Mulled Wine (Stove Top and Slow Cooker)
This Mulled Wine is a festive, warm spiced drink made from red wine, apple cider, citrus, and spices! This is a must-make beverage for all of your holiday gatherings! It is also gluten free and vegan.
Nothing screams fall/winter/holidays more than this Mulled Wine! It’s a combination of red wine, fresh apple cider, orange juice/oranges, and spices. I am not hosting Thanksgiving this year, but I’m thinking I’ll make it at my in-law’s house for everyone! You can make it as-is, or you can kick things up a notch and add some of your favorite brandy (or another favorite liquor).
This is the perfect easy drink to make for all of your holiday gatherings this year! You can make it on the stove top in as little as 15 minutes (or simmer for as long as 3 hours), or cook it in your slow cooker on low all day. Not only will your guests be entertained, but your house is sure to smell amazing!
Let’s chat ingredients:
For the wine, you can really use any red wine you want. I chose a cabernet for this batch, and it turned out great. I just got a monthly delivery from NakedWines.com, so I had quite a variety of reds to choose from! They partner with independent wine makers throughout the world to make amazing wines for much cheaper than retail price. They gave me a link to share with you all which gets you 6 bottles for $34.99! The retail price is $113, so it’s an amazing deal. Just use code MARYWHOLE50 at checkout! We’ve really loved every bottle we’ve tried.
Ok, on to the spices! This was actually my first time using Star Anise, which looks like stars (see pics) and has a pungent, licorice-like aroma. Normally I strongly dislike licorice, but it actually gives this mulled wine a delicious flavor! Plus – it is really pretty 🙂 I got a huge bag of them on Amazon.
I also added whole cloves, cinnamon sticks, fresh squeezed orange juice, orange slices, and apple slices & cranberries for garnish. You can really play around with it and add whatever fruits/spices you want!
And I also scored these cute mugs from Amazon – can’t wait to use them for all of the winter beverages!
And if you need a fun appetizer to serve with this, try making my Paleo Spinach and Artichoke Dip!
And remember to please drink responsibly 😉 CHEERS!
Ok, let’s get cookin’!
Mulled Wine
Ingredients
- 1 750 ml bottle red wine, I used cabernet sauvignon
- 1 cup fresh apple cider , check ingredients to ensure it's just apples/apple juice
- 1 tbsp maple syrup, more if you like a lot of sweetness
- ¼ cup fresh squeezed orange juice
- 3-4 cinnamon sticks
- 4 whole cloves
- 4 star anise
- ½ tsp allspice
- ½ cup brandy or your other favorite liquor, optional
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a large pot and heat up over medium heat until just simmering. Do not bring to a boil (otherwise you might boil off the alcohol!) Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for a minimum of 15 minutes (max 3 hours). Serve with a slice of orange, apple, cranberries, and cinnamon stick. Enjoy!
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a slow cooker and cook on low for 7-8 hours. (It can be ready in as little as 2-3 hours).
Nutrition
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