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Cozy Slow Cooker Mulled Wine with Orange & Cinnamon

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This Cozy Slow Cooker Mulled Wine with Orange and Cinnamon is the perfect drink for cold evenings, lazy weekends, and any night that needs a little warming up. The slow cooker transforms simple ingredients into a deep, rich, and aromatic mulled wine that tastes like a Christmas market in Vienna.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 bottle (750 ml) dry red wine (medium-bodied Merlot or Zinfandel recommended)
  • 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
  • 1 large orange, sliced into rounds
  • 3 cinnamon sticks
  • 4 whole star anise
  • 6 whole cloves
  • 2 whole cardamom pods, lightly crushed (optional)
  • 1/4 cup brandy or orange liqueur (optional)
  • Fresh cranberries and extra orange slices for garnish

Instructions

  1. Wash the orange thoroughly and slice into rounds about 1/4-inch thick. If desired, use a vegetable peeler to remove a few strips of zest from a second orange for extra citrus flavor.
  2. Pour the entire bottle of red wine into the slow cooker. Add the honey or maple syrup, orange slices, cinnamon sticks, star anise, cloves, and cardamom pods. If using brandy or orange liqueur, add it now.
  3. Stir gently with a wooden spoon to help the honey dissolve and the spices start mingling.
  4. Cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours. The wine should be steaming hot but never bubbling or boiling. Check after 2 hours if your slow cooker runs hot.
  5. Taste and adjust sweetness or spice as desired. Add more honey or another cinnamon stick if needed, and cook for an additional 30 minutes.
  6. Ladle the mulled wine into mugs, making sure each serving gets a few orange slices and a star anise for garnish. If using whole cloves, strain through a fine-mesh strainer first to avoid biting into one.
  7. Garnish with fresh cranberries, a cinnamon stick, and a thin orange slice on the rim. Serve immediately.

Notes

Don’t let the wine boil, as it will evaporate the alcohol and make the flavors bitter. For best results, toast the spices in a dry pan for 30 seconds before adding to the slow cooker. This mulled wine tastes even better the next day; store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For a non-alcoholic version, substitute with pomegranate or dark grape juice.

Nutrition

Keywords: mulled wine, slow cooker, orange, cinnamon, holiday, winter, cozy, warm drink

Find it online: https://willarecipes.com/cozy-slow-cooker-mulled-wine-with-orange-and-cinnamon/