Hot Buttered Spiced Hard Cider
hot buttered spiced hard cider
This is a twist on my own recipe for Brown Butter Spiced Ale. The challenge is to create a winter or cold weather cocktail by the totally lovely or should I say loverly website Lover.ly., I am not getting married but browsing through their site made me wish I were, the photo’s, the advice, planning, literally everything you need to know or need to do to put together a wonderful and seamless wedding. I was asked if I would submit a recipe for a cold weather cocktail suitable for a wedding or a soiree. Every Friday they share a drink and I am hoping they like my submission.
About 2 years ago I created this drink for a recipe challenge on Food52. I wanted to create another drink along the same lines that reflects Fall and Winter, and what reflects fall and winter better than apples, the drink is warming and would be suitable for a special occasion. I used Angry Orchard Hard Cider, Apple/Ginger instead of the Ale. This drink is rich and sweet, buttery and spicy, has a kick from the ginger in the cider and the cognac and is so warming. Note: If you don’t have or like Cognac you can substitute brandy, bourbon or whiskey.
First apples of the season
Hot Buttered Spiced Hard Cider
Serves 2
12 ounces hard cider ( I used Angry Orchard Apple/Ginger)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ginger (fresh or powdered either is fine)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tbs cognac per glass (2 tbs cognac)
1 Cinnamon stick and slice of apple to garnish
Add butter to small saucepan and melt on medium heat. Reduce heat to low and add brown sugar and spices, cook until brown sugar is dissolved and the mixture is paste-like. Scrape into small bowl or ramekin and cover with foil to keep warm.
Add the cider to the same saucepan and heat on medium until hot (don’t bring to a boil). Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the spiced butter mixture in serving glass, pour hot cider into glass add the cognac and stir. Garnish with cinnamon stick and apple.
apuginthekitchen 
Fabulous! I put butter in our coffee so it always seems natural to add butter to round out the flavor, plus I personally think good quality butter is not bad for you, but I know that’s controversial. I would never have thought to heat up hard cider, though, and then add butter! Wonderful Suzanne!
It’s like a tipsy apple pie in a glass. Really delicious. I am a proponent and fan of butter, love the stuff. Good butter is absolutely the best. Thanks Sue!
Wow. I’m obsessed with the nutty taste of brown butter. And apple cider symbolizes everything that is warm and good. This drink is awesome. Thanks for sharing. I cannot wait to make it.
Me too Amanda, love brown butter and love apple cider hard or not. It’s the ultimate Fall beverage. Thank you.
ciao! how could i have not ever drank a cider?? i will try it with brandy…my mouth is watering.
thebestdressup
Thank you so much, even early in the AM it was delicious, tastes like apple pie.
OOH – this sounds amazing Suzanne – I feel like I can almost smell that ginger and cinnamon and nutmeg! I hope your drink is picked!
Wow. Yum. ❤ That looks so SO delicious Suzanne! Yeah… so delicious. I was just writing out my grocery list when I saw your email pop up, and now I'm adding hard cider to the list. I am so making this on Saturday… it's supposed to be really cold and rainy… a perfect day to try it! Love, love LOVE this!! ❤
I’ve been feeling sad about summer coming to an end…but the thought of hot buttered cider makes me feel a bit cheerier about the onset of chilly weather. YUM!
Hi Rach; I cranked up the AC to taste this drink, it’s going to be almost 90 today but it did make me wish that it was a cool, crisp fall day. Thanks so much and I just subsribed to your wonderful blog.
oh my gosh, this looks like heaven in a glass. I will definitely be making this come autumn/winter. Thank you!!!
It’s really delicious Holly, good either with or without alcohol. Makes me want the cool weather like now!! Thank you so much.
Wow Suzanne, this sounds soooo delicious and easy! I’m just imagining the amazing smell and taste! I’m sure they will love your drink, how could they not?!
Thanks so much Brandi, they did love it, I am so happy. They are going to make it. It really is delicious, tastes like apple pie in a glass.
