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Cozy Slow Cooker Mulled Wine with Orange & Cloves

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This slow cooker mulled wine fills your home with cozy warmth, combining red wine with orange, cloves, cinnamon, and star anise for a perfectly balanced, aromatic drink. It’s the ultimate hands-off recipe for holiday gatherings or quiet winter nights.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 large orange, washed and sliced into rounds
  • 8 whole cloves
  • 4 cinnamon sticks
  • 3 star anise pods
  • 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
  • 2–3 slices fresh ginger (about 1/4 inch thick)
  • 1 bottle (750ml) dry red wine (Zinfandel, Merlot, or Cabernet Sauvignon)
  • 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1/2 cup water
  • Optional garnishes: orange peel twists, fresh cranberries, extra cinnamon sticks

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Spice Base: Stud 3 of the orange slices by pressing 2-3 whole cloves into the peel of each. Place the clove-studded orange slices, remaining plain orange slices, cinnamon sticks, star anise, whole peppercorns, and ginger slices into the bottom of your slow cooker.
  2. Bloom the Spices: Pour the fresh orange juice, water, and honey into the slow cooker. Turn the slow cooker to HIGH and let it cook for 10 minutes, uncovered, until the liquid bubbles gently and the spices release their fragrance.
  3. Add the Wine: After 10 minutes, turn the slow cooker down to LOW. Gently pour in the entire bottle of red wine. Stir everything together with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until the honey is fully dissolved.
  4. Slow Simmer: Cover the slow cooker with the lid and let it cook on LOW for 2 to 3 hours. Do not let it boil. The ideal temperature is just below a simmer, with small bubbles barely breaking the surface.
  5. Strain and Serve: Using a slotted spoon or small sieve, remove the large spice pieces and orange slices. For a cleaner presentation, pour the entire batch through a fine-mesh strainer. Ladle the warm mulled wine into mugs and garnish with a fresh orange slice and a new cinnamon stick if desired.

Notes

Do not let the wine boil, as it will become bitter. For a non-alcoholic version, substitute the wine with pomegranate juice, cranberry juice, and strong black tea. The longer the mulled wine sits on warm, the more intense the spice flavor becomes. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Keywords: mulled wine, slow cooker mulled wine, spiced wine, winter drink, holiday drink, slow cooker drink, red wine, orange, cloves, cinnamon

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