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Easy Slow Cooker Mulled Wine: Light & Warming Recipe

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This easy slow cooker mulled wine is light, warming, and perfect for holiday entertaining. With simple ingredients and minimal prep, it’s a crowd-pleaser that comes together in under 10 minutes.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 bottle (750 ml) dry red wine (Merlot, Zinfandel, or Cabernet Sauvignon)
  • 1 cup (240 ml) orange juice
  • 1 cup (240 ml) unsweetened apple cider
  • 2–3 tablespoons (30–45 ml) honey or maple syrup
  • 3–4 whole cinnamon sticks
  • 3–4 whole star anise pods
  • 6–8 whole cloves
  • 3–4 thin slices fresh ginger
  • 4–5 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
  • 4–6 orange slices (for garnish)
  • Handful fresh cranberries (optional, for garnish)
  • Extra star anise pods (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Prep your fruit and spices: Wash oranges thoroughly. Slice one orange into rounds (about ¼ inch thick) and set aside for garnish. Juice remaining oranges until you have 1 cup of juice. Peel a 2-inch piece of ginger and slice into thin rounds. Lightly crush cardamom pods with the flat side of a knife.
  2. Combine everything in the slow cooker: Pour the entire bottle of red wine into the slow cooker. Add orange juice, apple cider, and honey or maple syrup. Drop in cinnamon sticks, star anise, cloves, ginger slices, and crushed cardamom pods. Stir gently to dissolve the honey.
  3. Set it and forget it: Cover the slow cooker and set to LOW. Cook for 2-3 hours (2.5 hours is ideal). The wine should be steaming hot but never bubbling. If in a hurry, you can set to HIGH for 1 hour, but low-and-slow gives better results.
  4. Taste and adjust: After 2 hours, taste the mulled wine. Add more honey for sweetness, let it cook longer for more spice, or squeeze in half an orange for more citrus. Adjust to your preference.
  5. Strain and serve: When happy with the flavor, turn slow cooker to WARM or OFF. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher or directly into mugs. Garnish each mug with a fresh orange slice and a star anise pod. Add a few fresh cranberries if desired.
  6. Keep it warm: If serving over a longer period, leave the slow cooker on WARM. Stir occasionally and add a splash more orange juice if it starts to reduce.

Notes

Don’t boil the wine; keep heat low and steady. Whole spices are preferred over ground for better infusion and easier straining. The mulled wine can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the slow cooker.

Nutrition

Keywords: mulled wine, slow cooker, holiday drink, easy, warming, red wine, spiced wine

Find it online: https://zestynora.com/easy-slow-cooker-mulled-wine-light-and-warming-recipe/