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The Best Friendsgiving Mulled Wine with Orange and Cinnamon

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This Friendsgiving Mulled Wine with Orange and Cinnamon is a warm, spiced drink that fills your home with a holiday aroma. It’s incredibly simple to make with just a handful of ingredients, perfect for a crowd, and not too sweet or too spicy.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 bottle (750 ml) dry red wine (Merlot, Zinfandel, or Côtes du Rhône)
  • 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
  • 2 large oranges (one for juicing, one for slicing)
  • 3 cinnamon sticks
  • 4 whole star anise
  • 6 whole cloves
  • 1/4 cup brandy (optional)
  • 1 vanilla bean (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
  • Fresh cranberries and extra orange slices for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Prep your oranges: Wash your oranges well. Juice one orange into a small bowl and set the juice aside. Using a vegetable peeler, peel long strips of zest from the second orange. Try to avoid the white pith—it’s bitter. Slice the second orange into thin rounds for garnish later.
  2. Combine the base: Pour the entire bottle of red wine into your large pot. Add the honey or maple syrup, the fresh orange juice, and the orange zest strips. Do not add the sliced orange rounds yet—they’ll go in later for garnish.
  3. Add the spices: Toss in the cinnamon sticks, star anise, and whole cloves. If you’re using the vanilla bean, split it lengthwise with a sharp knife and scrape the seeds into the pot, then toss the pod in as well. If you’re using vanilla extract, hold off until the end.
  4. Warm it gently: Place the pot over medium-low heat. You want to bring the wine to a gentle simmer—small bubbles around the edges, but never a full boil. Boiling the wine will cook off the alcohol and turn the flavors bitter. Stir occasionally with your wooden spoon to help the honey dissolve. Let it simmer gently for 15-20 minutes.
  5. Taste and adjust: After 20 minutes, give it a taste. Is it sweet enough? Add a little more honey. Too spicy? You can fish out a star anise or two. Not enough orange? Squeeze in a bit more juice. This is your mulled wine—make it yours.
  6. Add the brandy: If you’re using the brandy, stir it in now. Let it warm through for another 2-3 minutes. If you’re using vanilla extract instead of a bean, stir that in now as well.
  7. Strain and serve: Place your fine-mesh strainer over a large heat-proof pitcher or another pot. Gently pour the mulled wine through the strainer to catch all the spices and orange zest. Discard the solids. You can also use a slotted spoon to remove the larger pieces if you prefer a more rustic look.
  8. Garnish and enjoy: Ladle the warm mulled wine into your mugs. Add a fresh orange slice and a few fresh cranberries to each mug for that gorgeous Friendsgiving look. Serve immediately while warm.

Notes

Low and slow is the golden rule—never let the wine boil. Whole spices are essential for a clean infusion; avoid ground spices. Taste as you go to adjust sweetness and spice levels. This can be made a day ahead and reheated gently; flavors deepen overnight. For a non-alcoholic version, swap wine with non-alcoholic red wine or pomegranate-cranberry juice.

Nutrition

Keywords: mulled wine, friendsgiving, orange, cinnamon, holiday drink, warm wine, spiced wine

Find it online: https://lolaspoon.com/the-best-friendsgiving-mulled-wine-with-orange-and-cinnamon/