Mulled Wine

Sweet, woody cloves, cinnamon sticks, and star anise pair with lemon and oranges to enhance the buttery texture of red wine in this delicious Mulled Wine holiday drink recipe! It’s a cornucopia of flavors and scents you and your guests will enjoy the whole evening! {Gluten-Free and Vegan}

I have wanted to make a Mulled Wine recipe for the longest time. But I’m picky about my dry wines, and I was worried I’d go to the trouble, all with high hopes, only to be completely disappointed. Umm, no. There’s no disappointment in a batch of Mulled Wine. Because not only is it straight-up delicious, it’s also easy to tweak to your tastes.

I was inspired by Mary Berry’s Mulled Wine recipe, along with Ali’s Mulled Wine recipe on Gimme Some Oven. And confession? K-Hubs and I had a blast playing around with ingredients and quantities to get just the flavors we wanted.

The sweet, woody flavors of the whole cloves, cinnamon sticks, and star anise will crescendo into a scent that permeates your home. That same scent will be complemented by the citrusy notes of the oranges and lemon. It is Christmas cheer in a stockpot, if ever such a thing were possible. I can literally walk down the stars from my bedroom to the kitchen and note mid-stair when the Mulled Wine hits my senses. This Mulled Wine recipe evokes a festive sensation that begs to be shared with others. Possibly with your one favorite person or amongst many friends and family. 

So, Spiriteds, let’s simmer a batch of Mulled Wine and let scents and flavors crescendo in our own homes, shall we?

Mulled Wine ingredients

I’m not sure if I’ve ever been more excited about an ingredient list before this. Probably I have, but I already don’t remember. lol  

Here’s the thing, though. This spiced wine recipe is so easy to throw together, and it’s full of variations. Basically, you can experiment and explore each time you make it, and your tastebuds will be grateful.

• Red wine. There is no need to break the bank on the wine. A low-cost Merlot at your local grocery store will do the trick.
• Whole cloves. I stick them in the oranges so they don’t float about the wine. Oranges. Any kind will do here. One whole orange or four to five smaller oranges will work. I use mandarin oranges because they are sweet and readily available at the store.
• Fresh lemon. I leave it in for about 30 minutes. But you can leave it in longer if you want a stronger lemony flavor. You can also add more lemons, as desired.
• Cinnamon sticks. I skip ground cinnamon here because I want to retain the buttery texture of the wine. Star anise. This aromatic makes a beautiful garnish. But it also adds a delicious flavor to the wine as warms. So, I use it as both an ingredient and as a garnish.
• Maple syrup. You can use another sweetener if you’d like to. I use 100% pure maple syrup because it complements the other ingredients particularly well and all without making the drink too sweet.
• Brandy or orange liqueur. I add this toward the end of the simmering time. Choose whatever you like or have on hand in the moment.

Recipe variations

One of the joys of making Mulled Wine is customizing it to what YOU will like. Below are additional ways to play around with your batch or to change it up from time to time!

• Add cranberries and pomegranate arils. These make excellent garnishes. But they can also be added to the recipe while it warms up. Note, however, the pomegranate arils will lose their color as the juices blend into the wine.
• Leave the lemon in the whole time or add more lemons. This absolutely depends on how piquant you want your mulled wine to taste. I’ve done both, and while I usually remove the lemon after 30 minutes in the stockpot, there’s no absolute reason you have to do the same. In fact, I didn’t notice a discernible difference when making Mulled Wine ahead of time to be reheated later. It’s when I’m making it right then and there to be consumed in that moment when I notice the difference. I chalk that up to the other flavors having more time to infuse the wine so the lemon doesn’t take over. 
• Add more spices or change them up. Cinnamon sticks and star anise are right at home here. But nutmeg, cardamom, allspice, and ginger would work, too. Try to use whole or fresh ingredients where you can. One potential drawback to using ground spices is your buttery-textured wine can turn gritty. 

Best practice: You’ll lose a little quantity of liquid due to evaporation. So double or triple this recipe if you plan to serve it at a gathering. If you’re making it for date night in, then the recipe as written should easily serve two.

If something goes wrong: If the wine burns, I don’t have a save for that. But so much of the flavor will depend on what the add-ins taste like, including those fresh fruits. So if the flavor balance is just not the way you want it, then adjust the add-ins. If you want a sweeter Mulled Wine, those oranges and maple syrup are where it’s at. And add in a little more of each for a super-sweet flavor. On the other hand, keep an extra bottle of red nearby in case your mulled wine is too sweet to your liking. You might not need a whole second bottle to correct mulled wine that’s too saccharine. But stream in a little more red from the second bottle and taste-test as you go until you have the balance you want.

Can you make Mulled Wine in a slow cooker?

The technical answer is yes, you absolutely can. The more thorough answer is yes, but…

…you will need to keep a careful eye on the wine to make sure it doesn’t get too hot. One of the drawbacks to using a slow cooker is you don’t have as much temperature control as compared to a stockpot. Set your slow cooker to its lowest setting and keep it there, checking on your wine periodically. 

More holiday drinks to enjoy!

• Cherry Lime Champagne Cocktail
• Cranberry Pomegranate Mimosas
• Cranberry Pomegranate Margaritas
• Simple Sorbet au Champagne

Happy holidays, Spiriteds. I wish the best to you and yours. Stay wild and know I’m glad you’re here. ❤️

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