Mulled wine and party punch recipes

By Alice King

Make your party a simmering success with our comprehensive mulled wine recipe and hot punches

Traditional Spiced Mulled Wine

Makes 24 glasses or 12 half-pint mugs

2 bottles medium or full-bodied red wine (Bulgarian Cabernet Sauvignon is ideal)
1.5 litres water
1 orange, studded with 10 cloves
2 oranges and 2 lemons, sliced
6 tbsp sugar or honey
5cm cinnamon stick
2 tsp finely grated fresh root ginger
2 tbsp fruit liqueur such as cointreau, grand marnier, calvados or cherry brandy

Mix all the mulled wine ingredients together in a slow cooker or a large saucepan. Heat very gently for about 20 minutes. Do not boil, or you will boil off the alcohol. Stir gently to ensure that the sugar or honey has dissolved. Serve with a ladle and keep warm over a low heat.

More Christmas recipes

Christmas Turkey Recipe
Mince pie recipe
Christmas dinner timetable
Party food
Vegetarian Christmas dinner

Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Toddy

This easy-to-make pick-you-up is enough for one in a mug or a thick glass. For more servings, simply multiply the amounts given below by the number of guests.

Serves 1

1 tbsp Drambuie
1 tbsp sweet red vermouth, such as Martini
150ml water
2 slices lime

Warm the ingredients gently in a saucepan. Serve in hot toddy glasses.

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