This slow cooker mulled wine is the perfect festive cocktail! It’s warming, cozy, delicious and so easy to whip up (with only 5 minutes of prep time). Great for those holiday parties!
It’s official.
Yep.
I’ve started sharing holiday recipes.
Heck, I was listening to Christmas music the other day.
Later I got sucked into watching a romantic Christmas movie.
I don’t know what it is about those movies.
They all have roughly a similar plot line.
A little predictable.
They’re kinda cheesy.
And totally heartwarming and awesome!
What can I say? I’m a sucker for them!
You know what goes great with watching a good holiday movie? Mulled wine! Oh, and cozy clothes (preferably holiday themed pajamas and silly slippers). With me?
What is Mulled Wine?
Mulled wine is essentially a yummy spiced wine or hot wine. Though, “mulled wine” sounds a lot better than “hot wine,” don’t ya think?
The base is red wine that has been infused with warming spices (that you typically associate with fall and winter). It’s served warm and usually enjoyed during the holidays.
Ingredients For Spiced Wine
- Red wine
- Mulled wine spices, like cinnamon, clove and star anise
- Orange zest
- Brandy
- Maple syrup
Best Wine To Use
Opt for a wine that you actually enjoy drinking. Don’t go for the cheap stuff, but don’t break the bank either.
Something that’s not overly sweet and kinda fruity works great for mulled wine.
How to Make It
You literally place all the ingredients in a slow cooker, set on low, cover and heat through for about an hour.
After the hour is up, strain through a sieve (to catch those whole spices and orange zest). Cheesecloth works good too!
You can then enjoy or keep on the “warm” setting in your slow cooker.
Can I Make This Without A Slow Cooker?
The beauty of slow cooker mulled wine is that you just have to place all the ingredients in the pot, cover, set the heat and forget about it for an hour.
However, if you’re in a time crunch, you could absolutely use the stovetop to make this mulled wine recipe!
Place all ingredients in a pot on medium heat, bring to a simmer. Then, reduce heat to medium-low and heat through for about 15 to 20 minutes. Strain, serve and enjoy!
Tip: Don’t boil mulled wine or you’ll burn off much of the alcohol.
How to Serve Slow Cooker Mulled Wine
To serve this mulled wine, opt for a heavy-duty mug, preferably one with a handle (because the wine is warm/hot).
You don’t necessarily have to have any special mulled wine glasses. Your favourite holiday mug will work. Pick one that makes you happy!
Can I Drink Mulled Wine Cold?
You sure can!
Of course, because this is a hot wine beverage, naturally one would go for it being on the warmer side. You can really taste the spices and it just goes with the season.
Having said that, hubby and I did enjoy leftovers without reheating and it tasted delicious!
How to Reheat It
Place leftover mulled wine in a pot on medium heat and just warm through, being careful not to boil.
Tips for Making This Recipe
- Use whole spices, not the ground variety. That way you can easily fish them out. Plus, they make for a lovely presentation, if you want to leave some in for garnish. I wouldn’t garnish with the cloves, though, because they are too tiny.
- Ensure you have all of them removed before portioning up the mulled wine. Nobody wants to get a mouthful of cloves when taking a sip.
- Like mentioned above, opt for a red wine that you would actually drink.
- If you like things more or less sweet, simply adjust the maple syrup accordingly.
- Don’t have of maple syrup or prefer to use something else? You could sub with honey.
What to Serve with Mulled Wine
This holiday cocktail goes great with any of these appetizers:
If you make this red wine cocktail, be sure to leave a comment below!
Slow Cooker Mulled Wine (or stovetop)
Ingredients
Mulled Wine
- 3 cups red wine, something that you would enjoy drinking (a 750 millilitre bottle or 24 ounces)
- ⅓ cup brandy
- ¼ cup maple syrup, or to taste
- 1 orange, peel only, pith removed
- 5 whole cloves
- 3 star anise
- 2 cinnamon sticks
Garnish Ideas (optional)
- Orange slices
- Cinnamon sticks, for stirring/appearance
- Cranberries
- Pomegranate arils, they will sink in the glass, but are super festive and fun eating afterwards
Instructions
- To a slow cooker, add red wine, brandy, maple syrup, orange peel, whole cloves, star anise and cinnamon sticks. Stir. Set to the low setting, cover and cook for 1 hour.
- Strain the mulled wine through a sieve to remove spices.
- Divide mulled wine among six glasses and garnish, as desired, with any of the garnish ideas. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Use whole spices. That way you can easily fish them out. Plus, they make for a lovely presentation, if you want to leave some in for garnish. I wouldn’t garnish with the cloves, though, because they are too tiny.
- Ensure you have all of them removed before portioning up the mulled wine. Nobody wants to get a mouthful of cloves when taking a sip.
- Like mentioned above, opt for a red wine that you would actually drink.
- If you like things more or less sweet, simply adjust the maple syrup accordingly.
- Don’t have of maple syrup or prefer to use something else? You could sub with honey.
Nutrition estimate (if provided) is based on 1 Serving.
Nutrition information (if provided) is provided as a courtesy and should be considered an estimate only. Ingredients can vary and Girl Heart Food makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are guidelines only.
