Feel that chill in the air? It’s (finally) Fall, and that means we can all put away the iced lattes and curl up in front of an imaginary fireplace with a good book and a hot beverage.

My personal favorite is mulled cider, which is super easy to make and, when you need that extra kick, goes very nicely with a little bit of rum.

Here’s what you need to get started:

A small saucepan
Apple Cider (the dark brown cloudy kind, don’t use apple juice!)
Brown sugar
Allspice
Cloves
Cinnamon sticks
An orange
Cheescloth
Rum (optional)

You can find Allspice, cloves and cinnamon in the spice section of any grocery store—make sure to buy them whole, not ground or powder! Cheesecloth is a bit harder to find—if you’re stuck, just get yourself a small strainer that has very fine holes.

Fill the saucepan about ¾ full with cider, and heat on the stove—don’t quite boil it, but get it nice and hot. Add a little bit of brown sugar (a couple pinches will do, more if you are making a larger batch). Place about a quarter cup each of your whole spices on a piece of cheesecloth and tie the four corners together, making sure there’s no space for the spices to fall out (If you have a strainer instead, just throw the spices directly into the pot). Add a couple of very thin orange slices directly to the pot, give it a stir, and let the whole thing simmer on a low heat for about half an hour.

To serve, ladle out a few spoonfuls into a mug and add an orange slice. If you didn’t use cheesecloth, just place the small strainer over the mug and carefully pour the cider in. If you really want to warm it up (and, ahem, you’re over 21!), just pour in a little bit of dark rum and enjoy!

[Photo courtesy of the Food Network]