Why You Should Use A Slow Cooker To Make Mulled Cider

One of the best aspects of the winter season is all the comforting food and drink that sets the tone for the holidays. Hot chocolate aside, mulled cider is one particular beverage many folks can't live without during the colder months of the year. Brewing the concoction at home is simple, although you do have a choice to make regarding what you prepare it in.

Mulled cider needs to simmer for a period so all the flavors that compose it get a chance to shine, and this can be achieved either on the stovetop or in a slow cooker. Jordan Hughes, a cocktail recipe developer who creates content on TikTok under the moniker highproofpreacher, gave us some advice on which method is best. To him, the answer is clear. "I'm all about the slow-cooker method myself, as I can just set it and forget it," he said. It's even better because this method works "all while making the kitchen and house smell absolutely lovely."

There is nothing better than creating a cozy beverage while simultaneously filling your home with the scent of the holidays — other than perhaps not needing to keep an eye on the stove while it's occurring. You could even wake up to the essence of orange and cinnamon if you leave the slow cooker on overnight, which is generally considered safe if your appliance is in good condition. However, there are other, just as compelling reasons the slow cooker should be your go-to kitchen instrument for making mulled cider.

The holiday season is often the season of entertaining, when guests come by for good company and tempting treats. The problem is, if you are hosting, you sometimes don't get as much time as you would like to mingle with friends and family. Hughes agrees, saying, "When I'm making mulled cider, I am most often entertaining. So I want to be free to host and talk to guests, without having to mind the stovetop."

The stove works fine for heating a batch of mulled cider, but why not free yourself from the chains of the kitchen if it's possible? Less work and more play, as they say. The set-it-and-forget-it method of using a slow cooker works whether you are creating the flavorful beverage for the kiddos or adding properly stored bourbon or dark rum for a warming adult version. Getting into the holiday spirit with eggnog Jell-O shots is always an option, too. but using the slow cooker to make a boozy mulled cider is so much less work and affords you the time to appreciate those around you.