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Cozy Slow Cooker Mulled Wine with Orange & Star Anise

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This cozy slow cooker mulled wine with orange and star anise is the perfect warm, spiced drink for cold nights. Made with simple ingredients and your slow cooker, it’s an easy, hands-off recipe that fills your home with a festive aroma.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 bottle (750 ml) dry red wine (Merlot, Zinfandel, or Côtes du Rhône)
  • 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup brandy or orange liqueur (optional)
  • 1 large orange, sliced into rounds
  • 4–5 star anise pods
  • 3 cinnamon sticks
  • 6–8 whole cloves
  • 1 teaspoon whole allspice berries (optional)
  • 2–3 slices fresh ginger (about 1/4 inch thick)
  • 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
  • Fresh orange slices (for garnish, optional)
  • Extra star anise pods (for garnish, optional)
  • Fresh cranberries (for garnish, optional)
  • Rosemary sprigs (for garnish, optional)

Instructions

  1. Wash the orange thoroughly and slice it into rounds about 1/4-inch thick. If desired, stud each slice with 2-3 whole cloves by pressing them into the peel. Slice the ginger into thin rounds.
  2. Pour the entire bottle of red wine into your slow cooker. Add the honey (or maple syrup) and the brandy or orange liqueur if using. Stir gently with a wooden spoon.
  3. Add the orange slices, star anise pods, cinnamon sticks, cloves (if not studded into the orange), allspice berries, and ginger slices. If using a vanilla bean, scrape the seeds into the wine and toss the pod in as well. If using vanilla extract, add it now.
  4. Cover the slow cooker with the lid and set it to low heat. Let it cook for 2-3 hours. The wine should be steaming hot but not boiling. Alternatively, use high heat for 1-1.5 hours, but flavors won’t meld as deeply.
  5. After 2 hours, taste and adjust sweetness with more honey or brightness with fresh orange juice. Let it cook longer if more spice flavor is desired.
  6. Once ready, switch the slow cooker to the ‘warm’ setting. Ladle the mulled wine into mugs, garnishing each with a slice of orange and a star anise pod. Serve hot.

Notes

Don’t let the wine boil, as it will evaporate the alcohol and flatten the flavors. For best results, toast the spices in a dry skillet for 30-60 seconds before adding. This mulled wine tastes even better the next day. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and reheat gently.

Nutrition

Keywords: mulled wine, slow cooker, orange, star anise, winter drink, holiday, cozy, spiced wine

Find it online: https://vexifood.com/cozy-slow-cooker-mulled-wine-with-orange-and-star-anise/