This bourbon apple cider is a nice hot drink for a crowd - a great alternative to punch around the holidays!

It's dead simple to make, too - and it will make your house smell great! And who can really resist bourbon? :D

This recipe makes enough bourbon apple cider to serve 10-15 folks if everyone sticks to one glass.

Step 1: Ingredients:

1/2 gallon apple juice or cider
1 1/2 cups bourbon
2 cinnamon sticks
8-10 cloves, whole
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of allspice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup brown sugar (optional - but tasty!)

I don't have all the ingredients in the photo because I was kinda making it up as I went along. :D

As far as bourbons, I really recommend Buffalo Trace and Eagle Rare. They're two of my favorites!

Step 2: Simmering

Pour the apple juice into a sauce pan and add in your spices and vanilla. Let this simmer away for at least 10-15 minutes. If you want to go longer, make sure to cover the pot so you don't reduce the amount of liquid. :)

Near the end of the simmering time, taste it and make sure it's spiced enough. You can also add 1/4 cup of brown sugar at this point - I think it helps balance out the bourbon a bit. I recommend it!

Once it tastes nice, turn off the heat and let it cool for a few minutes.

Step 3: How to Serve

You've got a couple options for serving:

Pour the bourbon and have folks ladle the drink out from the pot.
Strain it and put it in a jar or pitcher and serve it that way

I did the second option because I wanted to bring it out of the test kitchen and upstairs so everyone could try it. :)

A canning funnel with a filter comes in super handy for this!

Step 4: Enjoy!

Make sure to drink it while it's warm for full effect! Warming it up again will reduce the alcohol content, though it's hard to say by how much.

Serve with cinnamon sticks in each glass or mug if you're feeling ridiculously fancy.