Serving this alcohol-free version of mulled wine is easy and delicious. The perfect beverage to sip as you warm up this holiday season! Mimicking alcohol is effortless with the perfect blend of spices that give this beverage a tiny "bite." With a 0% ABV, this Non-Alcoholic Mulled Wine is for anyone looking to enjoy this holiday tradition, including kids!

Non-Alcoholic Mulled Wine in glass mug with cinnamon stick and anise star as garnish.

Learning to make healthy, non-alcoholic drinks at home is becoming increasingly popular. This recipe will help you stand out from standard "mocktail" drink recipes that are carried by merely sparkling water and juices. With this recipe, you'll graduate from 'Mocktail 101' into "Mocktail 201" as you experiment with warming spices.

For more mocktail inspiration, check out my Orange Mint Mojito Mocktail for a crisp, cool beverage that is also great to share with guests.

Jump to where you need to on this page using the links below. Also, don't forget to leave me a comment/rate this recipe at the end of this post. I'd love to hear how your non-alcoholic mulled wine mocktails made out!

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Trends
Why you'll love this recipe
Ingredients
How to make this drink
Equipment
Storage
Top tip
FAQ
Non Alcoholic Mulled Wine

Trends

Over the past three years since I quit drinking, the non-alcoholic market has exploded. Sobriety is now mainstream. 66% of millennials want to reduce their alcohol consumption, and Gen Z is the generation of sobriety per NielsenIQ.

Beverage companies have noticed, and now more than ever, the market has surged with alcohol-free options. It's becoming more popular with each "Sober October" and "Dry January."

Restaurants now have a dedicated mocktail menu, making it easier to meet up in social settings and order a delicious, carefully curated, alcohol-free drink besides tonic water with a splash of lime.

You might already drink non-alcoholic beverages or be completely new to the space. Whether you miss the taste and social aspects of drinking or have a sober-curious friend group, this is a great recipe to add to your non-alcoholic drink repertoire.

Why you'll love this recipe

Known for its variable mix of cheap wine, cloves, cinnamon, and citrus. This classic beverage has been around forever, almost literally. Its first traces date back to 20 AD when wine was less-than-great in the Roman Empire. The leftover harvest would be warmed with spices to make it palpable and served so that nothing goes to waste.

Over many years, variations have been made, experimenting with flavors in hopes of achieving the perfect warm holiday drink. By blending a specific set of spices with juice from the flavorful, festive fruits and citrus, my recipe has been reviewed as the best.

Festive - What’s more festive than a warm cup of mulled wine? Mulled wine is a winter staple, as much a part of the collective culture as a snowy ski lodge, a hot fireplace, and gift-giving. Bonus: it makes your home smell amazing, which makes this the best drink to serve as guests arrive.

Easy - This recipe has one main step; add the ingredients into a saucepan and warm it up. I don't know if it can get any easier!

Healthy - This alcohol-free drink is made with simple ingredients. Using organic red grape juice with no added sugar is preferable. Whole foods and spices are used to provide seasonal flavor and can be customized for different palates without compromising and adding sweeteners.

Kid-friendly & perfect for creating tradition - Looking for a healthy holiday tradition? This recipe is perfect for anyone who doesn't drink alcohol, including kids and pregnant women. Whether you want an alcohol-free option at your holiday party or an easy recipe to make with your littles, this fun drink brings great seasonal flavors to the home.

Ingredients

This non-alcoholic mulled wine mocktail has simple ingredients. Here is what you'll need:

Grape juice - This substitutes the wine flavor. Organic grape juice with no added sugar is preferable. Adding filtered water to the pot will cut out some of the overpowering sweetness this juice has.

Ginger - Mimicking alcohol can be tricky, but with ginger, it's effortless! Ginger brings a familiar bite or burn you'll commonly taste in its alcoholic companion. If serving to kids, this is an ingredient you might want to cut in half, depending on their likes. For adults, I think this is a necessary ingredient to keep.

Cranberries - Whole cranberries will bubble and burst through the heating process, leaving a great flavor behind that pairs well with the grape juice. Alternatively, you could add ½ cup of cranberry juice.

Oranges - Navel or blood orange slices offer a great acidity to this beverage.

Mulling spices - The blend of spices in this drink brings an individual flavor. Their seasonality keeps this drink festive but also warming, making it enjoyable throughout the cooler months.

See the recipe card located at the bottom of this post for quantities and instructions.

How to make this drink

This easy, non-alcoholic drink is so simple and straightforward to make you'll have it prepared in no time. Here's how to make it:

Step one: photo shows all ingredients except the orange slices in a pot.

Combine all ingredients, except the orange slices, in a pot. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.

Step two: orange slices added to the pot once boiled then heated for 20 minutes.

Next, stir and add in orange slices. Cover and simmer on low heat for another 20 minutes.

Add a cinnamon stick, anise, and orange slice to the mug as garnish.

Remove from heat, let it steep for another 20 minutes, allow to cool, then strain. Serve warm in a mug with a cinnamon stick, orange slice, and anise star as garnish.

Make it memorable: Serve as guests arrive in a traditional mug. Here's the one I used in my photos. The inviting and beautiful scent of cinnamon sticks and spices will set the holiday stage and warm your guests from their travels.

Equipment

Any stovetop pan will do. Make sure it's large enough to fit the quantity of grape juice and extra filtered water without bubbling over.

For this recipe, I use my ceramic-coated dutch oven with a lid. You'll also need a strainer to remove the cranberries, ginger, orange slices, and whole spices.

Storage

Room temperature: This drink lasts at room temperature for about 2-3 hours. Transfer extra into a jug and store it in the refrigerator if you have leftovers.

Refrigerator: Simply strain and store in an airtight jug. This can be refrigerated for up to three days. Enjoy again by slowly warming it up in a saucepan on the stove.

Freezer: This drink can be stored in the freezer using an airtight jug, leaving room at the top. You can allow the jug to thaw in the fridge or countertop to serve as a slushie or reheat it on the stove slowly.

Top tip

Taste before serving and adjust if needed. You can always add more water if the flavoring is too strong.

FAQ

Can I use alcoholic wine for this recipe?

Of course, making alcoholic mulled wine is just as easy. You'll leave the grape juice out. Pick a fruit-forward red wine; it does not need to be fancy. Historically, mulled wine was used with cheap, late-harvest wine.

Can I make this in a slow cooker?

Yep! Add all ingredients, except the orange slices, and simmer on low for 1.5-2 hours. Add the orange slices during the last 30 minutes. Be sure to strain before serving.

Can I use any other juices besides grape juice?

I've tried, and it's best to use 100% grape juice, no added sugar.

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