How To Make Perfect Mulled Wine

// This cozy, calming, and satisfying Homemade Mulled Wine is warmed to perfection. It has a marvelous blend of whole spices and citrus.



This hot, spiced, warming, cozy, calming, and satisfying Homemade Mulled Wine is warmed to perfection.

It has a marvelous blend of whole spices and citrus. This is the easiest recipe ever for winter and holiday entertainment. It’s because making this is so simple, and it tastes so delicious.

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mulled wine in Christmas set up

This is a simple step-by-step video guide on How To Make Perfect Mulled Wine at home!

This is the only spiced mulled wine recipe you will need to make your best warm mulled wine Recipe at home. Because it has all the ingredients and red wine holiday drink tips and tricks to help you make the perfect mulled wine each time.

This exquisite and aromatic mulled wine is immersed with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and citrus. The infusion of all of those delicious flavors comes together really quickly.

About Mulled Wine

Mulled wine is a classic warm drink which is served during winter, especially around the Christmas season.

This is an alcoholic beverage generally made with red wine along with diverse mulled wine spices. For me, Mulled Wine = Winter Love.

mulled wine served in a glass

Mulled wine has many names depending on which part of the world we are talking about. Mulled wine is known as ‘Glögg’, ‘Gløgg’, ‘Glögi’ in European countries. In Germany, this is known as ‘Glühwein’. In France, this is ‘Vin Chaud’, and in Chile, it is called ‘candola’.

So in my part of the world, this alcoholic Christmas drink is known as ‘Viiniglögi’, which is the literal translation of Mulled Wine.

mulled wine in a glasses

Ingredients

  1. Wine: For making mulled wine, the foremost ingredient that you would need is wine. Traditional recipes use red wine, but you can definitely go for any of your favorite white wines.

  2. Citrus fruits: For citrus flavor, you will need orange juice. You can also add clementine juice. Then you need some citrus peel. For this, I used a combination of oranges, lemons, and limes for color.

  3. Spices: Thereafter come the Cinnamon sticks. They look incredibly pretty and taste amazing with citrus and wine. Then there are some other spices such as star anise, cloves, and nutmeg. And it also requires some of your favorite sweeteners, such as sugar or honey.

mulled wine served with gingerbread cookies

How To Make Mulled Wine

Making homemade mulled wine couldn’t get any easier.

Step 1: For making mulled wine at home, combine the orange juice, sugar, cinnamon sticks, citrus peel, juice, cloves, ground nutmeg, and star anise in a large saucepan, and bring it to a boil.

Step 2: Add red wine and simmer over low heat for 5-7 minutes. DONE!

Step 3: Pour into mugs, add an orange/lemon peel, and cinnamon stick to each mug and serve warm with some gingerbread cookies.

Making this traditional homemade mulled wine recipe at home is super easy. Plus, this incredibly delicious winter drink gives a cozy feel which is much desired during the cold winter times.

mulled wine in a transparent mug with a cookie on side

Serving Suggestions

Mulled wine is best served warm or hot. You can add some sliced almonds, raisins, and dried cranberries to make this festive drink more luxurious.

How to Customize Mulled Wine?

The main thing I love about homemade mulled wine is that you are free to choose the wine according to your taste buds. It’s also very easy to customize it with your favorite spices, and you can always add some of your favorite liqueurs such as dark rum, or brandy to spruce up the flavors.

And also, making Mulled Wine at home is the easiest. This just takes 10 minutes to prepare. For me, anything homemade is THE BEST. 😀

You can make it for holiday parties, get-togethers or even date night. This homemade mulled wine would certainly warm everyone up on a chilly winter night. Undoubtedly this would make your home smell amazing because its natural aroma is way better than any scented holiday candle.

warm mulled wine served in a transparent tall glass

How to make Mulled Wine in the INSTANT POT

Yes, definitely. Mulled wine only needs simmering which can easily be done in the Instant Pot. In fact, I would recommend making Mulled wine in Instant Pot if you are making it for a party.

It’s because Instant pots have large pots, and you can keep it on KEEP WARM mode. This way you could keep mulled wine warm in an Instant pot or in a slow cooker and it would assist your guests help themselves.

Mulled wine is never boiled, just simmered. So in Instant pot simmering mode, there is no chance that alcohol would boil.

