mulling spices.

November 23, 2011

a tiny holiday gift that packs an impressive punch. plop a bag of mulling spices into a burbling pot of cider or wine and set the tone for an entire evening of cozy merriment. simple instructions, below, with plenty of room for creative additions and omissions.

happy thanksgiving, friends.

1. gather the spices.
spices
{equal parts cinnamon, allspice berries, cloves, cardamon, and orange peel}.

2. crush the cinnamon.
cinnamon
{a folded bit of waxed paper and a cast iron pan does the trick}.

3. prepare the muslin sachets.
muslinbag
{available at most grocery stores. cheese cloth tied with cooking twine works, too}.

4. fill the bags.
bag
{two tablespoons or so of the combined spices will do}.

5. tie up the bags.
_MG_2271
{make sure they’re tied nice and tight}.

6. add some simple instructions.
_MG_2276
{apple cider is delightful, but a good vin chaud never hurt anyone}.

7. bestow tiny bags of holiday cheer to friends, family and neighbors, alike.

for the curious:

my stamp set.

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16 Comments

  • Reply Noodles and Waffles November 23, 2011 at 6:08 pm

    Fabulous gift idea. Love mulling spices.

  • Reply Amanda (Dear Frances) November 23, 2011 at 6:15 pm

    Lovely photos!!

    I literally just made my Christmas gift shopping list, which included cheesecloth, cinnamon sticks, star anise, cardamom, cloves and orange. I'm planning to give mulling spices and homemade lavender caramel sauce this year. Economical, fun to make, and from the heart! Happy Thanksgiving!

  • Reply Daniella November 23, 2011 at 7:07 pm

    I'm a big fan of apple cider, but i've never tried mulled cider… maybe i'll do that this weekend and join in the American Thanksgiving fun! (our Thanksgiving was in October).

  • Reply Katie (Mama May I) November 23, 2011 at 7:13 pm

    Great gift-giving idea! Happy Thanksgiving to you!

  • Reply neha November 23, 2011 at 8:55 pm

    looove this. i'm going to definitely try it out.

    I'd appreciate it if you could check out my site?
    mylifeunfoldingbeforeme[dot]blogspot[com]

  • Reply Christine November 24, 2011 at 12:03 am

    I love, love, love this idea, Erin. It would make the perfect holiday gift for all those people on my list that I have no idea what to give – the friendly postman, my favorite barista, and my not-so-friendly-but-trying-to-win-them-over neighbors!

    Happy Thanksgiving!

  • Reply yourbookaro November 24, 2011 at 7:14 pm

    I love the font on the tags. What is it?

  • Reply shelby h.k. November 24, 2011 at 8:37 pm

    cute, love it, can't wait to try it and perhaps gift it!!

    xx

  • Reply A of Little Alexander November 25, 2011 at 9:44 pm

    Beautiful photos. My friend's house in high school would smell of mulling spices almost all winter. When her mom wasn't actually making mulled cider, she had a pot of spices simmering on the back of the stove just for the aroma. Worth it.

  • Reply katy elliott November 28, 2011 at 3:46 am

    very cute! I made these with a friend recently for a baby shower in vermont. Great gift.

  • Reply bakeanything.com January 13, 2012 at 7:48 am

    this is a replacement of lack of German markets in the States! thank you for this recipe (:

  • Reply Krista January 13, 2012 at 7:29 pm

    Love this idea…bookmark for next fall…or maybe before.

  • Reply Andi of My Beautiful Adventures January 21, 2012 at 2:57 pm

    I'm obsessed with mulling spices!

  • Reply Mike January 19, 2013 at 3:07 pm

    Can I add other spices in it too like ginger?

    • Reply Erin January 19, 2013 at 3:09 pm

      Of course! Just remember that if you want the bags to have shelf life, you should used dried/dehydrated spices! If you're interested in mulling right away, fresh ginger would be delightful.

  • Reply Rachel and Vico October 16, 2014 at 9:37 pm

    I love this idea! I going to make these for Christmas! Thank you

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