 30–45 minutes, uncovered or partially covered.

You’re aiming for:

• Steam rising
• Occasional small bubbles
• No aggressive boiling
• Every 10 minutes, give it a slow stir, gently pressing the floating citrus with the back of a ladle to coax out more juice without smashing them into pulp.
• Taste about halfway through:

If you want it sweeter, add a tablespoon or two more brown sugar or honey.
If the acidity feels too sharp, let it go another 10–15 minutes; the flavors naturally mellow with time.

Step 6: Add The Booze (Or Don’t)

• If you’re keeping it family-friendly, skip straight to straining and serving. If you want the historical tavern vibe, this is where you add it.
• Turn the heat as low as it goes or remove the pot from direct heat.
• Stir in ½–1 cup dark rum, brandy, or a mix.
• Start with ½ cup, stir well, taste, and only then move up to the full cup if you want a stronger kick.

You’re warming the alcohol into the drink, not boiling it off. The heat should be low enough that you don’t see new bubbles breaking the surface.

Step 7: Strain (Lightly) And Serve

• You have two main serving styles: rustic and refined. I like a mix of both.
• Use a ladle to skim out the whole citrus fruits and set them on a plate. Keep a few of the prettiest orange slices for garnish.
• If you want a clearer wassail, pour the liquid through a fine mesh strainer into a second pot or a slow cooker set to “warm.”
• If you like the floating spice look, just ladle carefully and avoid scooping too many whole spices into mugs.

To serve:

• Ladle hot wassail into heatproof mugs.
• Add an orange slice or a cinnamon stick to each if you’re feeling theatrical (you are).

When the windows fog up a little, someone drifts toward the stove just to “see what smells so good,” and you hand them a steaming mug of this Traditional Wassail Recipe, you’ll feel exactly why this drink has stuck around for centuries.

Bookmark it, tweak it until it tastes like your version of December, and let this Traditional Wassail Recipe become the quiet (okay, loudly spiced) tradition your people expect every winter.