For making Mulled Wine in the Instant Pot (IP), add all the ingredients to your IP liner, and simply simmer everything for at least 12-15 minutes, or slow cook for up to 3 hours. Strain out the spices, and serve warm.

overhead shot of mulled wine glasses and candles

 Tips for making your best Homemade Mulled Wine

  1. I have made this recipe on the stovetop, but you can easily replicate this in a slow cooker

  2. You really don’t need to go for the most expensive wine for making this recipe. You can go for any decent tasting wine, because in the mulled wine, you get the combined taste from mulling spices and citrus. 

  3. Cinnamon sticks are the best. They make it look so inviting. But if you can’t find cinnamon sticks, then you can also add some ground cinnamon.

  4. I didn’t add any vanilla in this recipe, but if you are planning to add vanilla then use the de-seeded sticks.

  5. Feel free to add any of your favorite spices such as cardamom. 

  6. I have added sugar as the sweetener because mulled wine tastes great with sugar. However, you can easily add replace sugar with honey or maple syrup.

  7. You can also add some fresh cranberries to this recipe.

  8. If you are using white wine, then add saffron strands along with spices, it gives it a delicate and a delectable aroma. 

  9. You can swap wine with orange juice, cranberry juice or blackcurrant juice.

  10. You can refrigerate the wine overnight, as this would allow the flavors to blend.

mulled wine in glass
a male hand holding a glass of mulled wine

How To Make Perfect Mulled Wine (Step-by-step photo instructions)

How To Make Perfect Mulled Wine

  1. Combine the sugar, orange juice, cinnamon sticks, orange peel, lemon peel, lime peel, cloves and star anise in a saucepan.
  2. Image of the recipe cooking step-1-1 for How To Make Perfect Mulled Wine
  3. Stir well, and bring it to a boil over medium-low heat.
  4. Image of the recipe cooking step-1-2 for How To Make Perfect Mulled Wine
  5. Add wine and simmer for 5-7 minutes. (Do not to boil the mulled wine.)
  6. Image of the recipe cooking step-1-3 for How To Make Perfect Mulled Wine
  7. Pour warm wine into mugs. (You can strain if you like.)
  8. Image of the recipe cooking step-1-4 for How To Make Perfect Mulled Wine
  9. Add an orange/lemon peel, cinnamon stick to each.
  10. Image of the recipe cooking step-1-5 for How To Make Perfect Mulled Wine
  11. Serve warm with your desired garnish.
  12. Image of the recipe cooking step-1-6 for How To Make Perfect Mulled Wine

Recipe Card


How To Make Perfect Mulled Wine [Recipe]

Recipe Image
This cozy, calming, and satisfying Homemade Mulled Wine is warmed to perfection. It has a marvelous blend of whole spices and citrus.
★★★★★
(Rating: 5 from 118 reviews)

Prep time 🕐 Cook time 🕐 Total time 🕐
15 mins
Category ☶ Cuisine ♨ Serves ☺
Drinks European 6 glasses
Nutrition Info ⊛ Serving size ⊚
100 calories 1 glass

INGREDIENTS

For Mulled Wine
  • 1 (750ml) bottle of dry red wine
  • 100g sugar, or honey to taste
  • 5 tbsp orange juice
  • 3 star anise
  • 6 cloves
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 nutmeg
  • Peel of 1 orange, twisted
  • Peel of 1 lemon, twisted
  • Peel of 1 lemon, twisted
For serving //
  • Raisins
  • Dried cranberries
  • Sliced almonds

INSTRUCTIONS:

How To Make Perfect Mulled Wine
  1. Combine the sugar, orange juice, cinnamon sticks, orange peel, lemon peel, lime peel, cloves and star anise in a saucepan.
  2. Stir well, and bring it to a boil over medium-low heat.
  3. Add wine and simmer for 5-7 minutes. (Do not to boil the mulled wine.)
  4. Pour warm wine into mugs. (You can strain if you like.)
  5. Add an orange/lemon peel, cinnamon stick to each.
  6. Serve warm with your desired garnish.

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NOTES:

  1. You can swap wine with orange juice, cranberry juice or blackcurrant juice.
  2. You can refrigerate the wine overnight, as this would allow the flavors to blend.


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