Slow cooker mulled wine takes the pot-watching out of hosting. Everything goes into the crock at once, it heats for about an hour, and then you switch it to warm and ladle from it. The spices ride in a cheesecloth pouch, so none of them float loose in the wine.
This version makes 4 servings from one bottle of red wine. It uses orange juice, orange zest, a sprig of rosemary, optional sugar, and whole spices. It is a short list, which helps when you are also setting out food and greeting guests.
Why a Slow Cooker Suits a Party
Stovetop mulled wine needs a low burner and regular checks. If the wine boils, it loses aroma and alcohol and tastes sharper. A slow cooker does the heating on its own, so you set it and leave the kitchen.
The warm setting is the other half of the plan. After the wine is hot, you switch over and guests can help themselves instead of waiting on a saucepan.
What Type of Red Wine to Use
Choose a dry, fruity red without heavy oak. Merlot, Zinfandel, Grenache and a soft Cabernet Sauvignon all hold up to heat and spice. Heavily oaked or very tannic bottles turn sharper once warm, and a wine you would not drink cold will not be fixed by cinnamon.
The best wine for mulled wine guide covers what to buy and which bottles to skip. The recipe lists the sugar as optional, depending on how sweet your wine is, so a fruity bottle may need none.
Ingredients
- 4 cloves
- 3 whole star anise
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 bottle red wine
- 1/4 cup sugar, optional (depending on sweetness of wine)
- 2 strips orange zest, removed with a vegetable peeler
- 1 1/2 cups orange juice, freshly squeezed and strained, or store-bought
- 1 small sprig rosemary, plus sprigs for garnish
Instructions
- Wrap the cloves, star anise and cinnamon in a small square of cheesecloth and secure it with kitchen twine.
- Combine the wine, sugar if using, orange zest, orange juice, rosemary and the spice pouch in a slow cooker. Cook on low heat until hot, about 1 hour. Adjust the slow cooker to the “warm” setting. Serve in mugs with a rosemary sprig as garnish.
Serving From the Warm Setting
Use low to heat the wine and warm to hold it. Low can push wine toward a simmer, which cooks off alcohol and aroma. Keep the lid on between servings so the wine stays hot.
Put a ladle beside the cooker and use heatproof mugs. Drop a fresh rosemary sprig into each mug, as the recipe does.
How Long Can It Stay Out?
The recipe says to heat the wine for about 1 hour, then switch to warm. It does not state how long the wine can stay on warm.
Food-safety guidance on hot holding is to keep hot drinks at 140 F / 60 C or above, measured with a food thermometer, and to discard food held without temperature control after 2 hours, or 1 hour in a hot room. Cooker settings vary, so a thermometer is more reliable than steam. The full details are in how long mulled wine lasts .
What to Serve With Mulled Wine
Mulled wine is warm, fruity and spiced, so it likes food that’s salty, rich or creamy. A cheese board is the easiest answer. Aged hard cheeses, a creamy brie and a sharp cheddar all stand up to the cinnamon and clove, and a few slices of pear or apple on the side keep the plate fresh.
Cured meats work for the same reason. Salami, prosciutto and smoked sausage bring salt and fat that the orange in the wine cuts through. Add toasted walnuts or almonds, olives, and crackers or sliced baguette, and guests can graze for the whole evening. The Christmas charcuterie board shows how to arrange all of that, and the charcuterie board for a party is a good template for a bigger crowd.
For a sit-down holiday meal, think roast pork, ham, turkey or a mushroom pie. Red wine and spice suit roasted meats, and the orange and rosemary in this recipe echo the herbs and citrus that often go into a holiday main. Roasted root vegetables and cranberry sauce on the plate fit in naturally.
Desserts are simple. Shortbread, gingerbread, dark chocolate and nut cookies are all easy to eat with a mug in the other hand. Skip anything that needs a fork and a flat surface if guests will be standing.
If you’re planning a whole menu, the cocktail party menu without bartending and the cocktail party food ideas for easy hosting pages take the pressure off the host.
Tips for Hosting With a Slow Cooker
Start the wine about an hour before guests arrive, since the recipe heats it on low for about 1 hour first. Make the spice pouch, zest the orange and measure the juice earlier in the day, so loading the cooker is a quick job when you’re ready.
Put the cooker where guests can reach it without crowding the food. A sturdy counter or a side table near an outlet works, with the cord out of the walkway. Place a heatproof trivet or board under it, and keep the ladle on a small plate so drips don’t land on the table.
Keep a short row of mugs next to it. Heatproof mugs hold heat better than thin glasses and are comfortable to carry. A bowl of fresh rosemary sprigs beside the crock lets guests garnish their own, and it saves you from doing it for every cup.
Think about the guests who aren’t drinking wine. A pot of tea or the hot chocolate bar ideas for Christmas gives them something warm to hold, so the table feels equal.
A few mistakes are worth avoiding:
- Leaving the lid off: The wine cools and the aroma drifts away. Replace the lid after every ladle.
- Dropping spices in loose: They turn the wine gritty and are hard to fish out. The pouch is there for a reason.
- Overfilling the crock: Stick to the recipe’s amounts. A full crock is hard to ladle without spilling.
Cleanup is easy if you plan for it. Let the crock cool completely before it goes near water, then wash the insert by hand with warm soapy water. Wash it the same night so the spice and wine residue doesn’t dry on.
Common Problems and How to Fix Them
- Too sweet: Leave out the sugar next time. It is optional, and the orange juice and wine already add sweetness.
- Bitter or harsh: Wine that boiled, a tannic bottle and a long steep with spices can all do this. The causes and fixes are in why mulled wine turns bitter .
- Not hot after an hour: Cookers run differently, and a cold crock heats more slowly. Keep it on low until the wine is hot before you switch to warm.
- Tastes thin: A light-bodied wine is the usual cause. Pick a fuller, fruitier red for the next batch.
- Gritty wine: Loose spices got into the crock. Tie the cheesecloth pouch tightly.
Making It Ahead and Serving a Crowd
You can measure the ingredients and tie the spice pouch ahead. To make the whole batch early, see making mulled wine ahead of time . For leftovers, can you reheat mulled wine explains how to rewarm it gently.
This recipe is written for one bottle and 4 servings. For more guests, make it again in a second cooker rather than guessing at new amounts. For a bigger pot on the stove, try the mulled wine recipe for Christmas .
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does mulled wine take in a slow cooker?
About 1 hour on low, until the wine is hot. Then switch the cooker to warm.
Should I use high or low for mulled wine in a crockpot?
The recipe uses low until the wine is hot, then warm for serving.
Can you leave mulled wine in the slow cooker all day?
The recipe does not say so. Warm is for serving, not storage. Follow the hot-holding and discard guidance above, and refrigerate leftovers promptly.
What is the best red wine for slow cooker mulled wine?
A dry, fruity red with little oak, such as Merlot, Zinfandel or Grenache. The wine guide has the full list.
Can I use ground spices?
The recipe uses whole cloves, star anise and cinnamon sticks in a cheesecloth pouch. Ground spices would not stay in the pouch and would leave the wine gritty.
Conclusion
Heat everything on low for about 1 hour, switch to warm, and serve from the crock with a ladle. Keep the lid on, check the temperature, and make a second batch if the crowd outgrows the first.
