In today’s episode of Tree to Table, we’re getting cozy with a festive recipe: Spiced Apple Mulled Wine. Our host Sarah, also known as Harrisonburg’s Friendly City Foodie, brings you a warm, aromatic drink that is the perfect as the days get colder. This recipe uses Crimson Crisp apples which are known for their sweetness and crunch. We recommend using either EverCrisp or Ambrosia apples as an alternative. These apples are perfect for creating cider and wine infusions like this mulled apple wine recipe!
For this recipe, we are using a 10-pound gift box that will give you around 18-22 apples for the mulled wine and leave just enough to enjoy on their own! The combination of these delicious apples with the spices in this recipe is sure to impress your guests and will add a lovely seasonal touch to your gathering.
Choose a medium-bodied red wine, like a Tuscarora Red, and sweeten it with just a touch of local maple syrup. Serve in a cozy mug with garnishes of cinnamon, star anise, and a slice of apple or orange for the ideal beverage to celebrate autumn.
Mulled Apple Wine Ingredients:
- 20 whole cloves
- 1 star anise
- 2 oranges
- 2 bottles of dark, jammy red wine (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel or Garnacha)
- 3 cups fresh apple cider
- ½ - 1 cup maple syrup
- 8 Crimson Crisp apples (Ambrosia or EverCrisp as alternatives)
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 cardamom pods
Cooking Instructions:
- Press cloves into apples.
- Crack cardamom pods by pressing them into the cutting board using the broad side of your knife.
- Transfer spiced apples to stock pot or crock pot and add bottles of wine, apple cider, maple syrup, whole oranges, cinnamon sticks, anise, and cracked cardamom pods.
- If using crock pot, turn to high until it’s simmering, maintain simmer for 20 minutes. If using a stock pot on the stove, turn to medium high until simmering, then reduce heat to maintain simmer. Don’t let the mixture come to a boil or you’ll cook off the alcohol.
- After simmering, switch crock pot to low (stock pot to lowest temperature) and serve, garnishing with a cinnamon stick, apple slice, or star anise.
