Slow Cooker Mulled Wine Recipe
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This slow cooker mulled wine is the ultimate festive cocktail. Fruity red wine, bright citrus, and warm spices are sweetened with honey and then simmered to perfection, creating the coziest, most delicious drink to grace your holiday festivities. Toss everything into your slow cooker and let the magic happen while you relax, un-wine-d, and soak in the holiday vibes.
Making this slow cooker mulled wine every year brings nothing but good childhood memories. It always takes me back to my grandparents’ kitchen, where Grandpa would always have a pot of wine simmering on the stove the day before Christmas. I remember the wonderful smell of the warm spices like it was yesterday!
We still enjoy grandpa’s delicious mulled wine at our yearly holiday gatherings, but I’ve started my own tradition at home. It’s so much easier to recreate the same experience with the convenience of a slow cooker! I love how I can whip up a party favorite almost effortlessly. Now I can enjoy the rest of the day while this cozy drink comes together perfectly on its own.
This warm and cozy holiday sip is great to enjoy on a quiet evening by the fire, while you’re decorating the tree, or wrapping presents. It’s a crowd-pleaser at any Christmas party, whether you’re hosting a big family get-together or an intimate evening with friends.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Stress-free prep: Toss everything into the slow cooker and let it do the work for you. No standing over the stove required!
- No-fuss cleanup: Just one pot, and you’re done – no fuss, no mess.
- Christmas in a mug: This drink is a cozy, spiced blend of everything you love about Christmas – it’s the perfect beverage to warm up with during the holiday season. Plus, your kitchen will smell amazing while the wine is simmering!
- Party-ready: This recipe makes a large batch great for gatherings, and it keeps warm, so your guests can serve themselves throughout the evening. You can also easily double or triple the recipe to serve large crowds.
- Customizable: Easily adjust the taste or alcohol level to suit your preferences, or switch up the ingredients for a different twist.
How to Make Slow Cooker Mulled Wine
Slow cooker mulled wine is possibly the easiest cocktail I’ve ever made. The most delicious, too! The recipe requires only 5 minutes of hands-on time, and the slow cooker will do the rest. Simply set it and forget it! This means less time in the kitchen, and more time enjoying the holiday festivities!
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a printable recipe card with a full list of ingredients, measurements, and step-by-step instructions.
Ingredients You Need
- Red wine: Fruity, full-bodied red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Zinfandel work best for this recipe. These will stand up and work beautifully with the other flavors. I recommend choosing a mid-priced bottle – not too cheap, but not too expensive, either.
- Brandy: Adds warmth, smoothness, and a hint of sweetness.
- Honey: Adds natural sweetness and helps balance the flavors of the spices.
- Orange: Brightens the drink and provides citrus freshness that complements the warm spices.
- Cinnamon sticks: The classic mulling spice that gives warmth and subtle sweetness to the wine.
- Cloves: Adds a warm, slightly spicy note that helps deepen the overall flavor of the wine.
- Star anise: For that hint of licorice-like spice.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Ready to bring the cozy magic of slow cooker mulled wine into your home? Follow these simple, step-by-step instructions to create the perfect holiday drink with minimal effort. It’s as easy as it gets – just mix the ingredients, slow cook, and enjoy!
Step 1: Mix
Mix the wine, brandy, honey, orange zest and juice in the crockpot. Add the cinnamon, cloves, and star anise.
Step 2: Cook
Turn on LOW for up to an hour until hot. Some slow cookers heat faster, so check the temperature after 30 minutes.
Step 3: Serve
Ladle into mugs or heatproof glasses and garnish with orange slices, cinnamon sticks, and star anise as desired. Keep the pot on WARM until all the wine is served. Refill with additional wine and brandy as needed and reuse the same spices for a second batch.
This recipe fits in a 3-quart crockpot. You can double it and it will still fit it in a standard 4-quart size. If you need to quadruple the recipe or more, it’s best to use a 6 or 7-quart pot instead.
Substitutions
While this recipe uses standard ingredients, you can switch them up according to your preferences or what you have on hand. Here are my recommended substitutions:
- Red wine: If you’re not a fan of red wine, you can use white wine instead. Use your favorite white wine, otherwise, any mid-range bottle of dry white wine will do.
- Brandy: Swap out brandy for unsweetened cranberry juice if that’s what you have. If using sweetened cranberry juice, skip the honey. Cointreau or any other orange liqueur are also delicious alternatives.
