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Smelling Salts Journal

November 29, 2021

Advent 2021, Make-Ahead Monday: SSJ’s Best Mulling Spices

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Today we’re making mulling spices!

Every few years, around the holidays, I make mulling spices in bulk to give to friends. I’ll place a large cupful of the spices in a mason jar or several individual portions in loose-leaf tea-bags in that jar to give as a gift on its own. Or I’ll bundle a bottle of wine or half-gallon of cider with a single-serve portion in a loose-leaf tea infusion bag.

Here’s the Mulling Spice Blend I’ve settled on. Though you can come up with your own using a base of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice or clove. I’ve also included a quick DIY for the dried citrus peel, which is an absolute no-brainer and makes your living space smell amazing. And of course, you’ll find the proportions and instructions for mulled wine and cider to share with family and friends.

Et Voila: SSJ’s Best Mulling Spices

Print Recipe

SSJ’s Best Mulling Spices

Makes 3½-4 Cups, or 22+ servings

Equipment

  • Ziplocs and a mallet or rolling pin for bashing spices
  • Mason jars for storage or gift giving
  • Individual Tea Bags OR Cheesecloth and Twine OR a Tea Infuser for gift giving AND for making the mulled wine or cider

Ingredients

SSJ'S BEST MULLING SPICE BLEND

  • 4 Whole Nutmeg, bashed
  • 8 Small, Whole Star Anise, bashed
  • 1 cup Cassia Bark, ie Cinnamon Stick Shards [85g or 3oz] or the equivalent weight in Whole Cinnamon Sticks, bashed
  • ⅓ cup Green Cardamom Pods
  • ¼ cup Dried Lemon Peel,* Coarsely Chopped
  • ⅓ cup Dried Orange Peel,* Coarsely Chopped
  • ¼ cup Allspice Berries
  • ¼ cup Whole Cloves
  • ¼ cup Diced Crystallized Ginger [Optional]

*DIY DRIED CITRUS PEEL

  • 3 Navel Oranges [yields 1/3 cup]
  • OR
  • 4 Lemons [yields 1/4 cup]

FOR MULLED WINE

  • 2-3 tbs SSJ'S BEST MULLING SPICE BLEND
  • 750 ml Bottle of Red or White Wine [We like a reasonably priced Shiraz or Malbec]
  • ⅓ cup Sugar, Honey, or Other Sweetener [May be omitted]

FOR MULLED CIDER

  • 2-3 tbs SSJ'S BEST MULLING SPICE BLEND
  • 8 cups Cider [1/2 gallon]

Instructions

SSJ'S BEST MULLING SPICES

  • Place the whole nutmegs, star anise, and whole cinnamon sticks [if you can't find shards] into a large ziploc-style bag, and pound the spices with the flat side of a meat tenderizer or rolling pin until broken into small pieces.
  • Place the spices, *dried citrus, and diced crystallized ginger [optional] in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.
  • Distribute the mixture into smaller jars or by ~3 tbs measure into single-serve tea bags for giving.

*DIY DRIED CITRUS PEEL

  • Heat oven to 170° F.
  • For each batch, line 2 large baking pans or cookie sheets with parchment.
  • Use a vegetable peeler to remove the peel but not the pith of your oranges or lemons, and place them on the parchment-lined pan.
  • Bake for 50-60 minutes, checking to make sure the peel is not browned or burnt at the 40 minute mark.
  • Turn off the oven and leave the pan in the oven for 2-3 hours.
  • If the peel is not fully dried, allowed to cool on the counter for a few hours.
  • Place the peels in a ziploc-style bag and bash with the flat side of a meat tenderizer or a rolling pin to reach a coarse chop.

FOR MULLED WINE

  • Place ~3 tbs of the mulling spices in a single serve teabag, a few layers of cheesecloth tied with twine, or a tea infuser.
  • In a pot on the stove, combine one 750ml bottle of wine with the bag of mulling spices and ⅓ cup of honey or sugar. [Sugar may be omitted]
  • Heat on low for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.
  • Compost or otherwise discard the spices.
  • Ladle the mulled wine into mugs and serve warm.

FOR MULLED CIDER

  • Place ~3 tbs of the mulling spices in a single serve teabag, a few layers of cheesecloth tied with twine, or a tea infuser.
  • In a pot on the stove, over medium high heat, combine 8 cups [half a gallon] with the bag of spices and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.
  • Compost or otherwise discard the spices.
  • Ladle the mulled cider into mugs and serve warm.

Notes

Mulled Wine and Mulled Cider recipes may be doubled.

FOLLOW SSJ’S ADVENT CALENDAR DAILY BY CHECKING THE SMELLING SALTS JOURNAL HOME PAGE OR ACCESSING THE 2021 ADVENT EVENTS CALENDAR.

OR TAKE A LOOK BACK AT THE SSJ ADVENT CALENDARS FROM 2020, 2019, 2018, AND 2017 OR BROWSE THE POSTS OF CHRISTMAS PAST: 2011-2016!

Filed Under: Advent Calendar, All Recipes, Christmas, Cocktails, Featurette, Holiday, Living, Special Tagged With: Advent Calendar, Advent Calendar 2021, DIY Mulling Spices, Make-Ahead Monday, Mulled Cider, Mulled Cider Recipe, Mulled Wine, Mulled Wine Recipe, Mulling Spices, Mulling Spices Gift, Mulling Spices Recipe

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Welcome to Smelling Salts! I'm Roseanne, and this is where I record my best recipes, take notes on arts, culture, and style, and write essays about what keeps me going.
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