The Best Mulled Wine Recipe
Sipping on a glass of the best Mulled Wine is sure to get you into the Christmas spirit! Red wine is both sweetened and spiced with a medley of simple ingredients you may already have in your kitchen. Don’t forget the orange peel and apple cider, of course, for that signature fruity flavor!
Mulled Wine
Christmastime is officially HERE! I can’t think of any better way to spread Christmas cheer than sipping on the best mulled wine with friends during holiday parties, hanging out around the fireplace and listening to Christmas music. Even if you live in a warmer climate, just crank the AC down to 70°F and snuggle with your favorite cozy blanket because this mulled wine is worth setting the mood for.
If you’ve never had mulled wine before, you’re in for a treat – especially if you enjoy red wine! Essentially, mulled wine is just red wine (can be merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon) that’s all dressed up with spices, brown sugar, apple cider and fresh orange peel for the holiday season. It’s served warm and always makes me feel oh so festive, cozy and spirited. It’s fun to enjoy while the kids sip on their hot chocolate!
And don’t worry, mulled wine is so easy to make. The holidays are filled with enough stress and meal planning, so let the cocktails be the fun part! Everything gets tossed into one pot and simmered over low heat for about half an hour to really give the spices time to permeate the wine. The end result is a spiced, sweet, and tangy festive drink that’s deliciously smooth to serve with Christmas dinner.
Ingredients
- Red Wine – Use a good quality red wine. My favorites to use in this mulled wine recipe are merlot and cabernet. You can substitute with Pinot Noir if you prefer. A Traditional Mulled wine recipe is made with red wine but if you want to try it with white wine instead use a Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc.
- Apple Cider – Fresh apple cider is preferred. I love using my homemade apple cider for the best flavor. If you don’t like apple cider, you can substitute with apple juice, instead.
- Orange – You just need the peel but I add orange slices, too. It’s easiest to remove the peel with a vegetable peeler, if you have one. You can get creative and add grapefruit, as well, or a splash of fresh orange juice.
- Brown Sugar – All out? No worries! You can always make your own by combining 1 cup of white granulated sugar with 1 TBSP of molasses.
- Spices – Use whole spices like cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, cardamom pods (cracked) and star anise to infuse the wine with warming spices.
For the full ingredient list and instructions, see the recipe card below.
How to Make Mulled Wine
Your kitchen is going to smell like a spiced Christmas wonderland when this mulled wine simmers low and slow! Here’s a sneak peek at how to make this Christmas wine recipe.
- Combine the ingredients. Combine the bottles of wine, apple cider, orange peel, brown sugar and spiced in a nonreactive large pan. You can also make mulled wine in the slow cooker or CrockPot.
- Simmer. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves. This should only take about 2-3 minutes.
- Lower the heat. Turn the heat to high briefly, just to bring the wine to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and allow the mixture to simmer for about 30 minutes.
- Enjoy! Ladle the warm mulled wine into your favorite mugs. Garnish with sliced oranges, star anise and cinnamon sticks. Cheers!
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Best Wine for Mulled Wine
It’s best to use a red wine that’s full bodied and has a slight fruity flavor to compliment the apple cider and orange peel. I typically use cabernet.
Also, you don’t need a very pricey bottle of wine! A good quality middle of the road bottle works just fine here since we’re dressing it up so deliciously with other ingredients.
Variations on Mulled Wine
Mulled wine is one of those recipes that varies from country to country – it’s literally a world famous recipe. Each region has a variation of it, in France it’s called Vin Chaud. Needless to say, there are plenty of things you can add to this recipe and it’ll still be authentic!
Consider adding a splash of brandy, a sprinkle of lemon zest, a drizzle of maple syrup (instead of brown sugar) or some orange liqueur. There are so many ways to customize mulled wine to best for your personal tastes and still call it authentic!
How to Store Leftovers
Leftover Mulled Wine can be transferred to an airtight container and refrigerator for up to 5 days. I like to strain out the citrus peels and whole spices to preserve the flavor.
Reheat leftover mulled wine in a crock pot set to low heat or a large pot over low heat.
Feel festive with more of my favorite Christmas cocktails!
- Sugar Cookie Martini
- Cranberry Moscow Mule
- Hot Buttered Rum
- Boozy Peppermint Mocha Coffee
- Hot Toddy
- Christmas Ornament Cocktail
- Sparkling Christmas Sangria
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Get the Recipe: Mulled Wine Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 liter 4 1/2 cups good red wine, such as merlot or cabernet
- 4 cups fresh apple cider
- 1 large orange, peel removed with a vegetable peeler
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 5 whole cloves
- 2 cardamom pods, cracked
- 3 star anise, optional
Equipment
- 1 saucepan
Instructions
- In a nonreactive pan, combine the wine, apple cider, orange peel, sugar, cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom and star anise.
- Bring to a simmer over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves, approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Ladle the mulled wine into mugs and garnish with orange slices, star anise and cinnamon, if desired.