🍪 Mulled wine recipe (plus an alcohol-free version)
Prep: 5 min · Cook: 20 min · Makes: 6 small glasses
Nothing says "come in from the cold" like a pan of mulled wine steaming on the hob. This version keeps things simple: orange, cinnamon, cloves and star anise, gently warmed so the wine stays rich and fruity rather than stewed.
We have added an alcohol-free version alongside it, so there is something just as festive for children, drivers and anyone skipping the alcohol. Serve both from separate pans and label them clearly, so there are no mix-ups.
Tips
- Never boil. Keep the heat low: you want the pan to steam, not bubble.
- Go easy on the sugar. Start with 50 g and add more at the end. You can always add, but you cannot take away.
- Whole spices only. Ground spices make the wine gritty and cloudy.
- A splash of extra warmth. Some people add 50 ml of brandy or orange liqueur just before serving. Entirely optional.
Variations
- White mulled wine: use a dry white wine with apple slices, a vanilla pod and a strip of lemon peel.
- Mulled cider: swap the wine for dry cider and add a few slices of fresh ginger.
- Cranberry punch (alcohol-free): use half cranberry juice and half apple juice with the same spices.
Serving with children around
Hot drinks and small hands do not mix well. Serve the children's version warm rather than hot, in mugs with handles, and keep the pan at the back of the hob.
Ingredients
- 750 ml bottle of fruity, unoaked red wine
- 1 orange
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 6 cloves
- 2 star anise
- 50-75 g light brown sugar or honey, to taste
- 150 ml water
- for the alcohol-free version: 750 ml red grape juice, 250 ml cloudy apple juice and the juice of half a lemon instead of the wine and water
Method
- Cut half the orange into slices. Stick the cloves into the other half (it stops them floating into the glasses) and squeeze in a little of its juice.
- Put the water, sugar, cinnamon, star anise and the clove-studded orange in a large pan. Warm gently, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved.
- Pour in the wine and add the orange slices.
- Heat very gently for 15-20 minutes. It should steam but never boil, or the alcohol cooks off and the spices turn bitter.
- Taste and add a little more sugar or honey if you like it sweeter. Remove the spices and serve warm in heatproof glasses with an orange slice.
- Alcohol-free version: put the grape juice, apple juice, lemon juice and the same spices and orange in a pan. Skip the sugar at first, as the juices are already sweet. Warm for 15 minutes without boiling, then taste and sweeten only if needed.
Questions
Which wine is best for mulled wine?
An inexpensive, fruity red without much oak, such as a Merlot, Grenache or a young Spanish red. There is no need to use anything fancy.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Make it in the morning, leave it in the pan with the spices taken out, and reheat gently before guests arrive. Leftovers keep in the fridge for 2 days.
Can I keep it warm for a party?
A slow cooker on the low or keep-warm setting holds it at the right temperature for a couple of hours without boiling.