Non-Alcoholic Wassail with Whipped Cream

Non-alcoholic wassail is a warm fruit drink you can make with juice and spices. This cranberry-apple version has cinnamon, allspice, and ginger, plus a spoonful of whipped cream if you want the little white swirl in these photos. We’d leave room for the swirl.

The drink pictured here was called “Christmas Tea.” In the original session story, Allie described it as her grandmother’s wassail, served with homemade whipped cream. Her family recipe wasn’t shared. The version below is adapted from a published cranberry-apple recipe, so you have one you can make at home.

What goes into this non-alcoholic wassail

This batch uses cranberry-grape juice drink and apple juice. Choose non-alcoholic bottled juices. Add whole cinnamon sticks, whole allspice, and a little ground ginger, then heat them together in a saucepan.

The recipe is adapted from Ocean Spray’s warm cranberry-apple wassail. These amounts make about eight cups before simmering. The whipped cream is an optional serving idea inspired by the photos.

• 6 cups cranberry-grape juice drink
• 2 cups apple juice
• 4 cinnamon sticks, about 3 inches long
• 1 teaspoon whole allspice
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• Optional: orange slices and whipped cream for serving

You’ll also need a large saucepan, a strainer, and mugs made for hot drinks. Keep the cream in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.

How to make it on the stove

1. Pour both juices into the saucepan. Add the cinnamon sticks, allspice, and ginger.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Strain out the whole spices. Pour into heat-safe mugs and let the drink cool to a comfortable sipping temperature.
4. Add an orange slice if you like. For the look in the photos, finish each cup with a small spoonful of whipped cream.

The cream will soften into the warm drink, so add it when you’re ready to hand someone their mug. Set out a teaspoon, too, for anyone who wants to stir it in.

Give the whipped cream its own little moment

The photos have two different mugs on a silver-colored tray, with the copper-colored pot beside them. One mug has a gold handle, while the other has a gold band around its base. Together, they make a lovely little setup for two drinks.

You could use the mugs you already have and carry them over on a tray with the spoons. If you have a cup that only comes out around Christmas, this would be a good afternoon for it to make an appearance.

A small bowl of whipped cream can stay in the fridge until the drinks are poured. Add a spoonful to each cup, or let everyone choose whether they want it. Keep a little room below the rim so there’s space for both the cream and a stir.

Make a winter afternoon of it

For two people, you could halve the batch and serve it with a few cookies. Set the mugs on the coffee table, put on a film you both want to watch, and bring the cookies over when the drinks are ready.

For a few friends, make the full batch and ask everyone to bring a mug. A ginger cookie, a shortbread biscuit, or something you already have in the kitchen could go beside it. You can choose the snack around the people coming.

If you’re taking your drink outside, use a suitable insulated cup and keep the trip short enough that you’ll enjoy it warm. Save the open teacups and the tray for a place where you can set them down.

Back indoors, the mug with the gold handle gets a spoonful of cream, too.