The Pampered Mom's Holiday Spiced Apple Wassail

This oh-so easy drink came about after a friend of mine told me about a wassail walk that takes place in a quaint small town just north of here.  Small shops in the town gather together and each makes their own special spiced wassail, just in time for the holidays.  Isn't that the cutest?  After hearing this story, I started taking it upon myself to find and perfect the perfect holiday wassail.  So far, the warm cider is perfect during the cold winter months!  Hope you find this recipe makes it into your own home ... new traditions maybe?

Ingredients:

1 gallon apple cider

6 apples, cored and cut into 1 inch chunks

4 cinnamon sticks

1/4 teaspoon ground mace

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground ginger

 3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 thinly sliced orange

1 lemon thinly sliced

Directions:

1. Combine the cider, apple chunks, and cinnamon sticks in a large kettle and bring to a boil over medium heat. Turn the heat down to low and add the mace, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and brown sugar. Stir to combine, and simmer for 20 minutes until the spices have developed their flavor.
2. Drop in the orange and lemon slices, simmer for 5 more minutes, and turn off the heat. Ladle the wassail punch into mugs and serve hot. Include a few pieces of cooked apple or a cooked orange or lemon slice in each mug.

enjoy!