Christmas in a cup: the perfect mulled wine recipe

With Christmas round the corner, what better way to get into the festive spirit than a nice batch of warm home-made mulled wine? Here’s our foolproof recipe full of delicious warming spices and fruit, which can be made and enjoyed in 20 minutes.

Equipment suggestions

Saveur Selects Enamelled Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Ladle
Knife
Heat Proof tumblers (or any heat proof drinkware)
Peeler
Wooden board for serving

A saucepan can work equally as well, and often (if you have one) a slow cooker on low to keep the batch warm throughout the evening is a great solution too.

Ingredients (serves 6)

750 ml bottle of red wine
2 large cinnamon sticks
2 star anise
3 cloves
3 strips of lemon peel
1 orange, sliced (don’t peel)
4 tbsp caster sugar

Method

Put all the ingredients into your pot / Saveur Selects dutch oven, and put on a low heat until the sugar has dissolved.
Turn up the heat slightly, and simmer gently for around 15-20 minutes.
Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 20 minutes, whilst the spices infuse into the wine.
To serve, heat gently without boiling until warm. Place dutch oven / pot on a wooden board to serve from stovetop to table. Pour the wine into heat proof tumblers using a ladle.
Garnish with a cinnamon stick in each tumbler and a slice of orange / lemon peel and enjoy.

When serving, make sure it’s in heatproof glasses, or keep it simple with your usual mugs. A couple of alternative suggestions our team have had are:

Adding a splash of sloe gin or brandy for a little twist of flavour
Some are fig lovers and swear by adding in a few dried figs
Depending on the wine you use as your base, popping in some vanilla pods or ginger can also add some depth to your mulled wine
A top tip? If you’ve over spiced, have some honey to hand and sweeten as needed

When serving, you can definitely just use the orange slices / cinnamon stick from the pan, however if you have some left over then a freshly sliced piece of orange will give it a delightful kick of colour.

And if you haven’t used a Dutch Oven before, this is why we rate them (all year round, not just for Christmas):

Our enamelled cast iron dutch oven is perfect for making mulled wine thanks to its innovative and contemporary design features. With two layers for improved insulation, the double-walled lid ensures better temperature and moisture retention - without the added weight of a traditional cast iron lid. The condensation rings and drip ridges lock in moisture and distribute flavour too, keeping your mulled wine warm and infusing the spicy orange flavours throughout.

If you’re looking for some other recipe ideas for the festive break, then check out the below: