Mulled Wine

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our affiliate policy.

A cup of homemade Mulled Wine makes cheeks rosy and warms from the inside out. This delicious blend of wine, fruit, and fragrant spices will become your new holiday tradition.

Mulled wine in clear mugs.

I love Mulled Wine because it makes the whole house smell absolutely incredible and puts everyone in the Christmas spirit. If you’re entertaining, this couldn’t be easier. All you need is maybe 5 minutes of prep and a few minutes to cook.

Recipe ingredients

Labeled ingredients for mulled wine in various bowls.

Ingredient notes

  • Wine: Choose an affordable, bold red wine like a malbec, Syrah, or Cabernet Sauvignon. Consider a high-quality boxed wine too. Buy more than you think you need, though. Your guests will inhale every last drop, this recipe is so good. If you’re using white wine, choose an unoaked dry white wine like a pinot Grigio or sauvignon blanc.
  • Orange juice: Apple cider works just as well, too.
  • Spices: sachet is a fancy term for spices tied up in a piece of cheesecloth with twine. You could also use a tea ball or loose leaf tea bag to hold them. It makes it easier to pull these small ingredients out of the mulled wine later. Or, you can just add everything straight to the pot since you strain the mulled wine at the end.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. In a large non-aluminum pot over medium-low heat, combine wine, orange juice, orange slices, sugar, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and star anise. Simmer until steam begins to rise from the pot and the mixture is hot, about 10 minutes (do not boil).
Mulled wine in a silver pot.
  1. Strain (or remove spice bundle) and keep warm over low heat until ready to serve. Serve warm garnished with orange slices, cinnamon sticks, and star anise if desired.
Mulled wine in clear mugs.

Recipe tips and variations

  • Yield: This recipe makes eight 1-cup servings (and is easily doubled or tripled for your crowd).
  • Storage: Mulled wine can be refrigerated for up to a week. Just bring it to a simmer before serving.
  • Garnish: Cinnamon sticks, anise pods, orange wheels, or a curled orange peel.
  • Non-alcoholic: All you have to do is replace the wine in the recipe for a good Concord grape juice (like Welch’s) and omit the orange juice and the sugar.  Then add the citrus slices, spices, and proceed with the recipe as directed.
  • Spiked mulled wine: Completely optional, but very delicious. Brandy, cognac, or bourbon added to mulled wine in small amounts gives the drink a nice depth of flavor, much like sangria.
  • Slow cooker: Make the mulled wine in a crockpot on LOW for easy open house serving.

Mulled Cider

Mulled Cider is warmed apple cider infused with brandy and spices. It’s the perfect hot beverage for a cold day, especially around the holidays. Hot Mulled Cider Day is officially September 30, but I usually…

40 minutes
View Recipe

More warm drinks for cold days

Join Us

HUNGRY FOR MORE? Sign up for our weekly newsletter and follow along on FacebookPinterest, and Instagram for our latest recipes! Tag all your glorious creations #culinaryhill so we can eat vicariously through you.
Mulled wine in clear mugs.

Mulled Wine

A cup of homemade Mulled Wine makes cheeks rosy and warms from the inside out. This delicious blend of wine, fruit, and fragrant spices will become your new holiday tradition.
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 6 servings (1-cup each)
Course Drinks
Cuisine American
Calories 113
5 from 4 votes

Ingredients 

  • 2 (750 mL) bottles red wine (see note 1)
  • 3/4 cup orange juice (see note 2)
  • 2 oranges sliced into wheels and halved, plus more for garnish
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar or honey or maple syrup, or less to taste
  • 12 whole cloves (see note 3)
  • 4 cinnamon sticks plus more for garnish
  • 4 star anise plus more for garnish

Instructions 

  • In a large non-aluminum pot over medium-low heat, combine wine, orange juice, orange slices, sugar, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and star anise. Simmer until steam begins to rise from the pot and the mixture is hot, about 10 minutes (do not boil).
  • Strain (or remove spice bundle) and keep warm over low heat until ready to serve. Serve warm garnished with orange slices, cinnamon sticks, and star anise if desired.

Notes

  1. Wine: Choose an affordable, bold red wine like a malbec, Syrah, or Cabernet Sauvignon. Consider a high-quality boxed wine too. Buy more than you think you need, though. Your guests will inhale every last drop, this recipe is so good. If you’re using white wine, choose an unoaked dry white wine like a pinot Grigio or sauvignon blanc.
  2. Orange juice: Apple cider works just as well, too.
  3. Spices: sachet is a fancy term for spices tied up in a piece of cheesecloth with twine. You could also use a tea ball or loose leaf tea bag to hold them. It makes it easier to pull these small ingredients out of the mulled wine later. Or, you can just add everything straight to the pot since you strain the mulled wine at the end.
  4. Yield: This recipe makes eight 1-cup servings (and is easily doubled or tripled for your crowd).
  5. Storage: Mulled wine can be refrigerated for up to a week. Just bring it to a simmer before serving.
  6. Garnish: Cinnamon sticks, anise pods, orange wheels, or a curled orange peel.
  7. Non-alcoholic: All you have to do is replace the wine in the recipe for a good Concord grape juice (like Welch’s) and omit the orange juice and the sugar.  Then add the citrus slices, spices, and proceed with the recipe as directed.
  8. Spiked mulled wine: Completely optional, but very delicious. Brandy, cognac, or bourbon added to mulled wine in small amounts gives the drink a nice depth of flavor, much like sangria.
  9. Slow cooker: Make the mulled wine in a crockpot on LOW for easy open house serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 113kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 6mgPotassium: 182mgFiber: 3gSugar: 23gVitamin A: 172IUVitamin C: 39mgCalcium: 61mgIron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Tag @culinaryhill on Instagram so we can admire your masterpiece! #culinaryhill
Website | + posts

Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

Quick & Easy Meals in Under 30 Minutes!
15 simple recipes for busy weeknights.

You May Also Like

Questions and Comments

Thank you for your comments! Please allow 1-2 business days for a reply. Our business hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 am PST to 5:00 pm PST, excluding holidays. Comments are moderated to prevent spam and profanity.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments