Mulled Wine

This mulled wine is warm, spiced, and irresistibly fragrant.

This traditional recipe has red wine, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and citrus, with the perfect hint of sweetness.

holiday Mulled Wine with cinnamon sticks

Greet guests with a cozy cuppa of warmed wine for a relaxing cozy drink.
It’s sweet, spicy, and citrusy. Tantalizing to the senses.
Easily made in one pot, it’s no wonder mulled wine is a popular drink.
Garnish with cranberries, orange slices, and a cinnamon stick for a colorful and festive look.

The Essential Ingredients

Red Wine: Full-bodied wines like Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, or Grenache work best in this recipe. You can also combine leftover reds as well. For an even more ‘spirited’ version, stir in ¼ cup of Irish whiskey, brandy, or any liqueur on hand.

Spices: Use whole spices that infuse the wine instead of dried or powdered ones that thicken the wine and overwhelm the flavor. You can find pre-bagged mulling spices or wine spices during the holiday season at most supermarkets.

Sweetener: Sweeteners are necessary to offset the wine’s bitter tannins. Honey melts perfectly into the warmed wine, but you can also use maple syrup, agave, brown sugar, or any sugar-free sweetener you like.

Garnishes: Sprigs of rosemary, thyme, thin slices of orange or lemons, orange peel strips, star anise, cinnamon sticks, and sugared or fresh cranberries make colorful and festive garnishes for mulled wine.

Give It A Little Twist

Make a non-alcoholic mulled wine using alcohol-free Merlot or Cabernet or 2 cups of pomegranate juice combined with 2 cups of cranberry juice instead. Serve with a side of candied pecan, or roasted chestnuts for eating while mingling!

soaking oranges to make Easy Mulled Wine

soaked oranges in a cup to make Easy Mulled Wine

How to Make Mulled Wine

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan (except garnishes).
Cook on the stove until just warmed (full recipe below).
Ladle into mugs and garnish.

For best results, avoid simmering or boiling the mulled wine.

Storing Mulled Wine

Strain out any garnishes and store mulled wine in a mason jar or other container with a tightly fitting lid in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze it once cooled for up to 3 months.

More Cozy Winter Drinks

Did you enjoy this Mulled Wine Recipe? Leave a rating and a comment below!

image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text

5 from 10 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
Or to leave a comment, click here!

Sweet, savory, and served warm from the stovetop, this mulled wine is a perfect way to celebrate the holidays!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Combine wine and spices in a medium saucepan.
Add sliced orange and honey and heat over low heat for 20 minutes. Do not simmer.
To serve, place the mulled wine in mugs and garnish as desired. We add cranberries, orange slices, and a cinnamon stick.

Wine for Mulled Wine

Choose a full-bodied red wine or red wine blend that has rich spice and berry notes for the best results. Merlot, cabernet, red zinfandel, or red blend are all great options.

Optional Additions

Brandy is an optional addition, I recommend ¼ cup or so per 750ml bottle of wine. You can also try bourbon, cognac, or your favorite liqueur.
Apple Cider is another great addition and will make this a bit lighter on alcohol and will also stretch the bottle of wine to serve a crowd. (Be sure to use apple cider and not apple cider vinegar). Add between 2-4 cups.

More Notes

Do not skip the sweetener, it is needed to balance this recipe. You can substitute brown sugar or a sweetener of your choice.
Do not let the wine come to a boil or the alcohol will evaporate or the wine will reduce too much.
Strain out any garnishes and store the wine in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze it once cooled for up to 3 months.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Beverage, Drink, Drinks

Cuisine American

© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.