There is nothing more warming over the winter months than a glass of mulled red wine. This Slow Cooker Mulled Wine is spiced red wine with a blend of cloves, cinnamon, and star anise, sweetening it with honey and adding slices of fresh orange for a festive citrus twist. This post is intended for an audience of 21 and over only.
This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.
Full Recipe Ingredients/Instructions are available in the
recipe card at the bottom of the post.
You can find important tips/tricks in the
blog post.
Mulled wine is a classic festive drink, perfect for gatherings of family and friends as the recipe is easily doubled or tripled to cater for larger groups.
Making mulled wine in the slow cooker proved to be a hit, as the slow temperature means you can leave it for an hour or two and don’t have to stay close to the stove ensuring it doesn’t boil or reduce too much.
What I love most about mulled wine is how little preparation is required. You can prepare the mulled wine, leave it on low and head out for a winter walk knowing there will be a glass of something delicious to warm you up when you get home.
If, like me, you enjoy a warm cocktail over the winter months, try some of my favorite recipes. My Bourbon Hot Toddy, Irish Coffee and Turtle Coffee Recipe are sure to fill you with festive cheer, warming you from the inside out! Also, lets not forget the kids over the festive holiday, my Shamrock Mint Hot Chocolate is perfect.
Mulled wine ingredients
Here’s what you will need to make my slow cooker mulled wine recipe:
- Wine – I use a 750 ml bottle of red wine to serve 4-6 people. Opt for a full bodied wine like Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon.
- Spices – I make a sachet of mulling spices by combining cinnamon sticks, whole cloves and whole star anise.
- Honey – use any variety of honey to add a touch of sweetness.
- Orange – I use a whole orange, sliced, to add a sweet citrus flavor to the mulled wine.
- Brandy – I add brandy to the mulled wine to warm through just before serving as it adds depth of flavor.
Equipment required
- Slow Cooker – to gently heat and combine the flavors of the mulled wine.
- Cheesecloth – to make a sachet for your spices.
- String – to tie the cheesecloth sachet.
- Ladle – for serving the mulled wine.
- Measuring cups and spoons – for accurately measuring wine, spirits, and sweeteners.
- Knife and cutting board – for slicing any fruit additions like oranges or lemons.
- Serving glasses or mugs – opt for heat-resistant glasses or mugs for serving the mulled wine.
How to make Mulled Wine in the Slow Cooker
Place the whole cloves, cinnamon sticks, and whole star anise into a piece of cheesecloth.
Gather the edges of the cheesecloth and tie it securely with a string to create a spice sachet.
Pour the 750ml bottle of Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon into the insert of a 2-quart slow cooker.
Add the sachet to the slow cooker, then add the honey and sliced oranges and stir.
Cover and set the slow cooker to low heat. Let it simmer for 1 to 2 hours.
When 10 minutes are left, add the brandy. This will ensure that the brandy does not cook off.
Serve warm from the slow cooker, garnished with an orange slice or cinnamon stick if desired.
Expert Tips
These tips will help you make the best mulled wine recipe you’ve ever tried.
- The flavor of the mulled wine depends on the red wine, but you don’t need to buy an expensive wine. Use a good quality bold and fruity red wine, one that you would like to drink on it’s own. I recommend a Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon or a Shiraz.
- Scale the recipe by using a larger slow cooker and increasing the ingredients. You can double or triple the recipe.
- Unless doubling up the recipe, don’t be tempted to add more spices, or the finished drink will be out of balance and can be quite overpowering.
- To make mulled wine ahead of time, prepare the recipe as usual. Once done, let it cool, then store it in the refrigerator in an airtight for up to 3 days.
- To reheat, warm it gently over low heat to ensure the alcohol doesn’t evaporate and the flavors stay intact.
Flavor variations
- If there is a spice you don’t like you can always leave it out.
- The honey can be substituted for maple syrup or brown sugar.
- I’ve used sliced oranges, but you could substitute with mandarins or clementines.
- Mulled red wine is delicious, but you can swap the red wine for cider and make slow cooker mulled cider.
FAQs
Yes you can. To key to making good mulled wine is to take it up to temperature slowly, so that it is warm, but not boiling hot. Overheating and boiling mulled wine will cook off the alcohol and can leave the mulled wine tasting bitter.
Making mulled wine in the slow cooker means that you heat the wine gently over a long period, allowing all the flavors of the orange and spices to meld together. The low temperature of a slow cooker only brings the liquid up to a gentle simmer, which means you retain all the flavor as the wine and alcohol doesn’t burn off, reduce and become syrupy.
A slow cooker cooks slowly and at a lower temperature, which means the alcohol doesn’t reduce, cook down and burn off.
If you have tried this Slow Cooked Mulled Wine recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
Slow Cooker Mulled Wine
Ingredients
- 750 ml bottle of red wine Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon
- 1/2 tbsp whole cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 whole star anise
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 medium orange rinsed, dried and sliced
- 2 tbsp brandy
Instructions
- Place the whole cloves, cinnamon sticks, and whole star anise into a piece of cheesecloth. Gather the edges of the cheesecloth and tie it securely with a string to create a spice sachet.
- Pour the 750ml bottle of Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon into the insert of a 2-quart slow cooker.
- Add the sachet to the slow cooker, then add the honey and orange slices and stir.
- Cover and set the slow cooker to low heat. Let it simmer for 1 to 2 hours.
- When 10 minutes are left, add the brandy.
- Serve warm from the slow cooker, garnished with an orange slice or cinnamon stick if desired.
Suggested Tools
Notes
- Scale the recipe by using a larger slow cooker and increasing the ingredients. You can double or triple the recipe.
- To make mulled wine ahead of time, prepare the recipe as usual. Once done, let it cool, then store it in the refrigerator in an airtight for up to 3 days.
- To reheat, warm it gently over low heat to ensure the alcohol doesn’t evaporate and the flavors stay intact.