This alcohol-free mulled wine is made of grape juice, cranberry juice and spices for a warming winter drink. It's suitable for kids, preganant women and everyone else.
½ cup(250ml)pure cranberry juice*made of 100% cranberries
2oranges
1bag of cinnamon tea*optional
Instructions
Place the cardamom pods on a cutting board and crush them with the flat side of a knife (see step-by-step pictures in the post above). Slightly press on the blade with your fingertips until you hear the pods crack.
Peel and slice one of the oranges. Juice the other orange.
Add the cardamom pods, cinnamon stick (if using powder add it later on), peppercorns and cloves to a larg pot or Dutch oven. Dry-roast the spices over low-medium heat for 5 minutes, while stirring frequently.
Pour in the grape juice, cranberry juice and orange juice. Add the orange slices and cinnamon tea bag (if using). This is also the perfect time to add cinnamon powder if you didn't use a stick. Cover with a lid and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and let it sit on the countertop for another hour if time allows. This will make it even more flavorful.
Strain the virgin mulled wine through a fine-mesh sieve and serve right away.
Notes
If using a 46 oz bottle of grape juice, double the recipe.
You can substitute grape juice with alcohol-free red wine or apple juice. If using apple juice, the drink will taste more like a hot cider than warm mulled wine.
You can use pomegranate juice instead of cranberry juice. Make sure it's made of 100% pure fruits and has no added sugar or other ingredients. The acidity of the juice really balances out the sweetness of the grape juice and makes it taste more like wine.
Adding a bag of cinnamon tea to the mulled wine really intensifies the cinnamon flavor. Our favorite tea is "Hot Cinnamon Spice" by Harney & Sons.
Storage tips: you can store the virgin mulled wine in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.