Cinnamon Whiskey Cider with Butterscotch and Lemon
A warm spiced apple cider base with cinnamon, lemon, nutmeg, and toffee, plus optional measured whiskey and schnapps added to adult mugs.
Ingredients
Spiced cider batch
- 8 cups pasteurized apple cider Nonalcoholic juice-style cider
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 lemon Thinly sliced; seeds removed
- 1/2 cup toffee bits Check labels for dairy or nut ingredients
Optional adult additions for all eight mugs
- 8 fluid ounces butterscotch schnapps Optional; 1 fluid ounce per adult mug
- 16 fluid ounces cinnamon whiskey Optional; 2 fluid ounces per adult mug
Instructions
- Put cider, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, seed-free lemon slices, and toffee bits in a 3–4-quart saucepan.
- Heat gently while stirring until steaming. Keep at a low, loosely covered simmer 10–15 minutes, without vigorous boiling.
- Lift out the lemon and cinnamon sticks. Stir and divide the spiced cider into approximately 8 large heatproof mugs.
- For each adult alcoholic serving, stir in 1 fluid ounce butterscotch schnapps and 2 fluid ounces cinnamon whiskey. Plain servings receive neither spirit.
- Serve warm. Refrigerate unused unspiked base promptly and add spirits only when individual mugs are prepared.
Notes
The 8-cup cider quantity is the whole base. Spirit totals are optional additions for 8 adult mugs: 8 fluid ounces schnapps and 16 fluid ounces whiskey. Alcohol remains when added. Use large mugs and store plain base refrigerated up to 3 days.