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Mulled Wine with Caramel Vodka

This cozy and delectable mulled wine with caramel vodka will be a hit at any holiday gathering. It's the right amount of sweet and fruity!
5 from 21 votes
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Prep Time: 5 minutes
Warming time:: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 8 people

Ingredients

  • 1.5 litres full-bodied red wine, like California Zinfandel, Grenache, or Merlot.
  • 1 cup Caramel-flavored vodka
  • 2 TBSP Maple syrup You could also use honey or agave nectar
  • 2 oranges, one juiced and one cut into sliced
  • 1 cup fresh cranberries
  • 4 cinnamon sticks
  • 4 star anise
  • Enough cloves to stud around one of the orange slices, between 10-12 depending on the size.

Instructions

  • Empty the red wine into a large stainless steel pot or heavy-bottomed Dutch oven.
  • Add the caramel vodka to the wine, then squeeze fresh orange juice from one of the oranges into the mix; stir.
  • Add the cranberries to the pot along with the orange slices, cinnamon sticks, and star anise, and cloves (see notes* for the best way to include the cloves).
  • Warm the wine over medium-high heat to get things going, and once the wine is warmed through and steaming, decrease the temperature to low. Keep an eye on it and make sure you don't bring it to a simmer or boil.
  • To keep the mulled wine warm over a long period of time, transfer everything to a warmed slow cooker.
  • Serve hot or warm.

Notes

*The best way to include the cloves is to press them into the pith around the orange so they stay secure and aren't floating around in the wine. They're not as easy to avoid as the cinnamon sticks and star anise, so you definitely don't want a clove to end up in anyone's glass.