Easy Crock Pot Wassail [Wassil]

What is Wassail?

Wassail, or wassil, is an English Medieval drink that brought hope of a good apple harvest the following year.

It is the quintessential holiday drink. Warm, sweet, with a hint of spice. So good.

The base starts with apple cider and spices, like allspice and cinnamon. From there you can adjust it to suit your tastes.

How to make this easy crock pot wassail

Wassail is incredibly easy to make. Just throw all of the ingredients into a Crock Pot and cook on low for at least 5 hours.

The longer it cooks the more the spices shine through, so feel free to let it cook all day long.

Apple juice, orange juice, pineapple juice, and cranberry juice are all in this recipe. It might seem like a lot of juice for one recipe, but trust me when I say the flavors all pair perfectly. Don’t be tempted to leave one out.

Tried it and I was very disappointed.

Small batch easy crock pot wassail

When I have family and friends over, I usually make a huge batch of this in a large Crock Pot. However, sometimes it’s nice to have this with just the family, on a cold winter night. So I adjusted the recipe.

Orange juice, cranberry juice, and pineapple juice are are used in smaller quantities in this recipe. Which is great, because you can purchase all of these in single serve sizes. That way you can open one bottle at a time, as needed, and not worry about the leftovers sitting in the fridge forever.

Can I add alcohol to the wassail?

Yes. Definitely.

What kind of alcohol should I add to my wassail recipe?

Brandy, bourbon or rum are all good choices to this wassail recipe. I recommend adding about ½ cup, tasting, then adding more to taste.

Can I double or triple the wassail recipe to make a larger batch?

This recipe is very forgiving and can easily be doubled, tripled, or even quadrupled.  Just remember to adjust your crock pot size accordingly.  

Do I need to add additional sugar to the wassail?

Other recipes I have tried in the past often added additional sugar, but I found that it was a little too sweet for my taste. The natural sugars in the fruit juice produce a perfectly sweetened and spicy drink.

Do I need to add the cinnamon sticks and allspice to the wassail or is this optional?

You don’t HAVE to add the cinnamon sticks or allspice.  Wait, what am saying…yes, definitely add the cinnamon stick and allspice!  It gives the wassail its characteristic warm spiciness that is so fantastic. 

Can I add cloves to the wassail?

This particular recipe calls for cinnamon sticks and allspice, but you could add cloves as well for a little extra spice.

Do I have to garnish this cider wassail recipe with orange slices?

No, the orange slices are optional and in fact, I don’t recommend adding them until the end or they can become bitter.  

If you want a little extra tart with your sweet you could also throw in some lemon slices.  Occasionally I’ll even add a little lemon juice to the recipe to mix things up a bit.  

This is a very versatile recipe that can be customized to your tastes.

Enjoy!

Don’t forget to check out my take on The Pioneer Woman’s Spicy Cowgirl Coffee.