Mulling Spice Recipe

Making a big jar of my homemade mulling spice recipe is a ritual I look forward to every fall, just as much as I love opening that first can of pumpkin or bag of fresh cranberries. I usually wait until around Halloween to make a batch that will last me the season. I’ll pack it in one of my favorite Weck glass jars and use it to make mulled cider and mulled wine and enjoy right through the holidays.

There’s nothing better than greeting friends and family at the door on a chilly night with a steaming cup of something mulled!

mull (verb)

To heat and infuse a liquid (such as wine, cider, or juice) with spices and sometimes sweeteners. This delicious idea goes all the way back to ancient Rome!

In medieval Germany this tradition evolved into Glühwein (“glow wine”) made with red wine, cinnamon, cloves, and citrus. It’s now one of the highlights of German Christmas markets.

In England mulled cider gained popularity, especially in the apple-rich regions. By the 17th century, it became associated with festive traditions like wassailing, aimed at ensuring a good apple harvest.

why make your own mulling spice recipe?

It all comes down to one word: FRESHNESS. It’s the holy grail when you’re dealing with spices. When you buy readymade mixes they’re often packed with sugar, or other fillers that you don’t need. And they can have a flat flavor because they’ve been sitting around for a while.

When you use fresh whole spices you’re getting the most aromatic rich flavors possible and so you only need a small amount to mull your drinks. I make an annual pilgrimage to Penzy’s spice store to pick up the whole spices I need. If you can’t find whole spices locally, order them online.

where to order whole spices online

• The Spice House
• Penzy’s

what’s in my mulling spice recipe

A mulling spice blend doesn’t look like much, but don’t let its plain appearance fool you ~ these are some of the most complex flavors on earth!

the must haves:

• CINNAMON
  • Cinnamon provides the dominant warm, sweet, and slightly spicy flavor that defines mulled drinks. I use sticks and chopped cinnamon, or cassia chips. These small, rough pieces are made by breaking up thicker cinnamon sticks (often cassia) into more manageable chunks. Cinnamon chips are ideal for infusions in beverages like mulled cider or wine because they release flavor more quickly than whole sticks.
• STAR ANISE
  • the licorice flavor of star anise can be strong, use more or less as you like.
• CLOVES
  • cloves are strong, but one of the defining flavors in mulling spice mix. You won’t need much because their distinctive pungent flavor pierces through.
• GREEN CARDAMOM PODS
  • I crack the pods open to expose the aromatic black seeds before adding to my spice mix.

the optionals:

• ALLSPICE BERRIES
  • I adore allspice, it adds a warm peppery note and echoes the flavor of multiple spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
• BLACK PEPPER
  • black pepper gives a nice warm kick to the mix.
• JUNIPER BERRIES
  • juniper berries have a fresh, resinous flavor with hints of evergreen and pine.
• MACE BLADES
  • a new discovery for me and a new favorite! Mace is actually the outer coating of the nutmeg, and the flavor is milder but just as wonderful. It’s the best way to get that nutmeg flavor into a mulled drink. Normally you find mace in ground form, but you can find the whole mace blades at Penzy’s, or online.

variety is the spice of life!

I’m giving you a basic mulling recipe, one that I use and love. But there are lots of ways to change it up to make your own unique mulling spice blend.

adding citrus to mulling spice recipe

I always like to add a bit of citrus to my mulled drinks. You can either drop a few fresh orange slices into your mulling pot, or you can add dried orange slices right to your spice mix jar.

adding sugar to a mulling spice blend

Many readymade mulling spice blends contain sugar. A little bit of sugar brings out the flavor of wine and counteracts any bitterness. Raw sugar (such as turbinado or Demerara) is a good choice. You can add it to your mix (it will tend to settle at the bottom) or simply add it to taste as you simmer your mulled wine.

how to use your mulling spices

step 1. Bring wine or cider to a simmer with mulling spices

Use a nonreactive pot like stainless steel or an enameled cast iron Dutch oven to heat your drink of choice with the mulling spices. For a 750ml bottle of wine or a quart of cider you only need 2-3 tablespoons of mulling spice. Do not let your beverage come to a boil as that can make it bitter, so just bring it to a simmer.

step 2. Turn the heat down to keep warm and ‘mull’

Turn the heat down to the lowest setting and let the spices do their work for a bit. This can be as little as 15 minutes, or you can leave it warming for an hour or more. It’s about taking time to let the flavors develop.

step 3. Serve

You have a couple of choices for how to serve your mulled beverage:

Strain before serving: Many people strain the mulled wine or cider first to remove the spices and citrus peels, ensuring the liquid is smooth and free from bits of spices. This makes it easier to pour and serve directly into mugs or glasses.

Serve through a strainer: Others leave the spices in the pot and use a small strainer or ladle with a built-in strainer to filter out spices as they pour each serving. This keeps the spices in the pot for continued infusion and the house will smell amazing. This is how I do it.

homemade mulling spice recipe faqs

What drinks can be mulled?

• Wine is one of the most common beverages for mulling, a staple during the Christmas season in countries like Germany, where it’s known as Glühwein. Both red and white wine can be mulled.
• Cider: both apple cider and pear cider can be mulled.
• Beer is less common than mulled wine or cider but mulled beer, often known as “wassail,” is a traditional winter beverage where beer is gently heated with spices like cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger.
• Juices like grape juice or cranberry juice can also be mulled, offering a flavor similar to mulled wine but without the alcohol. I like to mull pomegranate juice.
• Tea such as black tea or chai, can be gently simmered with spices to create a spiced tea blend.

Where can I buy whole spices?

• Penzy’s spice shop is a fabulous resource for spices, both ground and whole. If you don’t have a shop near you, you can always purchase their whole spices online.

Can I reuse mulling spices?

• No, mulling spices will lose some of their flavor and, of course, get wet during use, putting them at risk for spoilage. Use a fresh batch of spices each time you mull.

Can I use ground spices instead of whole spices?

• No, don’t use ground spices for mulling because they can create a grainy texture in your drink. Whole spices are preferable as they release flavor slowly without making the liquid cloudy.

Should I add sugar to my mulling spice recipe?

• You can add dry sugar to your mix it you like, I use raw sugar. You can also add sugar, honey, or other sweetener directly to your mulled drink, to taste.

How long should I simmer the mulling spices?

• Simmer the mulling spices gently for 15-20 minutes. Avoid boiling the liquid, especially if using wine, to prevent it from becoming bitter or evaporating too much alcohol.

How long will my mulling spices last?

• dried whole spices technically last for years, but for this holiday blend I like to make a new batch every year.

How can I package mulling spices for gifting?

• This mulling spice recipe makes a great gift! You can package it in glass jars or in individual cloth sachets.
• I love to give a bottle of wine and tie a sachet of mulling spices around the neck of the bottle (with an instructions tag.)