Snuggle up next to the fire with your favorite blanket, a loved one, and a good book. Oh — and a mug of mulled wine. What could be cozier this winter as the chilly winds whip or the snow lightly falls? Our mulled wine recipes and variations will keep you snug and warm — no matter what the weather is doing outside.
Recipe for Traditional Mulled Wine
No doubt you'll find dozens of different mulled wine recipes, but they all have similar elements. Mulled wine contains a combination of dry red wine, spices, sweetener, and sometimes other aromatics such as citrus peel. We think ours is the best, with sweet and fragrant cinnamon and cloves, star anise, orange peels, and a subtle hint of brown sugar. It makes 5 (5-ounce) mugs.
Ingredients
- Square of cheesecloth and length of kitchen twine
- 6 whole cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks, plus additional for garnish
- 2 whole star anise
- 1 (750 mL) bottle of dry red wine
- 1 orange, sliced (leave the peel on)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar or to taste
Instructions
- Make a pouch with the cheesecloth around the cloves, cinnamon, and star anise. Tie with the kitchen twine and add to a large saucepan.
- Add the wine, orange slices, and brown sugar.
- On medium-low heat, bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for at least one hour and up to three hours to allow the flavors to blend, stirring occasionally.
- Pour into mugs and garnish with cinnamon sticks and additional orange slices, if desired.
Many cultures have their own version of mulled wine. In Piemonte, Italy, it's called vin brulé. In Scandinavia, you can enjoy a mug of glögg, and in Germany, it's called glühwein.
Overnight Mulled Wine With Armagnac
If it's extra chilly outside, let a little kick of Cognac or Armagnac warm you up from the inside — our fave is Armagnac. This warm grape spirit brings a depth of flavor to the mulled wine while adding a nice alcoholic punch to keep the chill at bay. We also add the warming spices cardamom and nutmeg plus a little maple syrup to make it extra yummy. It makes 5 (5-ounce mugs).
Ingredients
- 1 (750 mL) bottle dry red wine
- ½ cup Armagnac or to taste
- 2 (1-inch) lengths of orange peel
- 2 cinnamon sticks, plus additional for garnish
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 3 cardamom pods
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup or to taste
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring to a simmer on medium-low heat and reduce to low.
- Simmer for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
- Refrigerate with the aromatics still in the wine overnight.
- Pour the wine through a wire-mesh strainer into another saucepan to remove all solid materials.
- Reheat on medium-low until warm. Serve immediately, garnished with cinnamon sticks if desired.
Ginger Mulled Wine
We love ginger as a warming spice, especially in mulled wine and particularly when winter has us in its icy grip. This recipe calls for candied ginger, but you can also replace it with the same amount of peeled, fresh ginger. It makes 5 (5-ounce) mugs of mulled wine.
Ingredients
- 1 square of cheesecloth plus 1 length of kitchen twine
- 2 tablespoons candied ginger, chopped
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 star anise
- 4 peppercorns
- 1 (750 mL) bottle of dry red wine
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
Instructions
- Place the candied ginger, cinnamon, star anise, and peppercorns on the cheesecloth and tie it into a packet with the kitchen twine.
- Add to a large saucepan with the wine and brown sugar.
- Bring the saucepan to a simmer over medium-low heat. Reduce the heat to low.
- Simmer, stirring occasionally, for at least one hour and up to 3 hours. Serve warm.
Mulled Wine With Apple and Rosemary
Can't decide between hot apple cider and mulled wine? Trust us — we've got all the answers. This wintery mashup gives you the best of both worlds. Because when it's below freezing, you'll want to save the energy you'd use making choices for sipping a warm bevvie. It makes 5 (5-ounce) servings.
Ingredients
- 1 (750 mL) bottle of dry red wine
- ¼ cup apple brandy
- ¼ cup dried apples
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients.
- Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to low.
- Simmer for three hours. Strain into mugs.
Slow Cooker Mulled Wine
When there's a blizzard outside and you have to shovel, keep things cozy for when you come inside by simmering a slow cooker full of this warming mulled wine. You can chase away the winter's chill as soon as you kick off your snow boots. This makes 10 (5-ounce) servings.
Ingredients
- Large square of cheesecloth and length of kitchen twine
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 6 cloves
- 3 cardamom pods
- 6 whole pieces allspice
- 2 pieces candied ginger, chopped
- 2 750 mL bottles of dry red wine
- 2 oranges, sliced
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
Instructions
- Tie the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, allspice, and ginger in a packet in the cheesecloth using the kitchen twine.
- Place in a large slow cooker. Add the wine, oranges, and brown sugar.
- Turn the slow cooker on low. Cover and allow to warm for four hours before serving. Keep on the "keep warm" setting throughout the day.
Choose Your Own Mulled Wine Adventure
We love tradition as much as the next person, but if you'd like a twist on the classic mulled wine, feel free to go a little nuts. We love some of these warming non-traditional additions.
- 1 vanilla bean
- Up to 8 peppercorns
- Up to 5 cardamom pods
- Up to ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- Up to 8 juniper berries
- A few sprigs of fresh rosemary
- 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
- Dried cranberries
- Up to ½ cup of tawny or ruby port
- Up to ¼ cup of orange liquer, such as Grand Marnier or Cointreau
- Up to ¼ cup of amaretto liqueur
- Up to 6 whole cloves
- Up to 3 cinnamon sticks
- Up to ¼ cup of dried fruit, such as dried apples or cherries
- Fresh or candied ginger
- Up to ½ cup honey
- Up to ½ cup pure maple syrup
- Up to ½ maple sugar
- Up to ¼ cup molasses
- Up to ½ cup simple syrup or flavored simple syrup
Mulled Wine Garnishes
You can garnish mulled wine with a classic cinnamon stick or something fancier.
- Add a sugar rim by dipping the mug in water and then in brown sugar.
- Garnish with fresh cranberries.
- Garnish with a fresh herb sprig — rosemary and thyme are both good options.
- Garnish with dried apple slices or orange slices.
- Stud orange slices with fresh cloves and use as garnish.
- Garnish with a rock sugar stir stick.
Keep Winter's Chill Away
We love mulled wine on a blustery day to beat the winter chill, and we think you will, too. Whether you choose a classic recipe or try something a little racier, it's the perfect way to keep you warm all winter long.
