Holiday Mulled Wine with Apple Cider and Brandy

This Holiday Mulled Wine with Apple Cider and Brandy can be made on the stovetop or slow cooker and is perfect for holiday entertaining.

Holiday Mulled Wine

I make this Holiday Mulled Wine for every Thanksgiving and Christmas now. It’s so easy and is perfect for when you have up to 15 people over. But even if your company is small, it’s still a good option. It can sit in the slow cooker all day on the warm setting for people to keep dipping into.

The stove top method is good for when you are in a rush and need the Holiday Mulled Wine to be finished quick. You can then transfer it to the slow cooker to keep it warm all day. It’s not bad as leftovers the next day either.

I’ve included how to make a single serving in the recipe notes as well. Sometimes it’s nice to cook up a single serving for yourself to sip on by the fire or while you’re watching holiday movies.

Trying to Rally

The days leading up to Thanksgiving feel somber. With the fires and dangerous air quality, it’s hard to remember that it’s next week.

If I stay inside, I can convince myself that it’s a cold misty morning. But once outside, it becomes clear that it’s smoke. It might rain on Thanksgiving, which will improve the air quality and help with the fires. But it means that a lot of people will be packed inside.

I’m feeling a little under the weather as well, with achy joints and muscles and digestion issues. I need to rally for the weekend for a friend’s 30^th birthday celebration in San Francisco.

Because the air quality is so bad, we are going to try and limit our time outside. The plan is to eat some ramen, mochi, and soft serve before buying some Japanese snacks and hanging out inside. Karaoke and hotpot are on the agenda in the evening.

Wish me luck! And cheers to feeling better, rain, better air quality, and no more fires!

Holiday Mulled Wine with Apple Cider and Brandy

This Holiday Mulled Wine with Apple Cider and Brandy can be made on the stovetop or slow cooker and is perfect for holiday entertaining. 

Servings 12

Cook Time 30 mins

Ingredients

• 2 750 mL bottles red wine
• 3 cups apple cider
• 1 and 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 12 cinnamon sticks
• 2 tablespoons whole cloves
• 12 star anise
• 12 cardamom pods crushed
• 12 green peppercorns
• 24 strips orange peel orange peel from about 2 oranges
• 24 apple slices thinly sliced (about 1 apple, sliced)
• 3/4 cup brandy

Instructions

• Stovetop method: In a large saucepan, combine everything except the brandy. Bring to a bare simmer, reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes. Take off the heat, add the brandy and serve.
• Slow Cooker method: Combine everything except the brandy in a crockpot and stir. Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes. Turn heat to low and cook for 1 hour. Stir in the brandy and turn the slow cooker onto the warm setting.

Notes

For a single serving use the stovetop method:

• 1/2 cup wine
• 1/4 cup apple cider
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick 8 cloves
• 1 star anise
• 1 cardamon pod
• crushed 1 green peppercorn
• 2 strips of orange peel
• 2 apple slices
• 1 tablespoon brandy

Author: Megan Wells

Course: Beverages