There’s nothing like a spiced warm drink on a cold winter’s night (or afternoon). Perfect for a holiday party or after an adventure of skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, or skating, mulled wine and cider offer a warm, seasonal comfort in a cup. This is one of the easiest seasonal drinks to make!
Mulling spices usually include things like cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg; and less frequently star anise, peppercorn or cardamom. It may also include some kind of dried fruit such as raisins, apples or orange rind. The options for making your own spice blend are endless, but for me, buying them pre-mixed in a jar makes life a heck of a lot easier. My go-to is Silk Road Spice Merchant’s Mulling Spices.
There are a few different wines that you can use to make mulled wine. Italian red wines are usually recommended, or try a Merlot or Shiraz. Something with good fruity flavour to it is always my favourite for this!
Ingredients for Mulled Wine:
- 1 bottle of red wine (see suggestions above)
- 2 Tbsp Mulling Spices
- Muslin bag or cheese cloth
- 1 orange, sliced
- 6″ cinnamon sticks for garnish
Optional Ingredients:
- 2 Tbsp sugar or honey
- 2 oz brandy
Instructions for Mulled Wine:
- Tie the spices up in the muslin bag or a piece of cheese cloth.
- Your spices will need to simmer for a little while to begin releasing their flavour. Note that simmering too long will cause your wine to lose all the alcohol. I recommend simmering the spices in water for 10 minutes, then pouring out the water and adding your wine to the pot.
- Heat the wine gently on the stove until it is warm. Don’t allow it to boil! The longer you keep the spices in the wine, the more intense the flavour will be. I suggest a range of 5-15 minutes.
- Optional: Add the sugar or honey to the pot and stir to dissolve.
- Poor in a couple of good glugs of brandy and 4 or 5 slices of orange.
- Discard the spices and ladle the drink into warm mugs. Garnish each with a cinnamon stick and half an orange slice.
- I prefer to pour the finished drink into a crock pot and keep it warm and ready-to-serve for hours. It’s great for parties and long winter afternoons.