Groan… I started salivating as soon as I saw the name of it. Even on a horridly hot humid day, I can imagine how lovely this will be once the weather changes. Oh heck – just crank up the air conditioner and have it now! 😀 Hugs!
Thanks Teagan, it’s hot as you know what here in NYC too so I cranked up the AC and pretended it was a crisp cool day in Fall. LOL!!
homemade cider is sooo much better than getting it at coffee shops made from powder! good for you!
Thanks love cider!! Yes fresh cider is the best.
My mouth just started watering! Can’t wait til it’s a little cooler out to make this 🙂
Yes it needs to be cooler for sure. Can’t wait.for cooler weather
Sounds delicious!
Thanks so much Michelle.
Butter in hot drinks?? Really?? Wow! Am sure my GP wouldn’t like that! Never got what hard cider means? You mean it has alcohol in it? You have cider without alcohol also? Is that not just ape juice?
Yep, like hot buttered rum. Hard cider is fermented like beer only its apple cider. Really delicious and it has a low alcohol content like beer.
Hmmm interesting!
Across the pond where this began.. Ahem.. We call that scrumpy!
And not sure about buttered rum
Scrumpy? now there’s a word I’ve never heard. It’s really delicious hard cider is really nice.
This is so new to me… Heated up Apple cider with butter! Wow! Gorgeous color of that drink. I agree with Sue on butter..good less processed butter is good for body. My mum used to churn fresh butter every week.
Freshly churned butter, wow. I have seen tutorials, but never tried it. A little butter is so good tastes like an apple pie!! Thanks so much.
Yum! I’m going to have to make that for my Bunko group 🙂
Hope you like, thank you so much.
Looks delicious Suzanne! Perfect with all the apples coming in, I would probably make this with brandy! Wish I could be there to have some with you! 🙂
Now that would be fun, I would like a tour of your wood shop I’ll bring the warm spiked cider!
That would be fun, I might put you to work haha! 🙂
Yum! This sounds too delicious to pass up. Is hard cider the same as ‘scrumpy’? Love the combination of spices to complement the apple too.
Mr. Fitz from Australia mentioned scrumpy, don’t know. will have to look it up. It is a delicious drink and hard cider is quite popular here in the US. Thank you.
Oh man this sounds like apple pie in a glass! Awesome!
Exactly it is just like apple pie in a glass. Thank you so much.!
This sounds lovely! But, I may have to save it for later as it’s still in the upper 80’s!
Yes it is way too hot for this drink another month or two and we will be good to go.Thanks Mary Frances.
This sounds divine!
Thank you so much.
Yum yum yum. This sounds divine! The weather here is super windy and a little rainy – this drink would be perfect to stay indoors with!!
I can’t wait until it gets cool enough out to enjoy one of these. I am saving the rest of the hard cider for just such an occasion. Thanks so much.
I would give my left arm for one of these right now!!! Scrumptious!
Ha, I would gladly give you one and you can keep your left arm.
Now THAT’s a cider 😀
Thanks do much Alex!
Hi Suzanne, this sounds delicious, can’t wait for cooler weather.
Me too Cheri, thanks so much.
I don’t know about weddings but Flaubert had his characters drink cider and this is sure worth being mentioned in one of his books! 🙂
Oh I love it, thank you Francesca, I think thats wonderful. Hey if it’s good enough for Flaubert it’s good enough for me.
Butter, Spices, Brown Sugar and Fruity Alcohol… how can you go wrong!!? I have some apple cider in the fridge at the moment, so while the weather is still cool enough I’m going to try this! What a lovely weekend warmer! Thanks for the recipe Suzanne!
Thanks Margot, it’s a really nice combination and makes a really great winter drink.
oh yum! Have fallen in love with hard cider, so it’s fun to see cocktail possibilities. How perfect for fall 🙂
Thanks Liz, I thought the hard cider and warm spices just screamed fall! I had never really had hard cider before, I really like it.
