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Cozy Slow Cooker Mulled Wine – Easy Family Favorite

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This slow cooker mulled wine is warm, spiced, and sweet, with a gentle heat that feels like a hug from the inside out. It’s incredibly easy to make, budget-friendly, and fills your home with the cozy scent of a holiday market.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 bottle (750 ml) dry red wine (Merlot, Zinfandel, or Cabernet Sauvignon)
  • 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
  • 1 large orange (juice and peel)
  • 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1/4 cup brandy or cognac (optional)
  • 4 cinnamon sticks
  • 8–10 whole cloves
  • 3–4 star anise
  • 1 teaspoon whole allspice berries
  • 1 vanilla bean (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
  • 2 slices fresh ginger (optional)

Instructions

  1. Prep the orange: Wash the orange thoroughly. Use a vegetable peeler to peel off wide strips of the orange zest, avoiding the white pith. Juice the orange into a small bowl (about 1/4 to 1/2 cup juice). Set juice and peel aside separately.
  2. Combine the base: Pour the entire bottle of red wine into a 3-4 quart slow cooker. Add honey or maple syrup, fresh orange juice, and brandy or cognac (if using). Stir to help dissolve the honey.
  3. Add the spices: Add cinnamon sticks, star anise, allspice berries, and ginger slices (if using) directly to the wine. If using a vanilla bean, split it lengthwise, scrape the seeds into the wine, and toss the pod in. If using vanilla extract, wait until the end.
  4. Stud the orange peel: Poke the whole cloves into the strips of orange peel. Drop the clove-studded peels into the slow cooker.
  5. Slow cook on low: Cover and set slow cooker to LOW. Cook for 2-3 hours. Do not let it boil.
  6. Taste and adjust: After 2 hours, taste the mulled wine. If too tart, add more honey or maple syrup. If too sweet, add a squeeze of lemon juice. If using vanilla extract, stir it in now.
  7. Serve warm: Switch slow cooker to WARM. Ladle into mugs, leaving spices and fruit behind, or strain through a fine-mesh strainer for a clearer drink.

Notes

Do not let the wine boil, as it will become bitter and lose alcohol. Use whole spices instead of ground to avoid a gritty texture. The orange peel is essential for a bright, fresh flavor. For a non-alcoholic version, substitute red wine with 4 cups of red grape juice or cranberry juice and reduce sweetener. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Nutrition

Keywords: mulled wine, slow cooker mulled wine, easy mulled wine, holiday drink, winter drink, spiced wine, slow cooker drink

Find it online: https://dinadishes.com/cozy-slow-cooker-mulled-wine-easy-family-favorite/