• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Vindulge

BBQ and Grilling Recipes with Wine Pairings

  • Home
  • About
    • About Mary
    • Portfolio
    • TV Appearances
    • Work With Me
  • Cookbook
  • Wine
    • Food and Wine Pairing
  • All Recipes
  • Travel
  • Resources
    • Fundamentals For Learning How to Grill
    • Guide to Pellet Grills – Common Q and A
    • Best Pellet Grill – MAK Two Star General – Versatile American Made Pellet Smoker
    • Blogger Resources
  • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • Shop Wines
  • Cookbook
  • All Recipes
  • Travel
  • Wine Guides
  • Blogging Resources
  • Connect with us!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    You are here: Home » Food » Recipes

    Quick and Easy Mulled Wine Recipe

    December 16, 2019 By Mary 2 Comments

    Sharing is caring!

    169 shares
    • Facebook41
    • Twitter
    Jump to Recipe
    Mulled Wine Pin
    Mulled Wine Pin
    Mulled Wine Pin
    Mulled Wine Pin

    Mulled Wine is a comforting winter drink made from a blend of red wine, warm spices, and citrus, served warm. This holiday classic is perfect for a cold winter night or as a great dish for holiday parties during holiday season.

    Two glasses of Easy Mulled Red Wine in serving glasses garnished with cinnamon and orange
    Jump to:
    • Vindulge Recipe Highlights
    • Mulled Wine
    • Ingredients for Mulled Red Wine
    • How to Make Mulled Wine
    • Party Tip
    • Other Holiday Cocktail Recipes
    • Mulled Wine Recipe

    Vindulge Recipe Highlights

    • This easy recipe comes together in less than 10 minutes.
    • You can make this on the stove top or in your slow cooker.
    • The best wine to use is a fruity cheaper wine.
    • This simple recipe can be scaled up for a crowd.

    Mulled Wine

    Mulled wine, also known as spiced wine, is made with (most typically) a fruity red wine, and a variety of mulling whole spices (cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, cardamom pods), sometimes citrus like orange slices, and served warm during the cold winter months. Glühwein (roughly translated as “glowing-wine”) is what it’s called in Germany, and is a traditional drink found at any Christmas market. It’s been around since the middle ages and as early as Roman times.

    It’s festive, warm, comforting, delicious, and super easy to make at home!

    Mulled Red Wine in two serving glasses

    The great thing about this best mulled wine recipe is that you probably already have all of the ingredients right inside your pantry, so it is an easy one to whip up on a cold winter week night with short notice, but can be elegant enough for a holiday cocktail party.

    The traditional ingredients will vary based on the specific region. But for me, I go with what I have on hand, and what flavors I find create the best balance. I don’t like overly sweet drinks, so I keep it mild when it comes to adding too much sweet additions like brown sugar. Instead I like it mildly sweet, with a touch of citrus and a nice hint of the mulling spices and a good bottle of wine. 

    Ingredients for Mulled Red Wine

    • Dry Red Wine: I recommend Merlot, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, or a dry red blend. No need for expensive wine for mulled wine. You can find good examples from $8-$15.
    • Spices:  like whole cloves, star anise, and cinnamon sticks. You don’t need to go overboard with these. A little goes a long way! If you have vanilla bean that adds a nice touch too. 
    • Citrus Fruits: I like fresh oranges, sliced, (rind and the juice). You can also add lemon slices or lemon zest. You want notes of citrus, not too overpowering.
    • Sweetener: You can add sugar, maple syrup, or honey. Honey is my go to, and adds the most mild and natural sweet flavor to the mulled wine. 
    • Liquor: it’s quite common to find versions that have a bit of brandy, cognac, bourbon, rum, or even port to the mix (a small amount, like ¼ – ½ cup). I don’t find it’s necessary, but go for it if you like that addition.

    How to Make Mulled Wine

    1. Combine wine, cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, honey, and the juice and zest of one orange in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. 
    2. Turn down heat and bring to a low simmer (not a boil) for 10 minutes. 
    3. Pour into mugs and garnish with an orange peel and an additional cinnamon stick (optional). Feel free to use a fine strainer if you don’t want any orange rind or small pieces of remaining spices in your glass. 
    Easy Mulled Red Wine in glasses

    Mulled Wine in a Slow Cooker: Pour all the ingredients into the slow cooker and put the heat on the lowest possible setting. Let the flavors warm together for at least one hour. Serve warm. The hot wine and additional flavors will integrate over that time.

