Mulled Camp Cider
Cider powder, whole spices, and a pot of hot water. A drink that gives you a reason to stand still.
- calories
- 150
- weight
- 1.5 oz
- cal / oz
- 100
- protein
- 0 g
- serves
- 1, scales
- prep
- 2 min
- cook
- 10 min
- total time
- 12 min
- water
- 400 ml boiled
- cost
- $
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Drink
- Canister stove
- Campfire coals
- Liquid fuel
- Car camping
- Backpacking
- Winter / snow
- Basecamp
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Gluten free
- Dairy free
- Nut free
- One pot
- Pre-mix at home
- Shelf stable
- Dump and stir
Ingredients
| Instant apple cider drink mix | 2 packets | about 1/4 cup of powder total |
|---|---|---|
| Cinnamon stick | 1 | |
| Whole cloves | 3 | |
| Brown sugar | 1 tsp | |
| Ground nutmeg | a pinch | |
| Dried apple rings | 2 | optional, they soften and get eaten at the end |
Method
- Bring 400 ml of water to a boil with the cinnamon stick and cloves in the pot.
- Cut the heat to a bare simmer and hold it there for ten minutes. Longer if the fire is already going.
- Fish out the cloves. Leave the cinnamon stick, it keeps working.
- Stir in the cider powder, brown sugar, and nutmeg until the powder is gone.
- Drop in the apple rings and let them sit a minute before you drink.
The source version starts with a jug of store-bought cider, which is water you have already carried and a fridge you do not have. Instant cider powder gets you the same drink at a fraction of an ounce, and the whole spices do the part the powder cannot: simmering releases oils that a shelf mix flattens out.
Simmer time is the whole recipe. Ten minutes is the floor for the cinnamon and cloves to give anything up. Add the powder at the end instead of the start so the sugar does not scorch on the pot bottom while the spices work.
Packing
Powder, sugar, and nutmeg premixed in one small bag. Cinnamon stick and cloves in a second bag so you can pull the cloves out without hunting.
Variations
- A splash of whiskey off-trail, added after the pot leaves the heat.
- Swap half the cider powder for orange drink mix if you want it sharper.
- Two thin slices of dried ginger simmered with the cinnamon for more heat.
https://wackyscouter.org/blog/874/Hot_Apple_Cider_Recipes.html