Spiced Alcohol-Free Mulled Wine (Print Version)

A comforting spiced drink blending grape, apple, and orange juices with warming spices and natural sweetness.

# Recipe Ingredients:

→ Juices

01 - 25.4 fl oz red grape juice
02 - 8.5 fl oz apple juice
03 - 8.5 fl oz orange juice

→ Spices & Aromatics

04 - 1 cinnamon stick
05 - 4 whole cloves
06 - 3 star anise
07 - 6 whole black peppercorns
08 - 1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, sliced
09 - Zest of 1 orange, peeled with a peeler, avoiding white pith

→ Sweetener

10 - 2 to 3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey, to taste

→ Garnish (optional)

11 - Orange slices
12 - Cinnamon sticks

# Directions:

01 - In a large saucepan, pour together the red grape juice, apple juice, and orange juice.
02 - Incorporate the cinnamon stick, cloves, star anise, peppercorns, sliced ginger, and orange zest into the juices.
03 - Place the saucepan over medium heat and gradually bring the mixture to a gentle simmer without boiling.
04 - Allow the spices to infuse the liquid by simmering gently for 15 to 20 minutes.
05 - Sample the infusion and add maple syrup or honey according to your preference for sweetness; stir well.
06 - Pass the mulled beverage through a fine mesh strainer into serving mugs.
07 - Optionally, garnish each mug with an orange slice and a cinnamon stick before serving warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • No alcohol needed to feel celebratory and warm, making this perfect for everyone at your table
  • The aroma alone will make your home smell like a cozy winter escape, I promise
  • It takes only 30 minutes from fridge to mug, yet tastes like you've been planning it all week
  • Naturally vegan and gluten-free without any compromise on that soul-warming comfort
02 -
  • Never let the mixture boil rapidly—a gentle simmer is everything. High heat makes the spices taste bitter and muddy, and you'll regret it immediately when you taste it.
  • The orange zest must be carefully peeled to exclude the white pith, which turns intensely bitter during the cooking process.
  • Taste before adding sweetener. Every juice brand has different natural sweetness, and you might need less maple syrup than you think.
03 -
  • Slice your ginger on a slight angle instead of straight across—the larger surface area releases more oils and flavor into the juice
  • Keep the heat deliberately low and patient; rushing this recipe is the only real way to mess it up, but respecting the simmer time gives you something truly special

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