This Slow Cooker Wassail Recipe is an easy way to celebrate Christmas with your guests. This delicious no-fuss, alcoholic beverage, made in the Crockpot will surely be one of the best at your holiday gathering.
Traditions are especially important during the holiday season. Many of you may have traditions that have been passed down through the generations.
Most of these traditions are associated with our holiday experience as children. However, this Slow Cooker Wassail is a modern take on a centuries-old tradition specifically for all the adults in the room.
Wassail is a traditional holiday alcoholic beverage with roots in England. This drink combines a variety of fruit flavors like apples, cranberries, and oranges with the spices more commonly found around Christmas time like cinnamon, allspice, and cloves.
It is also not uncommon to find wine, cider, and beer added to the drink as alternatives to fruit juices (removing the bourbon or rum to avoid mixing the types of alcohols). In both cases, it is served hot as a great companion to a holiday gathering in the midst of a Christmas snowstorm.
hot holiday drink recipe
Utilizing the slow cooker to prepare this delicious beverage makes it easy to prepare enough for the whole group to enjoy! This is another example of an easy “dump and go” recipe that will allow you to spend less time making food and refreshments and more time enjoying the company during the holidays.
It is a good thing too that this recipe is easy to prepare. I’m sure it will be quite the hit among your adult family and friends during the holidays!
Here are some commonly asked questions
Why is brown sugar optional?
The brown sugar is more to add sweetness to the drink. Some find that the apple, orange, and cranberry juices do the job well enough to not require the added sweeteners.
Wassail Drink
Should I use light or dark brown sugar?
Since I make my own brown sugar, I use light brown sugar for almost all of my recipes. But light or dark brown sugar will work in this recipe.
Want to know how to make your own brown sugar – visit my Homemade Brown Sugar post here.
Can this recipe be adapted for the Instant Pot?
Yes! To use this recipe in the instant pot, add all of your juices into the main pot. Then, add all of your spices to the strainer basket so they are easily removed prior to serving.
Set the Instant Pot to cook for 10 minutes, then allow for natural pressure release for an additional 10 minutes. Now you have an easy wassail made easily in your instant pot!
Traditional Wassail Recipe
How do you make Slow Cooker Wassail?
- Combine cranberry, apple, and orange juices along with the brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, star anise, ground cloves, and allspice in a large slow cooker.
- Heat on high for 1 hour.
- Then turn the heat to low, add the alcohol and simmer for another 1-2 hours.
- Turn the slow cooker to warm to keep it hot and ready to serve for another 4-8 hours.
- Strain spices when serving.
- Garnish with apple slices, orange slices, star anise, or cranberries.
Wassail Drink
Is it necessary to use a specific type of pressure cooker?
No, not at all. I just happen to have an Instant Pot, but pressure cookers have become so popular over the last couple years that just about every big & small appliance company makes one. This will work with them all.
To make Slow Cooker Wassail you will need:
- Cranberry Grape Juice
- Apple Juice
- Orange Juice
- Brown Sugar (Optional)
- cinnamon sticks
- star anise
- ground cloves
- ground allspice
- bourbon or dark rum
- Apples, oranges, cranberries, whole cloves, or star anise for garnish (optional)
Wassail Punch
Can I substitute the bourbon or dark rum for another beverage?
Yes. Keep in mind that bourbon or rum is more traditional for this drink and changing the liquor would change the flavor.
How do I store Crock Pot Wassail?
Place in a sealed container and refrigerate for 4-5 days.
Easy Wassail Recipe
Products I love when making this hot holiday drink recipe…
This wassail recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me this time of year, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made a slow cooker drink before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love it. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this cocktail recipe.
If you love this Easy Slow Cooker Wassail recipe, you’re going to love these other holiday recipes too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
If you love this recipe for Homemade Wassail as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!
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Slow Cooker Wassail
Ingredients
- 2 quarts cranberry grape juice
- 2 ½ cups apple juice
- 1 ¼ cup orange juice
- ¼ cup brown sugar Optional
- 3 cinnamon sticks 3 inches each
- 4-5 star anise
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1 ¾ cups bourbon or dark rum
- apples, oranges, cranberries, whole cloves, or star anise for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Slow Cooker
- Combine cranberry, apple, and orange juices along with the brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, star anise, ground cloves, and allspice in a large slow cooker.
- Heat on high for 1 hour.
- Then turn the heat to low, add the alcohol and simmer for another 1-2 hours.
- Turn the slow cooker to warm to keep it hot and ready to serve for another 4-8 hours.
- Strain spices when serving.
- Garnish with apple slices, orange slices, star anise, or cranberries.
Instant Pot
- Add all of your juices into the main pot.
- Then, add all of your spices to the strainer basket so they are easily removed prior to serving.
- Set the Instant Pot to cook for 10 minutes, then allow for natural pressure release for an additional 10 minutes.
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate. Please double-check with your own dietary calculator for the best accuracy. We at Yummi Haus cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
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