Simple warm mulled wine perfect for the holiday season and winter! It doesn’t get easier than this. Red wine perfumed with warm spices like cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns, ginger, bourbon and oranges, steeped over the stove making the entire house smell like the holidays. One of our favorite ways to warm up during these cold winter nights.

Homemade mulled wine is just about the easiest recipe you can find for winter and holiday entertaining.  Honestly, there is no prep time, all you need to do is gather your ingredients and throw them in a sauce pot.  It’s easy to scale anywhere from a “date night” for two…up to big holiday parties for a crowd.  You can customize this recipe with some of your favorite spices … would have loved to add some fresh vanilla bean so if you have some throw it in the pot, and spike it with your favorite liqueurs we chose bourbon.  Mulled wine is made in one pot, you can make it on the stovetop or slow cooker.  Not only is this recipe easy but it smells AMAZING, better than any holiday candle. The entire house will smell like Christmas, it’s the perfect aromatic for hosting a party, you’ll get everyone’s taste buds salivating and it’s guaranteed to warm up your guests on a chilly winter night.

There is no need to stand behind a bar this holiday season and craft individual cocktails for your guests. Impress your guests with a simple pot of mulled wine simmering on the stove, set up some glasses, garnishes and a ladle allowing your guests to serve themselves and soak in the holiday spirit while you mingle with a generous mug of goodness.

Here is a breakdown of the ingredients used for this mulled wine recipe, remember its totally customizable but here is what you will need:

• Wine: No need to break the bank on this one — any basic bottle of dry red light to medium bodied wine will do. If you’re making a big batch go for the boxed wine this is a great way to save money (don’t worry your guests wont no and they will already be impressed because it smells so good!)
• Fresh oranges: I like to throw in some fresh orange slices to add some citrus notes and balance out the bitterness, you can also add orange peel and keep some fresh orange slices for garnishing the drinks
• Cinnamon: Make sure to use cinnamon sticks, the ground stuff can add a texture to the wine if not whisked enough, plus the sticks make for an elegant garnish sure to impress your guests.
• Ginger: This adds a nice element of spice, you can peel a small pieces and just throw it in for a more subtle flavour or add some slices if you’re looking for a more prominent ginger taste.
• Mulling spices: These vary in mulled wine from country to country, but whole cloves, peppercorns and star anise are my favorites. If I had some I would have loved to add some fresh vanilla bean, I find these notes in wine so satisfying
• Sugar:  Sugar is classic, you can add less if your like us and you try to cut back on sugar or even a few tablespoons of maple syrup or honey will do the trick
• Liqueur: Traditional recipes are spiked with an extra bit of liqueur. We went with bourbon which adds a nice warmth to the wine. Feel free to spike a bit of brandy or cognac. This is an optional step so it’s really up to you to decide.

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Cheers

#thecommunalfeast @thecommunalfeast