This s new to me..haven’t heard or tasted before.. Love the color:-) will bookmarked will try soon
Thank you so much.
Wow this is amazing!
Thanks so much Emma!
Good morning Suzanne! I’m not sure if you’ve seen this…but as soon as I received this in my email this morning, I immediately thought of you… (I wonder why.. <3) have a lovely weekend ❤
http://www.partyanimalonline.co.uk/blog/
Oh wow, thats so cute, thanks Prudy. I guarantee you that tutorial makes it look super easy to make and if I tried it would look nothing like a pug. LOL!! Thank you!!
Haha! I have all the faith in you. They really are cute tho! ❤️
Thank you!! They really are adorable!!
Now someone’s ready for fall! I’m sweating just looking at this! But I’ll keep it till November. Or hopefully, late October!
I had to stand in front of the AC to taste it, it was almost 90 degrees yesterday. I am ready for fall but I think it will be late Oct or November before I can enjoy this drink.
Love the twist on your recipe; Brown Butter “anything” always catches my eye! Beautiful photos, too…
Me too, thanks so much Linda.
Butter in cider is new to me, but why not, right? This looks fabulous, Suzanne!
It tastes like apple pie!! Really yummy.
I absolutely love hard cider! It can only get better with butter, sugar, and spices! 🙂
Thanks Christin, have to agree.
Oh wow! I can smell it from here!
There is nothing better than the aroma of apples and warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg!! Thank you so much.
This is something new to me but it looks fantabulous, could guess how divine it would be looking at the flavours added in here….will try to gather the ingredients and try it ASAP. …thanx for sharing this Suzanne. ..
Thanks Chitra, I love apples and this drink is bursting with apple flavor.
It was over 90 here today, so I’ll have to put this one off for quite some time, but I LOVE hard cider! What a great recipe! Did you know that in the UK the only cider is hard? Anything else is apple juice! I wonder why some apple juice is called cider here in the US? Anyway, maybe when I get back from Europe it will be cool enough for this lovely drink! 🙂
I didn’t know that. Really all cider is hard? I often wondered about apple juice vs cider at first I thought it was because apple juice is filtered but then there is unfiltered apple juice. Well, too much for my pre coffee brain to wrap itself around this morning. Thanks Christina. Its way hot here too!!
I’m fairly sure in Australia it is the same – cider is hard. Either way this looks like a perfect warming treat. Wish I had this recipe last night when it was sooo cold in Sydney 🙂
I’m looking forward to cooler weather to enjoy this drink. I love apples. Thanks so much, it’s great on a cold day!
This cider looks so inviting and warm 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Thank you it was but unfortunately it was 90 degree’s outside so it went in the refrigerator to cool down. LOL!!
Wow – a perfect fall drink. I’ll try this Suzanne – thank you for posting!
It’s very tasty now I just want some colder weather so I can enjoy it!
What genius is this! I love hot buttered rum, although they can be just a bit sticky sweet sickening if I have more than one or two, but this sounds like it’s around the same lines only much, much better!
Thank you so much, it’s like a glass of apple boozy apple pie. I too love hot buttered rum!!
Ohhhh weather is not so cold here these days but freeze will arrive… I’ll do your cider recipe !
Thank you so much I hope you like!!
As much as I hate winter, my current novel in progress is set in that cold season. I’d sure like to have a mug of this right now! 😀
Suzanne, I’d like to link back to this little lovely liquor in my post. Not this weekend, but the one after. Wishing you a wonder-filled week. Mega hugs!
I would be honored, thank you so much Teagan.
I am so sorry I am late seeing this. OF COURSE, I am honored to have my recipe linked to your post. Thank you.
Hi Suzanne. Facebook sent me a memory about this post … now I am so Jonesing for a hearty mug of this wonderful treat! Hugs.
Awww thanks Teagan you know I had forgotten about this Post. Love that cider, it’s cold outside⛄️⛄️⛄️
It is definitely a post worthy or “recycling”. More hugs.