Spiked Hot Apple Cider

Spiked Hot Apple Cider is a hit at any holiday party, and is perfect for a crowd since each cup can be customized by the drinker.

During the holidays, when we go to any party with a pot luck, I get an overwhelmingly positive response to my Hot Apple Cider. The holidays are the only time it gets cold enough to be able to really enjoy the drink here. It’s an easy recipe, made in the slow cooker, and assembled individually to each person’s liking.

The first time I had this was at my aunt’s house many years ago. I’m not sure where she got the recipe from, but I got it from her. When I lived in Florida, I had a hard time finding true dulce de leche. But now, living in Texas, I was able to find the correct ingredient near the Hispanic foods.

Dulce de leche is also a type of caramel, but I like using both that and a regular caramel topping. The caramel topping drops down into the cider while the dulce de leche stays on top of the whipped cream.

Of course, you can make it however you want. For example, if you don’t want any alcohol in your drink, then you don’t have to. You can add or remove anything you’d like, and the cider is delicious on its own as well.

To me, nothing is better than having a large batch of this hot apple cider going while decorating the house for Christmas. We make some sugar cookies with the family and maybe eat a few Christmas sandwiches while we’re at it. All with my Trans-Siberian Orchestra holiday playlist blasting throughout the house.

Step by Step

Start by heating the apple cider in the slow cooker with a few cinnamon sticks. Cooking it on low for about an hour before you want to serve it is enough to heat the cider.

Once it’s heated through, the cider is ready to serve. This is great for serving a crowd because the cups are made individually.

When you are ready to serve, I suggest the following:

1. Fill a cup 3/4 of the way with apple cider
2. Add a shot of cinnamon schnapps
3. Top with whipped cream
4. Drizzle with both dulce de leche and caramel topping

Recipe

Spiked Hot Apple Cider

Spiked Hot Apple Cider is a hit at any holiday party, and is perfect for a crowd since each cup can be customized by the drinker. 

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Course:

Drinks

Cuisine:

American

Keyword:

alcoholic

|

apple cider

|

cinnamon

|

holidays

Servings: 16 cups

5 from 6 votes

Ingredients

• 1 gallon apple cider
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 16 oz cinnamon schnapps
• 1 can whipped cream
• 1 carton dulce de leche
• 1 bottle caramel topping

Recommended Equipment

• Slow Cooker

Instructions

• Put cider and cinnamon sticks in crock pot and warm for about 1 hour or until warm through
• To serve: Fill a cup 3/4 full with apple cider
• Add an ounce cinnamon schnapps to the cider
• Top with whipped cream, dulce de leche, and caramel

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Nutrition Facts

Spiked Hot Apple Cider

Amount Per Serving (1 cup)

Calories 214

% Daily Value*

Sodium 9mg0%

Potassium 241mg7%

Carbohydrates 38g13%

Sugar 33g37%

Vitamin C 2.1mg3%

Calcium 25mg3%

Iron 0.3mg2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutrition content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.

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