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Best Cozy Mulled Wine with Orange & Cinnamon Recipe

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This perfectly balanced mulled wine lets the fruit and wine shine, with gentle warmth from cinnamon and star anise. It’s low sugar, easy to make, and guaranteed to convert even the biggest skeptics.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 bottle (750 ml) red wine (Zinfandel, Merlot, or fruity Malbec)
  • 1 large fresh orange
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 2 whole star anise
  • 4–5 whole cloves
  • 2–3 tablespoons honey
  • 1/4 cup brandy or cognac (optional)

Instructions

  1. Prep the Orange: Wash the orange. Using a vegetable peeler, remove 4-5 wide strips of zest, avoiding the white pith. Cut the orange in half and juice it (about 1/4 cup). Set zest and juice aside.
  2. Combine and Warm: In a large pot or Dutch oven, pour in the red wine. Add orange zest, orange juice, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and whole cloves. Do not add honey yet. Warm over medium-low heat until tiny bubbles form around the edges (about 8-10 minutes). Do not boil.
  3. Steep and Sweeten: Turn heat to low. Add honey and stir until dissolved. Let steep on lowest heat for 15 minutes. Do not boil.
  4. Taste and Adjust: Taste the wine. Add more honey if needed (up to 1 tablespoon). If spice level is weak, steep 5 more minutes. If too strong, add a splash of plain red wine.
  5. Strain and Serve: If using brandy, stir it in just before serving. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl or pitcher. Discard solids. Ladle into mugs and serve immediately.

Notes

Never let the wine boil, as it will become bitter and lose alcohol. For best results, use cinnamon sticks, not ground cinnamon. The mulled wine can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days; reheat gently. For a non-alcoholic version, substitute red wine with unsweetened red grape juice or pomegranate-cranberry blend.

Nutrition

Keywords: mulled wine, cozy mulled wine, orange cinnamon mulled wine, holiday drink, winter beverage, spiced wine, easy mulled wine

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