Wassail Recipe (with alcoholic and nonalcoholic options)

Wassail is a traditional drink that is warm and comforting in the fall and holiday season. It’s sweet and spicy notes of apple and fresh oranges mixed with spices like clove and cinnamon will warm you from the inside out and you can make yours alcoholic or kid-friendly as needed.

This hot wassail recipe is the perfect drink to serve at holiday parties or to pour into mugs before you go caroling, tree lighting, or any outdoor holiday activity. It’s easy to make and you can make larger batches of it to serve a crowd. Check out our video below to see how easy it is to make!

Related: Glühwein (German Mulled Wine), Hot Chocolate Bar Ideas, Nutella Hot Chocolate, How to Make Mulled Wine, Classic Hot Toddy, Apple Cinnamon Hot Toddy, Cranberry Spiced Hot Toddy

What is Wassail?

Wassail is a more complex and layered version of apple cider as it adds in other citrus and spice notes and is often paired with a shot of alcohol as well. Traditional wassail was hot mulled cider made with spices, hard liquor, apples, and brandy. It is slow simmered on the stove to release the flavors and is served hot to warm you from the inside out.

What’s the history of Wassail?

The word “wassail” comes from the old Anglo-Saxon phrase “waes hael,” which means “good health.” This spiced warm cider was usually spiked with dark rum or sherry and had fruits like baked apples and oranges studded with cloves floating in the cider. Tempered eggs were added to the mixture and small piece of toast was laid on top, which is still where we get the tradition to raise our glasses to “toast” each other or the occasion.

The tradition of making Wassail goes all the way back to the English middle ages to help ensure a good apple harvest on Twelfth Night (January 17). Villagers would bring wassail to drink as they encircled the biggest apple tree and sing in the orchards to ward off evil spirits that could impair the harvest. As Christianity began to spread across the region, the drink was moved to the Christmas holiday where it has stayed ever since and became associated with Christmas carolers drinking it as they went from door to door.

What’s the best alcohol to use for Wassail?

While it’s up to your personal taste which alcohol you want to add, the most popular choices are brandy, rum, whiskey, or bourbon.

Why you’ll love Wassail:

Nostalgic: Drinking this classic drink connects you to how people have celebrated the holiday for centuries so you can participate in the storied ritual.

The aroma: No Christmas candle can compare to a fresh batch of Wassail being heated on your stove—it smells amazing!!

Crowd-pleaser: Since you can serve this with or without alcohol, you don’t need to make separate party drinks for different ages … just add in a shot for those who want it!

Ingredients for Wassail:

Apple cider: This drink has mostly apple cider for its base, so if you are an apple cider fan then chances are you will love this drink too! Some wassail recipes have you add whole apples or apple slices to the pot as it simmers, so feel free to add those as well.

Oranges and orange juice: The juice adds some sweet citrus notes to the wassail and the halves and slices of whole oranges bring out the oils in the zesty peel and give you something to stick your whole cloves into.

Lemon juice: A small amount of lemon juices adds a tart note and gives it a bit of a zing.

Spices: Whole spices like cinnamon sticks, cloves, and star anise make this drink taste and smell amazing, and the addition of ground nutmeg and ginger add another deeper level of flavor. Feel free to leave out out if you’re missing one or do a ground option if you don’t have a whole spice available.

Sugar: While you can use regular sugar, brown sugar adds a bit of a caramel sweetness.

Hard alcohol (optional): For your adult guests, you can choose to a shot of brandy, rum, whiskey, or bourbon to your Wassail to help it warm you from the inside out.

How to make Wassail:

How to Make Wassail

Add Ingredients: Combine all your ingredients (except alcohol if using) in a large pot and bring to a gentle boil. You can either stick your whole cloves into your orange halves or just let them float in the pot.

Simmer on Low: Bring your wassail down to a low simmer and let it gently cook for 30-45 minutes.

Serve: Strain any floating spices and fruit out of your drink and pour into heatproof cups (you can pour it through a fine mesh strainer). Add a shot of alcohol to spike the drink if desired!

Tips for making Wassail:

• Try substituting some of the cider for brown ale for an alcoholic option or cranberry juice for a kid-friendly change.
• Serve with a dollop of whipped cream on top!
• The drink’s garnish can also make it a work of art and add note of spice as you drink so consider larger whole spices like cinnamon sticks or star anise, and floating fruit like half slices of oranges, apples, or whole cranberries.
• The longer the spices sit in the Wassail, the stronger the spices become, so take them out after the initial cook time if you don’t want the flavor to get stronger and stronger but you want to keep it warm on the stove.

Can you make Wassail in a crock-pot?

Yes! It’s really easy to make Wassail in a crock-pot as a make-ahead option. Just add all your ingredients (except hard alcohol if using) to a slow cooker, stir well, and leave on high for 2.5 hours or low for 4 hours. Leave on the warm setting after that if you aren’t ready to serve just yet (take out the spices if you don’t want the spice flavor to keep getting stronger) and add a shot of liquor if desired when you serve.

Can you make Wassail ahead of time?

You can absolutely make Wassail a day or two ahead of your party. Follow the directions to make the Wassail (leave out the hard alcohol if using) and allow the Wassail to cool to room temperature. Strain out any fruit or whole spices and put the Wassail in the refrigerator in an airtight container. When you’re ready to heat it back up again, use a large pot or slow cooker to warm back up to desired temperature.

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