Here We Come A-Wassailing!
And if you’ve ever sung the wassail song and wondered what the heck going a-wassailing meant, you’re not alone. But before we get into the history of wassail—and we’ll nerd out just a bit, because if you’re into Christmas and you’re into delicious drinks, you’re going to want to know all the juicy stuff—let’s talk about this yummy wassail recipe! Our love for wassail is rooted in Holly’s family’s New Year’s tradition. They always make a big batch of wassail punch, but their recipe (which includes grape juice) is a bit different from the wassail recipe that we’re sharing today. This sweet, slightly tannic, spiced cider punch is much more like a traditional English wassail recipe, and we find it to be completely irresistible. It’s sure to warm you head to toe. Plus, we’ve included directions for making wassail in a stock pot, slow-cooker OR Instant Pot, so our recipe is ultra versatile.
What Is Wassail?
Grab yourself a cup of cheer (by which we mean wassail) and settle in for a little holiday food history. So, what is the tradition of wassail? Wassail and “wassailing” are rooted in British Christmas traditions and likely date back even beyond that to pagan harvest rituals. But for the sake of simplicity, we’ll focus on wassail as a Christmastime tradition. As you probably know, advent is the time leading up to Christmas and “Christmastide” is celebrated beginning on December 25th. December 25th isn’t just Christmas Day, it’s also the first day of the 12 days of Christmas which end on Epiphany. Historically in the U.K., Epiphany eve, aka the Twelfth Night, was welcomed with as much (or more) celebration as Christmas itself. Wassailing was a part of that, and involved roving groups of revelers, who would roam around together in celebration—banging pots and pans, singing and visiting local orchards. When wassailers arrived at the orchard owner’s door, they’d be welcomed with cups of warm cider. Believe it or not, this little explanation is just the TL;DR! Read more about the history of wassailing here.
What Is the Drink Wassail Made Of?
Traditional English wassail was a drink that celebrated successful harvests in the orchards, and would have been made primarily from apple or pear cider. It was most certainly alcoholic, and served warm to help revelers get toasty (in more ways than one!) as they roamed around on a cold autumn or winter night. So, what's the difference between wassail and cider? Well, wassail recipes usually begin with cider as a base, but they don’t stop there. All of the wintery, Christmassy spices that we associate with this time of year are lovely additions to most cider recipes and ours is no different. Our Spiced Bourbon Cocktail also makes the most of apple cider and other seasonal flavors like orange and cranberry.
Wassail Ingredients
We always find the very best apple cider at the farmers markets. Vendors who sell apples and pears often sell wonderful unfiltered cider as well! Our very favorites even make delicious blends like apple-cherry cider. But we digress! Get your hands on some good unfiltered cider and hit up the bulk spice aisle (and possibly the liquor store, depending on the crowd you’ll be sharing this with) and let’s make some wassail! Here’s everything you’ll need to make wassail:
Whole allspice
Cinnamon sticks
Whole cloves
Apple cider
Black tea (decaffeinated or regular)
Brown sugar
Fresh ginger
Oranges and lemons
Liquor if you want to make spiked wassail! Brown liquor is the way to go—whiskey, brandy or even aged rum.
How To Make Our Favorite Wassail Recipe
Black tea brings a tannic boost and an unexpected depth to our wassail recipe. You can use decaf black tea if you’re serving this in the evening or to a group that includes kids, or you can use regular black tea with caffeine if you’re serving this at a daytime gathering. Just be sure to warn parents if you’ve got kids in attendance! If you want to serve this at a grown-up gathering you can always put a good bottle of bourbon or brandy out next to the punch bowl or slow-cooker. Serve it alongside a batch of our Mulled Wine for all of the holiday vibes.
Love and Joy Come to You, and to You Your Wassail, Too!
Wassail is about the joy of gathering, and about celebrating all that we’re so lucky to have, even (or perhaps especially!) on the darkest and coldest days. We hope this wassail recipe encourages you to share a cup of cheer with your nearest and dearest and becomes a drink that you make memories around! When you make it, snap a photo of your drink and your merry-making! Share a photo and tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper so that we can share your joy! Happy eating!
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