The easiest homemade Mulled Wine, made with warming festive spices, clementines and an optional splash of amaretto liqueur. Ready in about 10 minutes and perfect for cold evenings. Buon Natale!
Mulled wine—known as Glühwein in Germany or Vin Brulé in Italy—is the classic way to stay warm, cosy and festive when the weather turns cold. I love grabbing a steaming mug at Christmas markets while soaking up the lights and music, but it’s even better and very easy to make at home.
This recipe uses simple ingredients and takes just minutes to prepare. You can add a splash of amaretto for a hint of almond sweetness, but that’s optional. Serve in heatproof mugs and enjoy.
Ingredients – what you need
The ingredients are straightforward: dry red wine, optional amaretto liqueur, brown sugar, clementines or oranges, cinnamon stick, cloves, star anise and a bay leaf.
How to make Mulled Wine – step by step
Slice the clementines or orange into thick rounds and place them in a medium saucepan. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
Gently heat the mixture over low heat until it begins to simmer, then remove from the heat immediately—do not let it boil. Let the spices steep for a few minutes to infuse the wine with flavour.
Ladle the mulled wine into heatproof mugs and serve warm.
Top tips and recipe FAQs
- Wine: Use an inexpensive dry red wine—there’s no need for an expensive bottle.
- Sugar: Light brown sugar adds a lovely caramel note, but white sugar or honey work well too.
- Spices: Use whole spices rather than powdered for the best flavour and clarity.
You can try juniper berries (two is enough), cardamom pods or peppercorns. A splash of brandy or cognac is a classic alternative to amaretto. For a fruitier version, add a little apple, cherry or orange juice.
Stored in the fridge, homemade mulled wine keeps for up to one week. If you plan to keep it more than a day, remove the spices and citrus slices to avoid over‑infusion.
Yes. Reheat as needed, but always warm gently and avoid boiling to preserve the alcohol and flavour.
More Christmas recipes you might like
- Il Bombardino – Italian Eggnog Drink
- Italian Hot Chocolate – Thick and Decadent
- Chocolate Salami (Salame di Cioccolato)
- Pandoro Christmas Tree Cake (Italian Christmas Cake)
- Panettone Bread Pudding
If you try this Amaretto Mulled Wine or any recipe from the site, please rate it and leave a comment—I love hearing how it turned out for you!
Amaretto Mulled Wine
By Emily
Ingredients
- 1 bottle red wine
- 1 shot amaretto liqueur (35ml) – optional
- ½ cup brown sugar (110g)
- 3 clementines or 1 orange, sliced
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 cloves
- 3 star anise
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Cut the clementines or orange into thick slices and place them in a medium pot. Add the wine, sugar, spices and amaretto if using. Stir to combine.
- Heat the mixture gently until it just begins to simmer, then remove from the heat. Do not boil.
- Allow the spices to steep for a few minutes, then ladle into heatproof mugs and serve warm.
Video
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I use extra virgin olive oil in recipes unless stated otherwise.
- When using canned tomatoes, I prefer Cirio or Mutti for flavour.
- Vegetables are medium sized unless noted.
- Recipes are tested using a fan (convection) oven.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
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