- Honey: Substitute maple syrup for honey if preferred.
- Orange: If an orange isn’t available, use the zest and juice of a lemon, tangerine, or clementine instead.
- Warming spices: If you want to replace or add more spices to your wine, allspice berries, whole nutmeg, or cardamom pods are ideal options.
Variations
While this slow cooker mulled wine is already perfect as is, you can easily play around with the flavors to make it uniquely yours. Here are a few fun variations to try based on your mood or personal preference!
- Want your wine to be sweeter and fruitier? Replace half of the red wine with apple cider! The combination of apple and orange will give your drink a more refreshing, slightly tangier taste. Just keep in mind that apple cider and apple cider vinegar are not the same!
- Throw in a few sprigs of fresh rosemary or thyme along with your cinnamon sticks for added fragrance and flavor.
- For a non-alcoholic version, use 4 cups of apple juice and 4 cups of unsweetened cranberry juice in place of the red wine and brandy. The other ingredients and instructions for preparation remain the same.
- Make your mulled wine berry delicious! Toss in some blackberries or raspberries for a deeper, richer fruit flavor or a handful of cranberries for some tartness.
Expert Tips
- Set up a serving station: Place mugs or heatproof glasses and a ladle on a spoon rest beside the slow cooker to make it easy for guests to serve themselves. Fill a few small bowls with garnishes like orange slices, fresh cranberries, cinnamon sticks, star anise pods to complete the setup.
- Wrap the garnishes: Worried about whole spices getting into your guest’s drink? Wrap them in cheesecloth or in a tea ball before adding to your slow cooker, or simply strain the wine before serving for a smoother sip.
- Remove the white pith: Remove as much of the white pith as you can from the orange slices before adding them to the wine, as they can make the drink bitter.
- Serve chilled: Cook the wine according to the recipe, cool completely, then chill in the fridge. Serve over ice and enjoy!
How to Store This Recipe
Strain leftover mulled wine to remove spices, cool completely, then pour into an airtight container. Keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. To reheat, gently warm in a large pot on the stove over low heat, or return to your slow cooker and reheat on low until warmed through.
Alternatively, you can freeze leftovers to turn into a sorbet later. First, pour the wine into a large pot and bring to a boil. Keep it on a rolling boil for 5 to 6 minutes until it becomes syrupy. Remove from the heat and cool completely.
Once cool, pour the wine into the cavities of an ice cube tray and freeze. When ready to make sorbet, just blend the cubes with full-fat yogurt in a food processor, pour into a glass, and enjoy!
What to Serve with Slow Cooker Mulled Wine
Slow cooker mulled wine can be enjoyed on its own, but it also pairs well with plenty of appetizers, snacks, and mains. Serve it with a cheese board – it’s great with salty cheeses like blue cheese, aged cheddar, Gorgonzola, Gruyère, or Stilton. This spiced drink also goes well with appetizers like gingerbread or brie bites and heavier snacks like mince pies or sausage rolls.
If you make this slow cooker mulled wine, please leave a review. I really appreciate each and every 5-star rating and review comment!
Crockpot Mulled Wine Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 (750-milliliter) bottle red wine Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Zinfandel
- ¼ cup brandy
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 medium orange zested and juiced plus extra to slice for garnish
- 2 sticks cinnamon plus extra for garnish
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 whole star anise plus extra for garnish
Instructions
- Mix the wine, brandy, honey, orange zest and juice in the crockpot. Add the cinnamon, cloves, and star anise.
- Turn on LOW for up to an hour until hot. Some slow cookers heat faster, so check the temperature after 30 minutes.
- Ladle into mugs or heatproof glasses and garnish with orange slices, cinnamon sticks and star anise as desired. Keep the pot on WARM until all the wine is served.
Notes
- Place mugs or heatproof glasses and a ladle on a spoon rest beside the slow cooker to make it easy for guests to serve themselves. Fill a few small bowls with garnishes to complete the setup.
- Wrap whole spices in cheesecloth or in a tea ball before adding to the slow cooker or simply strain the wine before serving if worried about them getting into someone’s drink.
- Remove as much of the white pith as you can from the orange slices before adding them to the wine to prevent the drink from getting bitter.
- Enjoy slow cooker mulled wine chilled – just cook it according to the recipe, cool completely, and then chill in the fridge. Serve over ice and enjoy!
