Hot flavored mulled wine is a great beverage for cold weather. This drink is a perfect option to brighten up any autumn or winter evening. It can warm you up when you stroll through Christmas markets and fairs. And if you want to get your house filled with the aroma of holiday spices and coziness, just cook a pan of mulled wine! Enjoy its amazing taste by taking small sips!
I am sure that you won’t be able to distinguish the taste of non-alcoholic mulled wine from the classic alcoholic one. It will turn out tasty, rich, and warming. Moreover, you can easily turn it into an alcoholic one by adding 2-3 tablespoons of rum or brandy to your glass.
How to make non-alcoholic spiced wine?
Although everyone has different tastes, there are classic spice and herbal mixes that can help you to create the right mood. If you follow my recipe, your mulled wine will turn out to be quite aromatic, fragrant, and not intrusive, similar in taste to real mulled wine. The process of making mulled wine, whether alcoholic or not, is simple at its core. You combine all the ingredients in a saucepan of the right size and heat it on the stove. The main trick is to choose the exact spices that your taste buds will find irresistible.
The most basic spice mix is following: cinnamon + ginger + nutmeg + cardamom + lemon zest. You get really tender but aromatic spiced wine. Cloves and star anise are spices with a very specific smell. Their aroma can be sometimes overpowering, so try adding them carefully. Fresh ginger gives the drink not only a spicy aroma but also the pungency of bitter pepper. It is also important not to overdo it with it.
To ensure the high intensity of the aroma, always use fresh spices. With fresh spices, you get the best flavor. Often store-bought spices have a weaker aroma than those purchased from private traders at the bazaar. I have several guides on spices: How to store spices, Foolproof tips for cooking with spices, and How to make your spice mixes. Check them out to get more information on cooking with spices!
As for the liquid, you can get the whole bottle of alcohol-free wine to use for the mulling or you can combine it with different types of juices. My favorite pairing is cranberry with orange juice. You can also add pomegranate, cherry, or any berry juice, such as blackberry, currant, raspberry, or their mix will be a good option. If you have no wine, do not worry. You can get grape juice instead.
Alcohol-Free Mulled Wine Recipe
Ingredients
- 750 ml alcohol-free wine
- 8 cloves
- 2-3 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tsp. ginger powder
- 3 cardamoms
- 2-3 star anise
- 1 orange sliced
- ¼ tsp. nutmeg powder
- sugar or honey optional
Instructions
- Cut orange into slices, or quarters, or any shape you want, as we will get rid of them later. Simply set aside several nice slices for serving the drink.
- Combine all the spices in a saucepan, add sliced orange, and pour wine.
- Put the saucepan on low heat.
- When the liquid starts simmering, add sugar/honey. Stir the mixture until sugar fully dissolves and remove the pan from the heat.
- Set it aside and leave for 15-20 minutes to brew.
- Strain your mulled wine to get rid of all the spices and pour it into serving mugs. Add fresh slices of orange, star anise, and cinnamon sticks as a garnish and serve!
Notes
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