    Party Tip

    If serving at a party, double the batch and warm it up in a slow cooker. This will keep it warm all evening and make your house smell like holiday heaven! Lay out festive mugs and garnishes and let guests serve themselves. For more party tips check out How to Host a Cocktail Party.

    Other Holiday Cocktail Recipes

    • Pomegranate Mimosas
    • Bourbon Spiked Hot Apple Cider
    • Classic Hot Toddy with Cognac
    • Spanish Carajillo
    • Blackberry Aperol Spritz
    • Smoked Ice Cocktail

    *This post was originally published in December, 2009, and updated in 2019 with new photos and details. The recipe remains unchanged.

    This post may contain affiliate links. This means if you click on the link, we may receive a small commission if you purchase through the link. We partner with brands we know and love and use and it helps keep the blog going!

    Mulled Wine Recipe

    Mulled Wine is a comforting festive drink made from a blend of red wine, spices, and citrus, served warm. This holiday classic recipe is easy to make and is a great cocktail for winter parties.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes
    Servings: 5 servings
    Calories: 83kcal
    Author: Mary Cressler | Vindulge
    Cost: $15

    Ingredients

    • 1 (750-ml.) bottle dry red wine (Merlot, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec)
    • 3 cinnamon sticks
    • 4 whole cloves
    • 2 star anise
    • ¼ cup honey
    • 2 oranges (1 sliced into rounds for the mix, 1 for garnish)
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Combine wine, cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, honey, and the juice and zest of one orange in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. 
    • Turn down heat and bring to a low simmer (not a boil) for 10 minutes. 
    • Pour into mugs and garnish with an orange peel and an additional cinnamon stick (optional). Feel free to use a fine strainer if you don't want any orange rind or small pieces of remaining spices in your glass.

    Notes

    Alternatively you can warm mulled wine up in a slow cooker and keep it on warm if serving at a party. Give it at least one hour to come up to temperature in a slow cooker.  Keep it on the lowest setting.
    Find the perfect wine pairing at the Vindulge Wine Shop

    Nutrition

    Calories: 83kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 113mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 118IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe? We would love to see!Mention @vindulge or use the hashtag #vindulge

    « Grilled Bacon Wrapped Dates with Smoked Honey
    How To Grill A Steak To Perfection Every Time »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Mary Cressler says

      December 15, 2009 at 7:38 pm

      You should try it… it’s great for those cold northwest nights!!!

      Reply
    2. @nectarwine says

      December 12, 2009 at 3:29 pm

      Never had mulled wine…kinda scares me – not sure I wanna try…hmmmm…maybe I’ll just stick to your Pomm Mimosa

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    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.

    Primary Sidebar

    Mary-Cressler-Sept-2015-smI'm Mary, a wine/food/travel writer, Certified Sommelier, mom of twins, former vegetarian turned BBQ fanatic, runner, and founder of Vindulge and author of Fire + Wine cookbook.  Thanks for stopping by!

    Learn More...

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter

    Fire and Wine Cookbook Cover.

    Get Ready for Summer

    Smoked Brisket

    What’s on our Grill

    Tri Tip fajitas and peppers in a cast iron skillet.

    Easy Grilled Tri-Tip Fajitas Recipe

    Verde chicken tacos on a serving platter

    Super Easy Verde Chicken Tacos

    Vegetarian Chili in a bowl with cheese and a spoon.

    The Ultimate Vegetarian Chili Recipe

    Pulled pork breakfast hash in a cast iron pan.

    Pulled Pork Breakfast Hash

    More

    As Seen On

    Products we love

    taking the temperature of a porchetta roast on the grill
    We use Thermoworks Signals BBQ Alarm to monitor the internal temperature of the meat while it’s cooking, then double check with an instant read thermometer, like the Thermapen One.

    Vindulge Wine Club

    join the wine club side bar

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Portfolio
    • TV Appearances
    • Work with Me

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2021 Vindulge

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
    Cookie SettingsAccept All
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
    CookieDurationDescription
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
    viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
    Functional
    Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
    Performance
    Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
    Analytics
    Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
    Advertisement
    Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
    Others
    Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
    SAVE & ACCEPT
    169 shares
    • 41