Warm Wassail Drink

When you hear about a wassail recipe, you probably think of holiday gatherings, warm fire, fuzzy sweaters, and lots of good food... Yet maybe not green smoothies. Hear me out, I love a good warm wassail. This wassail drink recipe definitely puts me in a cheery mood with its spices and warmth. Yet this warm smoothie can be packed with flavors we love AND good-for-us benefits, all wrapped up in a cute, hot mug of goodness.

Wassail drink origins

The wassail drink actually originates in an ancient event in south Britain called wassailing. Towns people met in an orchard during winter to ward off evil spirits. They brought pots and pans to make lots of noise, sang songs, and drank warm, mulled cider. Wassailing helped the crops stay usable until springtime (or so the tale goes). Some say the singing from orchard to orchard is actually the origins of modern day caroling during the holiday season.

This wassail recipe was created by our team photographer, Lindsey. Here's what she has to say:

I love Wassail so much! I can't imagine a winter without it. My love for wassail tempts me to make it all year long! Turning our family's favorite holiday beverage into a warm smoothie that we could enjoy - and with added nutrients - was a blast!

What is a warm smoothie?

While the idea of a warm smoothie might not be what you crave during the summer months, it can be hard to muster up the energy to blend up an icy cold smoothie in the winter. When the temperatures are hovering around 0 degrees F, turn to a warm smoothie recipe! I put together an arsenal of warm smoothies like this wassail drink. Making one is easy, just warm at least 1 ingredient, and don't use any frozen ones.

You can also 'warm up' your regular smoothie ingredients, by using all non-frozen ingredients when blending. If you're blending with a high powered blender like a Vitamix, you can honestly make any smoothie warm. Just make this wassail recipe, and keep the blender running a few minutes longer than normal; you'll feel like you're drinking a crockpot wassail.

Warm smoothie recipes

Many rawkstars serve room-temp smoothies in the winter months, as they are typically easier to drink. Here are a few recipes I made specifically to be consumed warm, like the wassail drink recipe below:

• Apple pie smoothie
• Butternut pear smoothie
• Chai tea smoothie
• Hazelnut hot chocolate smoothie
• Spiced pumpkin smoothie from Thrive Winter

Wassail drink ingredients

Growing up, my family's wassail recipe included apple cider heated up with a wassail spice packet. To mimic the spices in that delicious beverage, I use heated apple cider (or 100% apple juice) as the base for this smoothie. Cranberries and oranges bring in the zing factor, and fresh ginger, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves up the spice. I also add in ½ an apple per serving because this helps thicken the smoothie. Seriously, this recipe has all the good stuff, and will warm you up in no time!

Ingredient swaps + tips

If fresh cranberries can't be found, then you can totally use frozen cranberries that have been thawed. Any variety of apple can be used for this smoothie. I like a sweeter variety, like a honey crisp, to help balance the tartness from the cranberries. Freshly ground cinnamon takes this smoothie up a level, yet pre-ground works great too. If cloves aren't your thing, then just add an extra pinch of cinnamon. Swiss chard is a great swap for spinach in this wassail drink.

Pro tip: you can make a few batches to keep it in the fridge for 2-3 days and warm it up as needed. It's especially great when you're having a hard time getting going in the morning, and breakfast is already made!