• Gather all the ingredients. For the best results, read more about apple cider (or unfiltured apple juice) and red wine in the blog post.
  
• Add 2 QT fresh apple cider (or unfiltered apple juice) to a 4-QT Dutch oven or large pot.
  
• To the pot, add 2 Tbsp mulling spices (see the instructions at the end of the recipe for how to blend the mulling spices). You can also use a tea bag or cheesecloth to keep the spices together for easy removal later.
  
• Cut 1 orange into thin slices and add them to the pot.
  

To Make the Kid-Friendly, Non-Alcoholic Version

• Bring it to a simmer over low heat and continue to simmer for 10 minutes. DO NOT BOIL.
  

To Make the Alcoholic Version

• Add 1 cup red wine either at the beginning (that‘s what I do) or at the end (so that the alcohol doesn’t evaporate too much).
  
• Bring it to a simmer over low heat and continue to simmer for 10 minutes. DO NOT BOIL.
  

To Serve

• Ladle the Mulled Cider into cups or mugs, straining out the spices with a fine-mesh strainer. Garnish each cup with an orange slice and one of the 4 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks and serve hot.
  

To Make Ahead

• Mulled cider can be made 2 hours ahead; cover and store at room temperature, or chill up to 3 days. Reheat over medium-low heat before serving.

To Blend the Mulling Spices

• Gather the spices. In this recipe, we use 8 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks, ¼ cup whole cloves, ¼ cup allspice berries, ⅓ cup dried orange peel, 2 Tbsp star anise, and 2 Tbsp cardamom pods. You can add nutmeg and peppercorn if you‘d like. Read more about these spices in the blog post.
  
• To break up the cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, and star anise, put them in a large Ziploc bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
  
• You can use a pestle and mortar, too. Once broken up, transfer to a large bowl (I use a mortar and a pestle).
  
• Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl.
  
• Stir to combine and divide evenly into 3 sealable jars while mixing the ingredients as some spices tend to settle at the bottom of the bowl. Store in an airtight container for up to one year.