The Best Cider for Mulled Cider — A Simple Pairing Guide
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Mulled cider is one of those drinks that doesn't get nearly enough attention. Warming, aromatic, fruit-forward and incredibly versatile — it's every bit as delicious as mulled wine, and in some ways even more approachable.
But just like mulled wine, the cider you choose makes a real difference. Here's everything you need to navigate mulled cider.
Sweet or Dry — What's the Difference?
This is the most important decision you'll make when choosing a cider for mulling.
Sweet cider is our recommendation for most people. The natural fruit sweetness balances beautifully with the warming spices — cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and orange — and produces a rich, rounded mulled cider.
Dry cider produces a more complex, less sweet result — closer to a traditional European spiced cider. It's delicious but needs a little help. If you're using a dry cider, add:
- 2–3 teaspoons of brown sugar
- A small knob of fresh ginger
- An extra star anise
These additions balance the dryness and bring the flavour profile into line with what the spice blend is designed to complement.
Apple vs Pear — Which is Better?
Both work beautifully, and honestly it comes down to personal preference.
Apple cider is the classic choice — bold, familiar and widely available. It produces a warming, full-flavoured mulled cider that's hard to fault.
Pear cider is our personal favourite. It's more subtle than apple, with a delicate sweetness that lets the spices really shine. The result is lighter, more refined and genuinely beautiful on a cold evening. If you haven't tried mulled pear cider, it's worth seeking out a bottle just to experience it.
Can you use ginger or berry cider? Certainly! We recommend using the right spices for the level of sweetness in each — a ginger cider pairs beautifully with an extra pinch of cardamom.
Our Favourite Picks
These are the ciders we reach for most often — tested against our spice blend and genuinely recommended.
🍺 Somersby Apple Cider — ~$26 for a 10-pack
Our go-to alcoholic recommendation. Widely available, consistently good, and naturally sweet enough to work perfectly with our spice blend straight out of the bottle. Available at Dan Murphy's, BWS and most major bottle shops across Australia.
We've also worked with Kopparberg using their Apple Cider. Delicious!
🍺 Hillbilly Sweet Julie Cider — ~$92 for a case
One of our favourite discoveries — and a genuinely special Australian cider. Hillbilly's Sweet Julie is made from the Julie™ apple, a chance seedling discovered in Bilpin, NSW, and believed to be the only cider in the world made from this variety. It's naturally sweet, beautifully fruity and mulls incredibly well. We worked with Hillbilly to test our spice blend against their cider and the result was outstanding. Their cider shed in Bilpin is also a wonderful day trip if you're ever in the area.
🍐 Somersby Pear Cider or similar
Pear cider isn't always easy to find, but it's worth hunting down. Look for something naturally sweet with clean fruit flavours — avoid anything overly carbonated or artificially flavoured. The Apple Thief's William Pear is a great option too if you can find it.
🍺 Dry Apple Cider
A premium, traditional English cider, like Thatcher's Gold, that sits much drier.
We had the pleasure of working with Thatchers (part of the Carlsberg family) to develop a matching spiced cider blend for their trade team — and the experience confirmed what we already suspected: quality cider and quality spices are a match made in heaven.
Stay tuned for our dry cider spiced bag! In the meantime use the dry recipe above to add additional spices and sweetener as desired.
Non-Alcoholic Options
Mulled cider is one of the most naturally non-alcoholic-friendly drinks you can make — the spices and warmth do so much of the work that you genuinely don't miss the alcohol.
Our recommendations:
🍎 Apple Grove Sparkling Apple Juice — ~$4
Our top non-alcoholic pick and genuinely one of our favourite mulled cider experiences full stop. The natural apple sweetness and light effervescence work beautifully with the spice blend, and the result is completely indistinguishable from the alcoholic version in terms of warmth and flavour. Work friendly, family friendly and absolutely delicious. Available at most major supermarkets.
We've also worked with Bilpin Apple Juice using their deliciously fresh Sparkling Apple Juice and wow... lovely!
🍎 Kopparberg Non-Alcoholic Apple or Pear Cider
We've had the pleasure of working with Kopparberg Australia on our spice blend development — their Swedish apple cider is fruit-forward, naturally sweet and works straight out of the can with our bags. Their mixed fruit varieties are also worth experimenting with for something a little different.
🍎 Any good Cloudy Apple Juice — ~$8
The cloudier the better, it means more natural apple flavour.
For a completely alcohol-free evening, serve it in a beautiful glass with a cinnamon stick and dehydrated orange slice — nobody will know the difference and everyone will ask for the recipe.
Serving & Garnishing Tips
A few simple touches that elevate any mulled cider:
- Dehydrated orange slices in the glass — beautiful and aromatic
- Cinnamon sticks as a stirrer
- Fresh apple slices added during the last few minutes of heating for extra fruit flavour
- A light dusting of cinnamon sugar on the rim
- A small knob of fresh ginger added during infusion for extra warmth
Ready to Get Mulling?
Whether you're reaching for a sweet Somersby, hunting down a pear cider, or keeping it alcohol-free with a sparkling apple juice — our Mulled Cider Spiced Bags are blended and ready to go.
Not sure how to heat it? Check out our heating guide for stovetop, microwave and slow cooker instructions.
Enjoy! 🍎
Share your mulled cider moments with us on Instagram @mulledbeverages — we'd love to see them.