Best Mulled Wine Recipe

two glasses of mulled wine with orange slices on top and the glasses are placed on a wooden board with greenery orange slices and whole spices around the glasses

The best mulled wine recipe is made with quality dry red wine, a splash of brandy, an assortment of spices, and plenty of citrus flavor. This warm, spiced cocktail is perfect for your fall festivities and holiday parties!

5 from 5 votes

Print Pin

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: Dairy-Free

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 20

Servings:

Calories: 193kcal

Author: Capri Lilly

Ingredients

2 Small Oranges (or one large orange)
750 ml Bottle of Dry Red Wine 1 bottle ( I use Zinfandel)
¼ cup Brandy or Orange Liqueur
¼ cup Coconut Sugar, Maple Syrup, or Honey or sweetener of choice (use more or less as desired)
2 Cinnamon Sticks large (or 3 small)
5 Star Anise
8 Whole Cloves
3 All Spice Pods
1/2 tsp Ground Cardamom (or 2 cardamom pods slightly crushed)

Garnish

Fresh Cranberries
Sliced Citrus

Instructions

Mix all the ingredients together. Put wine, brandy, orange slices, cloves, cinnamon sticks, star anise, all-spice, cardamom, and sweetener in a big pot. Stir them together quickly.
Warm it up. Heat the mulled wine on medium-high until it's almost starting to bubble. Be careful not to let it boil too hard because we want to keep the alcohol in.
Then, turn the heat down to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for at least 15 minutes, but you can simmer it for as long as 3 hours if you like.
Take out the bits. Use a special strainer with tiny holes to take out the orange slices, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and star anise. Taste the mulled wine and add more sweetener if you want it sweeter.
Time to enjoy! Pour the warm mulled wine into heatproof mugs, and if you like, add extra cranberries or sliced citrus on top to make it even more special.

Nutrition