Simple Mulled Wine Recipe (Gluhwein) (2024)

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Mulled wine is the ultimate cozy holiday drink that will help keep you warm during the winter festive season! The simplest and easiest winter co*cktail is here to help you kick-start your holiday season! This traditional drink can be made on the stovetop, slow cooker, or instant pot.

Why you’ll love mulled wine recipe

1. Hands down one of the easiest and simplest winter co*cktails out there. It doesn’t get easier than steeping wine with winter-warming spices, fruits, and sweeteners. Heat in a pot on LOW flame to let the spices blend in.
2. Best ways to kick start holiday party. This vintage recipe adds a warm charm to the party; your guests will love it.
3. It can be made on the stovetop, in a slow cooker, or crockpot without almost any prep work and no hands-on cooking time.
4. A cozy drink to help warm up during winter evenings.
5. Comforting drink perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s a crowd-pleaser!
6. Steeping wine with spices, oh boy my house smells like Christmas! You’ll want that beautiful scent to linger on for ever!
7. Mulled wine sold in stores is mostly very sweet and spicy. And comparatively expensive. The homemade version of traditional mulled wine is not just cheaper and helps you save $$, but you can control how sweet or how strong the spices should be steeped into the wine according to your preference.
8. No need to buy expensive bottles of red wine. Pick the economical bottle. The flavor of the wine will be enhanced and changed with mulling. Grab a bottle of inexpensive wine.
9. It keeps well for 3 days in the refrigerator. Great for make-ahead drinks. But best served hot immediately.

Ingredients you’ll need

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 bottle of dry red wine I used Cabernet Sauvignon
• ½ cup brandy optional but recommended
• ½ cup demerara sugar or other sweetener of your choice like honey, maple syrup
• 2 orange cut into slices
• 6 cloves
• 2-3 cinnamon sticks
• 6-8 cardamom pods
• 4 star anise
• 1 teaspoon all spices

For Garnish:

• Orange slices
• Cinnamon sticks
• Star Anise

• Wine – don’t buy expensive or cheap wine. You can pick the economical bottle of dry red wine for a mulled wine recipe. You don’t need expensive wine. You can use any of these Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Pinot Noir, Chianti, Merlot
• Brandy – optional but will add a nice flavor to the co*cktail. Flavored liqueur like orange-flavored brandy works great.
• Spices – Be judicious about the amount of spices. Choose the amount of spices that suits YOUR taste. Feel free to include other spices that you may like reduce the amount of spices mentioned in the recipe or leave out any spice that is not your personal favorite. Do NOT use ground spices.
• A traditional mulled wine usually includes all these whole spices – cinnamon stick, star anise, cardamom pods, all spices, cloves
• Sweetener – feel free to use any sweetener of your choice. I have used demerara sugar. Granulate white sugar, honey, maple syrup, or stevia can be used. If you like a sweeter co*cktail increase the amount of sweetener in the recipe.
• Fruits – fresh orange cut into slices. Other fruits may also be used.

Additions and substitutions

• Other Spices – Nutmeg, bay leaves, vanilla pod, fennel seeds, fresh ginger slices, chili pepper, coriander seeds.
• Other Fruits – apples, pears, and grapes are the best choices.
• Fresh Berries – berries can also be added, like cranberries, and cherries.
• Some German mulled wine recipe calls for adding almonds and raisins.

How to make it on stove top

1. In a large saucepan or pot pour red wine. Add in all whole spices – cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and allspice. Add demerara sugar and orange slices.
2. Give it a stir.
3. Heat wine on LOW flame. Behold the temptation to heat wine at a high temperature and let it boil. Boiling will evaporate all alcohol from the wine.
4. Cover and let it heat on LOWEST heat on your stove. Please do not let wine boil. Allow the spices and fruit flavors to steep into the wine. You can let wine steep anywhere between 15 minutes to 5 hours. The longer you steep, flavors will be.
5. When done, turn off the flame. Strain spices and fruits from the pot using a strainer. Discard fruits and spices. Note – I removed the fruits and most of the whole spices using a strainer spatula. Tiny spices while all spices were strained using a fine strainer.
6. Serve wine immediately in heat-proof mugs. Mulled wine is best enjoyed while it’s hot.

How to make mulled wine in slow cooker/crock pot

• Set slow cooker to low.
• Pour wine, and add spices, fruits, and sweetener to the cooker. Stir.
• Heat it until spices and fruits are steeped. You can steep it for 1 hour to 5 hours. The longer you steep, the stronger the flavors will be.
• Serve hot.

Useful tips

• For best results use dry red wine.
• Wine should be heated low and slow. Hold the temptation to increase heat to boil wine assuming that might help steep fruits and spices into wine. No, it won’t! You’d rather be boiling away all alcohol content from wine. Do not let it boil.
• Use whole spices. We do not want the grits of ground spices. Ground spices will change the wine texture to grainy and gritty which is not pleasant. Whole spices will impart beautiful flavor and aroma to the drink.
• Be judicious on the amount of spices. Don’t go overboard. A few spices are enough to add flavor and aroma to the wine. Choose the amount of spices that suits YOUR taste.
• Be sure to taste your mulled wine before serving. Stir in extra sweetener is you find the mulled wine too strong.
• Be sure to fish out all the spices before serving. Use cheesecloth if you have to remove all the spices.
• Other liqueur like brandy is optional but highly recommended. It will enhance the flavor.
• Don’t miss out of garnish. Few slices of fresh oranges, cinnamon stick and star anise.
• Always serve mulled wine hot in heat proof mugs.

Storing info

Store: allow the wine to cool completely. Pour into an airtight glass container and store in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

Reheat: when ready to serve gently warm wine in a pot on stove top on low heat. Reheat until warm, and serve immediately.

Common questions

MORE WINTER DRINKS:

• Cranberry Margarita
• Pumpkin Spice Latte
• Cranberry Moscow Mule
• Christmas Punch
• Instant Pot Apple Cider

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