This recipe for slow cooker spiced wine with oranges and cranberries is the perfect way to ring in the New Year at our house. It is a great addition to my collection of party-time crock pot recipes.
It’s time to bring out the big guns for your New Year’s party. And by big guns, I mean big on flavor, big on appeal, and big on festive cheer.
My daughter visits for the holidays each year, and one of our favorite things to do is have movie nights and share our favorite wine and cocktail recipes.
I thought it would be fun to spice things up a bit this year using honey granules, instead of real honey, in a slow cooker version of one of her favorites – mulled wine.
This type of wine is also known as mulled wine and is a common way to celebrate Guy Fawkes Day.
Treat your New Year’s guests to this slow cooker spiced wine recipe for some celebratory cheer!
Just look at all these goodies that will go into the recipe.
Dontcha just love a slow cooker during the holidays? Everything goes in, the house smells wonderful while it cooks and you can tend to other pressing things, knowing that the end result will be BRILLIANT!!
So gather up those ingredients. With all this great stuff that will go into my crock pot, how can it not be good? Instead of using honey, which is sticky and kind of messy, I am using honey granules instead.
I used these honey granules to make my glazed apple cake earlier this year and it was a huge hit! The honey granules are a free-flowing blend of pure cane sugar and honey.
They are deliciously sweet and a neater way to add honey flavor to all your holiday recipes.
One thing I LOVE about this recipe is that there is no need for an expensive bottle of wine. The spices and honey granules are what make the taste so great, so go ahead and NOT splurge on the wine or cider.
And the recipe only needs 1/4 cup of brandy, so it is very inexpensive to make overall!
Some of the key players in this recipe is a wonderful blend of not-often-used spices. For this recipe, it was fresh ginger, whole cloves, whole star anise, and cardamom pods.
These spices combine with the wine, honey granules, fresh fruit, and cranberries to give you a drink that is TO-DIE-FOR!! (in a good way….) And I am in love with the way the honey granules avoid a sticky mess for me!
Note: If you can’t find the honey granules at your store, this recipe can be made using normal honey, too. Use 1/4 cup of real honey in place of the granules.
Everything goes into the crock pot for a few hours and then it gets a good stir. I ask you…What could be easier?
The perfect recipe for those busy December days leading up to New Year’s Eve.
The spiced wine cooks on low for a few hours and it makes the house smell amazing. You will know it is done when the cranberries start to become tender.
What a perfect recipe to make before your holiday party.
The guests will be blown away when they enter the house! Not having a party? Just take the whole crock pot out to a gathering that one of your friends is having and share it with their holiday guests.
What a fun housewarming present it would make!
The spiced wine is served piping hot, with a wonderful aroma of cloves, star anise, ginger, and fruit.
It has a wonderful sweet/tart thing going on with the oranges, honey granules, and cranberries and is just perfect for those nights when the Jack Frost is nipping at your nose. It will warm your guests to the core
Serve the slow cooker spiced wine in decorative holiday glasses, mugs, or even Mason jar mugs like these.
They set the mood for the party in a big way. And don’t forget to garnish the individual servings with whole star anise, sliced oranges, and some cinnamon sticks.
Nothing quite says Christmas like the look of whole cinnamon sticks in my book.
This is the first year that I have made slow cooker spiced wine and after the reception that it got, I just know that it will become my favorite drink to serve at all the holiday parties to come.
Steamy hot spiced wine has been warming cold hands and hearts and celebrating the holiday spirit for centuries. Isn’t it time that some of this scrumptious party drink makes its way into your home?
Slow Cooker Spiced Wine with Oranges and Cranberries
This recipe for slow cooker spiced wine with oranges and cranberries is the perfect way to ring in the New Year at our house and is a great addition to my collection of party time crock pot recipes.
Ingredients
- 1 (750 ml) bottle red wine (choose an in expensive fruity wine that is not too sweet. I used a Merlot for my recipe )
- 1/4 cup Tate and Lyle Honey Granules
- 2 oranges, zested and juiced
- 2 cups sparkling apple cider
- 1 (1 inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 6 whole cloves
- 4 green cardamom pods
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 whole star anise
- 1/4 cup brandy
- 1 cup of whole cranberries, washed and picked through
To Garnish:
- Orange slices
- Cinnamon sticks
- Star Anise pods
- Cranberries
Instructions
- Add the red wine, cider, honey granules, orange zest, cranberries and orange juice to a large slow cooker.
- Stir to combine well.
- Mix in the cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and star anise. Cook on low until warm, about 2 hours, until the cranberries are getting tender. Time will depend on your slow cooker.
- Once the cranberries are soft, stir in the brandy and cover while you continue heating on low.
- Spoon the spiced wine into mason jar mugs or festive glasses, and serve with a star anise, an orange slice and cinnamon sticks. Be sure to add the soft cranberries in each glass.
- To keep the spiced wine warm during your holiday gathering, either leave the slow cooker on the "keep warm" setting or alternate between the "low" and off setting during your party.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1/6th of the recipeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 418Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 14mgCarbohydrates: 72gFiber: 3gSugar: 61gProtein: 1g
Nutritional information is approximate due to natural variation in ingredients and the cook-at-home nature of our meals.
Jaime Nicole
Wednesday 23rd of December 2015
I love that this uses honey instead of sugar! I will definitely try out this recipe!
Carol
Thursday 24th of December 2015
I'm trying to keep my sugar intake down. I love using honey granules instead of normal sugar.
Marie
Monday 21st of December 2015
This looks perfect for this festive season! I'm going to gather the ingredients, I can't wait to try this.
Carol
Tuesday 22nd of December 2015
We loved it and I've made it twice so far!
Echo
Monday 21st of December 2015
I love having a pot of mulled, spiced wine on the stove! So warm and delicious! I usually use orange and clove!
Carol
Tuesday 22nd of December 2015
I do normally. This is the first time I added the cranberries and love the way it turned out.
Digna
Monday 21st of December 2015
Mmmm, this sounds and looks incredible. I can't wait to try this. Thank you for sharing.
Carol
Tuesday 22nd of December 2015
I hope you enjoy it!
Chubskulit Rose
Monday 21st of December 2015
Wow, I didn't know you can create your own wine. This sounds delicious and easy to prepare.
Carol
Monday 21st of December 2015
We really loved it at our house.