Find Store
During the darker months, it is especially important to create little moments of joy in our daily routine. While much of the animal kingdom hunkers down for winter and begins activity in the spring, our lives continue unabated. How do you spend those cold hours? Do you enjoy a warming drink for cozy moments on the couch? Naturally, tea is a welcome companion on the coffee table, especially as aromatic winter blends. But do you sometimes crave a change?
This blog post is all about delicious non-alcoholic mulled wine, also known as a kid-friendly winter mocktail. But this tasty winter drink is not just for the young ones. It is a delight for all ages, providing a splendid alternative to traditional mulled wine in many situations. Let yourself be enchanted by the diverse aromas and soothing warmth, and discover how this drink can make your winter a special experience.
The Classic Recipe for Non-Alcoholic Mulled Wine
Steaming mulled wine offers a magical scent, marked by fruits, berries, and festive spices. While you might skip the notes of Amaretto or rum when making non-alcoholic mulled wine, you won’t miss a thing. Instead, various teas, often fruit teas, contribute to an interesting, aromatic depth. Discover how you can incorporate your love of tea into making a delicious non-alcoholic winter punch here.
What You'll Need to Make It
There isn’t just one correct way to prepare it. You can adjust the ingredients based on your taste or experiment with proportions. As a base for your non-alcoholic punch, you will generally use fruit tea or red juice instead of wine. The following juices work particularly well, and you can mix them if you like:
- Blackcurrant Juice
- Grape Juice
- Cranberry Juice
- Elderberry Juice
- Cloudy Apple Juice
For that distinctive winter-festive note, you will need a range of spices, but not all are necessary:
- Cinnamon Sticks
- Cloves
- Star Anise
- Cardamom
- Pepper
To add a zesty citrus note to your non-alcoholic mulled wine, consider using:
- Freshly sliced organic orange slices
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice
If you would like, you can add a bit of extra sweetness to your punch with options like:
- Honey
- Agave Syrup
Personal Recommendation: If you find punch to be often too sweet, try adding half or a whole chili pepper to the pot. The pleasant heat provides the perfect balance to the sweetness. Depending on your preference for spiciness, let it infuse for a few minutes or longer for a stronger effect.
Step-by-Step Guide to the Perfect Punch
- Prepare 500ml of your favorite fruit tea.
- Set a saucepan with a lid on the stove and heat over low temperature without boiling.
- Add the juice of your choice to the pot. For example, equal parts of blackcurrant juice, grape juice, and cloudy apple juice. Combine the cooled fruit tea as well.
- Add the spices, orange slices, and a bit of lemon juice.
- Let the punch steep with the lid on for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
- Taste and sweeten with a sweetener of your choice if needed.
- Remove the chunks (spices and fruit) and serve your delicious creation. Orange slices or berries make an excellent garnish.
Tea in Mulled Wine? A Magical Blend of Flavors
Now you know about the fruity component of a classic non-alcoholic mulled wine, thanks to juices and fruit tea. Let us explore more experimental variations with different teas. Adding tea can enrich your winter punch with numerous delightful flavors. Here, we will present recipes with tea that will encourage your creativity!
An Aromatic Range: Teas as a Special Touch for Punch
How can tea contribute to your enjoyment of non-alcoholic mulled wine? You have already learned that fruit tea is a wonderful ingredient for your winter punch. But other teas can also enhance the flavor of non-alcoholic mulled wine.
The malty notes of black tea harmonize excellently with sweet, fruity notes. Herbal tea, on the other hand, brings natural, fresh notes to your punch while keeping it caffeine-free. For instance, rooibos, with its natural sweetness and mild woody flavor, is an interesting choice.
Creative Variations with Tea Specialties
Besides the classic preparation, we have two tried-and-tested suggestions that appeal to different taste profiles and bring a touch of winter magic to your kitchen:
1. Classic with Chai
Non-alcoholic mulled wine is fundamentally characterized by two flavors: sweetness and spice. If you are particularly fond of the spicy part, try using chai as a base instead of fruit tea. Chai combines classic spices like cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and cardamom, ideally complementing the flavors you add with spices. Many chai blends include robust black tea, adding malty notes to your creation.
2. Mild with Chamomile
You can add a certain something to your winter punch with this classic herbal tea. Gentle chamomile blends in with the existing flavors without being overpowering. It softens the overall taste of your mulled wine by moderating the strong spice notes, creating a pleasant balance.
A Look into the History of Mulled Wine
Drinking mulled wine is now an essential part of the winter season. During Christmas time, it is hard to resist this steaming, aromatic beverage. At Christmas markets, you are offered various versions: white, red, with berries, with apple, with or without alcohol... there is something for every taste.
The concept of spiced wine goes back to ancient times. Under the name "Conditum Paradoxum" (Spiced Paradox), the Romans would heat wine with honey, pepper, bay leaves, and saffron, as documented by Roman gourmet Apicius.
Mulled wine properly gained popularity in Europe during the Middle Ages. Similar spices to those used today were meant to enhance the flavor of wine, which was often far from delicious. Preparing it as mulled wine made it not only tastier but also longer-lasting.
A Highlight of Your Winter Evenings: Indulge with PAPER & TEA
With delicious non-alcoholic mulled wine, you can create a special treat for yourself and your loved ones on a cold winter day. Have you discovered the exquisite winter teas from PAPER & TEA? The festive spices you also use for mulled wine have greatly inspired us to create these blends. Cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, orange, ginger: they all fill the room with a heavenly scent that is simply essential for a cozy winter mood. What is your favorite?
