Hot Spiced Cider

Ingredients

• 1 large orange
• 8 whole cloves
• 1 teaspoon whole allspice berries, coarsely crushed
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 3 cups apple cider or unfiltered apple juice
• 2 cups pure cranberry juice
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, or as needed
• Pinch of kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Fresh cranberries for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from the orange in wide strips; reserve one strip for each drink and refrigerate, covered, until serving time. Stick the cloves into two or three of the remaining zest strips and set aside. (Reserve the orange for another use.)
2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm the allspice and cinnamon sticks, stirring, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully add the cider (it will sputter vigorously), cranberry juice, brown sugar, and the clove-studded orange zest strips. Adjust the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the brown sugar. Adjust the heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered and stirring occasionally, to infuse the cider mixture, about 20 minutes. Cover the pot completely, remove from the heat, and let steep for 20 minutes more.
3. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large heatproof bowl. Pour in the cider, discard the solids, and return the mixture to the saucepan. Over medium heat, return the cider to a simmer. Add the vanilla, stir, taste, and adjust the seasoning with additional brown sugar, if necessary.
4. Meanwhile, fill one small mug or heatproof glass for each drinker with hot water to preheat them, about 2 minutes. Empty the mugs or glasses, ladle some of the cider into each, garnish with one of the reserved orange zest strips and a couple of cranberries (if using), and serve at once.