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Guest-Favorite Slow Cooker Mulled Wine with Orange

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This slow cooker mulled wine with orange and cinnamon is the ultimate party drink—easy to make, full of warm spices, and guaranteed to win over even the skeptics. Set it and forget it for a cozy, crowd-pleasing beverage.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 bottle (750 ml) dry red wine (Merlot, Zinfandel, or Cabernet Sauvignon)
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) brandy or cognac
  • 1/4 cup (50 g) brown sugar (light or dark)
  • 2 large oranges (one sliced, one juiced and zested)
  • 4 cinnamon sticks
  • 8 whole cloves
  • 2 star anise pods (optional)
  • 1 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Additional orange slices and cinnamon sticks for garnish

Instructions

  1. Wash both oranges thoroughly. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from one orange in wide strips, avoiding the white pith. Juice that same orange into a small bowl. Slice the second orange into thin rounds, about 1/4-inch thick.
  2. Pour the entire bottle of red wine into the slow cooker. Add the brandy or cognac, brown sugar, orange juice, orange zest strips, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and star anise (if using). If using a vanilla bean, split it lengthwise, scrape the seeds into the pot, and toss in the pod. If using vanilla extract, wait until later.
  3. Stir gently with a wooden spoon to dissolve the sugar. Arrange the orange slices on top of the liquid.
  4. Cook on low for 2-3 hours. The wine should be hot but not boiling (around 160-170°F / 70-75°C).
  5. After 2 hours, taste and adjust sweetness or spice as desired. Let it go the full 3 hours for maximum infusion.
  6. If using vanilla extract, stir it in just before serving.
  7. For a polished look, strain the wine through a fine-mesh sieve. For a rustic presentation, fish out the cloves and star anise with a slotted spoon and leave the cinnamon sticks and orange slices floating.
  8. Keep warm on the ‘keep warm’ setting, stirring every 30 minutes.

Notes

Don’t boil the wine—it will taste flat and burn off the alcohol. Watch the cloves; 8 is the sweet spot. Use a dry wine for balanced sweetness. Prep everything the night before for easy hosting. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 5 days; reheat gently on the stovetop or slow cooker.

Nutrition

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

Find it online: https://dinadinnertable.com/guest-favorite-slow-cooker-mulled-wine-with-orange/