This wassail recipe is a part of Christmas for as long as we can remember. Mom and dad would bundle us up and take us to the Mansker’s Station for a historical reenactment of early colonial American Christmas celebrations every year. We would wear our coats, mittens and warm hats and walk among the recreated cabins that dotted the inside of the fort and each cabin taught us a lesson on colonial life, taught us carols by candlelight as we huddled by the warm fireplace holding grandma or mom’s hand. Dad was tapping his foot in time to the lively carols and we all were dreaming of going back to the visitors center for a lovely hot cup of delicious wassail. It was the first place that introduced us to wassail and also syllabub and we loved them both.
We wanted to have wassail more than that one night a year so Mom and Grandma put their heads together and made a great wassail recipe. Many recipes called for sugar and a lot use alcohol but they wanted a healthier version that is kid-friendly and non-alcoholic. This is a great time for us to use some of the apple cider that we have canned over the fall and it tastes delicious. If you don’t make your own, don’t worry! Purchase some apple cider or even apple juice if that is all that you have. Mom buys bottles of pineapple juice without sugar to keep more healthy and not have added sugar in it.
For this recipe you will need:
A long handled spoon or spurtle
A large pot or a crockpot
A ladle
A Can opener if you use canned pineapple juice
A punch bowl if you don’t serve in the crock pot
Cups that will withstand the heat
A small piece of cheesecloth
Easy Homemade Wassail Recipe
- 1- gallon apple cider or apple juice (we use unsweetened in ours)
- 1- quart pineapple juice (we use the unsweetened pineapple juice)
- 6 ounce can of frozen orange juice concentrate
- 15- 20 whole cloves
- 2 -3 Star Anise
- 4-5 cinnamon sticks
- 1 bag of black tea (we love to use Good Earth Sweet and Spicy tea.
- Fresh cranberries (optional ) if desired add it to the pot or crock. We added a handful or two.
- Pineapple rings (optional if desired)
- Orange rings (optional)
Directions For Wassail Recipe
- Gather all of your ingredients together.
- Slice the oranges in rather thin slices so they appear like a wagon wheel
- Open the juice and cider and measure them out into the pot or the pan.
- Remove the lid on the orange juice concentrate and put it in the juices. If you can’t find the concentrate mom uses a bit of orange juice or even squeezes right from the oranges.
- In cheesecloth place cloves, tie a knot around them with the cheesecloth, and add it to the wassail liquid.
- Add a few cinnamon sticks and the star anise
- Add a tea bag of black tea or the Good Earth Sweet and Spicy tea which makes it even better.
- Place a few pineapple rings, orange rings, and a handful of cranberries (fresh or frozen) to the wassail recipe.
- Heat it well until it is hot.
- Remove the seasoning pouch and tea bag.
- Turn the crock pot to warm or turn down the heat on the stove. Serve hot. Make sure you take the seasonings out before serving them. We like to make this at least the morning before we serve it so it will have plenty of time to mingle.
- Leave the fruit and cinnamon sticks in the wassail to float. They are quite lovely in there.
- Take it along in a thermos as you head out with your friends and family to do your caroling
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in your refrigerator.
Before you go, check out these other recipes:
- 3 Cozy Fall Drinks To Enjoy This Season
- Mexican Hot Chocolate Recipe
- Delicious Homemade Smore Hot Chocolate
- Easy Homemade Egg Nog
