Mulled Wine Crockpot Recipe

Nothing feels better after a long day than warming yourself with a hot mug of cocoa… or mulled wine! Slow cooker mulled wine is a festive drink that is perfect for any holiday gathering with friends and family, or simply to sip and enjoy by yourself. 

This mulled wine Crockpot recipe has a short prep time, making it an easy choice to make for any event big or small. It’s also easy to customize with your own favorite spices or liqueurs, so feel free to put your own spin on the recipe and let us know how it is!

Here’s what you’ll need.

Cocktail Tools

  • 3- to 4-quart Crockpot or slow cooker
  • Ladle
  • Knife
  • Cutting board
  • Corkscrew
  • Liquid measuring cup
  • Strainer (optional)
  • Serving glasses

Slow Cooker Mulled Wine Ingredients

  • 2 750 ml bottles of dry red wine*
  • ½ cup brandy
  • 1 fresh orange sliced into rounds (half for mulling, half for garnish)
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 2 star anise pods
  • ½ cup maple syrup

Makes 10 to 12 cocktails.

*The Best Wine for Mulled Wine

The best wines for mulled wine are bold, full-bodied, dark, and fruity. All of the following varietals are excellent choices for mulled wine:

  • Garnacha
  • Zinfandel
  • Merlot
  • Syrah
  • Malbec

Avoid red wines that are very oaky or high in tannins (such as Cabernet Sauvignon) as well as red wines that are very light and delicate (such as Pinot Noir or Gamay).

Stick with quality but affordable bottles for mulled wine. Expensive wine would be wasted here, since you’re adding so many spices to it.

Instructions: How to Make Slow Cooker Mulled Wine

Lucky for you, your Crockpot will do most of the work for this recipe. Just:

  1. Pour the wine into your crockpot. Stir in the brandy, maple syrup, cloves, star anise pods, cinnamon sticks, and half of your sliced orange.
  2. Set your Crockpot on low and let your mixture heat up for about an hour.
  3. After an hour, set your crockpot to the warm setting and get ready to serve.
  4. Ladle the mulled wine through a strainer if you’d like to keep the spices out of the final drinks.
  5. Add orange slices, a cinnamon stick, and/or a star anise to the glass for garnish — and voilà! You have a tasty hot drink perfect for the cold months ahead.

A great duo for this mulled wine crockpot recipe is a pumplin whoopie pie and we have a great recipe for you.

Anyways, if you liked our mulled wine crockpot recipe, please share it on Pinterest and tag us at @goodhomechef so that we can see your creation. You can also find more delicious recipes on our website!

Featured image via Unsplash