Chilly Night? How to Make Grandma's Hot Mulled Cider (and What Science Says)

Apple cider, cinnamon, and cloves: the smell of an American autumn kitchen. Make just one small change to Grandma's recipe, and you can enjoy it with complete peace of mind.

Where it comes from

In the United States, families have long warmed freshly pressed apple cider with spices during the fall harvest. This version contains no alcohol.

Ingredients (2 servings)

Ingredient	Amount
Pasteurized 100% apple juice or cider	400 ml (about 1⅔ cups)
Cinnamon stick	1
Whole cloves	3
Orange slices	2

How to make it

1. If you use fresh, unpasteurized cider, bring it to a full boil first
2. Put all the ingredients in a pot
3. Warm on low heat for 10 minutes
4. Remove the spices

Grandma's way, and the safer way

• The traditional way: pour freshly pressed, unpasteurized cider into a pot, add spices, and warm it
• The change: use juice labeled "pasteurized," or boil fresh cider first
• Why?: Raw cider can contain food-poisoning bacteria such as E. coli O157 or Salmonella, and gentle warming may not kill them all. Older adults can get seriously ill if infected
• Do you lose anything?: The fresh-pressed aroma may change a little, but no health benefit unique to raw cider has been confirmed. A small difference in flavor isn't worth the risk

What's nice about it

• A warm drink that helps you get fluids in
• Made with ingredients that contain vitamin C

The Tradition

After the fall apple harvest, American families warmed fresh cider with cinnamon, cloves and orange and passed mugs around. In the U.S., "cider" means unfiltered apple juice, not a soda.

What Research Says Today

We haven't found studies in people on hot cider itself, so we share it as a traditional fall drink. It is a warm, easy way to get fluids on a cold day.

Today's grade

Evidence	Safety
★	🟢

How to enjoy it

One cup on a chilly fall evening.

One thing to watch

• Always use apple juice labeled "pasteurized." If you buy fresh cider at a farm or market, boil it first When apples are pressed, bacteria such as E. coli O157 or Salmonella can get in from dropped or unwashed apples, or from equipment that wasn't sanitized. Pasteurization heats the juice to kill these germs. Older adults, children, and people with weakened immune systems can become seriously ill, and refrigerating or freezing does not kill the bacteria.

General note

• If you have diabetes, go easy on sweet ingredients (sugary drinks can raise blood sugar quickly)

Sources

• Food Safety News: FDA warns about unpasteurized apple cider
• NCCIH: Cinnamon
• Health Canada: Unpasteurized fruit juices and cider

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This article introduces traditional food customs. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please talk to your doctor if you have health concerns.