The Williams Sonoma mulling spices make the most delicious mulled cider. These DIY homemade holiday mulling spices are a great gift idea for hostess gifts, teacher gifts, or just keeping on hand to spice up apple cider and wine during the winter season.
I have a free printable instruction tag for you to print and add to the jar. Scroll to the bottom of the post for the free downloadable printable.
Simple ingredients including cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, allspice, and dried orange peel will put this spice blend on your holiday menu each year.
What are homemade mulling spices made of?
Recipe Card?
To find the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions CLICK HERE to go to the recipe card.
This recipe for homemade mulling spices is a combination of crushed cinnamon sicks, whole cloves, whole allspice berries along with dried orange rind.
How to make mulling spices
- Combine all the spices together and mix until thoroughly combined.
- Store in an air-tight container until ready to use.
This is a copycat recipe of the Williams Sonoma mulling spice and I have done my best to literally deconstruct a sample size of the mulling spices you can purchase at W&S. I am not using the exact variety of spices called out on the label but ones I had in my kitchen cabinet. Also I am not including the oils that care called out on the ingredient list on the label. It is not exact for these reasons.
1 cup of Williams Sonoma mulling spices:
- Whole all spice berries: 16 grams
- Dried Orange Peel: 26 grams
- Crushed cinnamon sticks: 69 grams
- Whole Cloves: 9 grams
How do you make a large batch of mulled apple cider for a crowd?
I like to make mulled cider for a crowd in a large crock pot or slow cooker. For every ½ gallon of cider you are going to need ¼ cup of mulling spices. For every gallon of cider you are going to need ½ cup of mulling spices.
Add your homemade mulling spices to a reusable spice ball, muslin tea bag or double layer of cheesecloth. Warm in the crockpot for a minimum of 2 hours on low or 1 hour on high. Remove the spice ball or spice bag before serving your hot mulled cider or wine.
Seasonal Favorite
This is the best homemade seedless black raspberry jam recipe made with fresh or frozen black raspberries.
What are the benefits of mulling?
The process of mulling infuses drinks hot apple cider and red wine with aromatic spices that provide a complex, robust flavor profile. Common mulling spices can include; cinnamon, clove, allspice, nutmeg, and orange peel.
You could also add ginger, lemon peel, cardamom pods, star anise or whole peppercorn to the spice bag or tea bag. When these spices are added to heated cider or wine, they impart a delicious warmth and aroma that is perfectly cozy for cold weather.
Top Tip
Strain the whole spices out before serving.
Breathing in the fragrant steam from a mulled drink can be relaxing thanks to the aromatherapy benefits. Additionally, mulling is an easy way to create a tasty, festive drink using common ingredients that most people have on hand already.
The scents and presentation make mulled beverages ideal for holiday gatherings and evoke a spirit of community and celebration.
How much mulling spices for a bottle of wine?
To make mulled wine the amount of spice mix can vary based on personal taste, but 3-4 tablespoons of mulling spice is a starting point for a well-balanced mulled wine with a 750ml bottle. For stronger spice flavor, use the full 4 tablespoons per bottle. For more subtle spice notes, stick to around 3 tablespoons.
I like to select a dry red wine when I am making spiced holiday wine. Allow the wine to steep with the spice mixture for at least 20 minutes, up to a few hours to fully infuse.
Strain the whole spices out before serving if you don't want floating bits in the mulled wine.
Want to give this as a gift?
I have made a free printable tag for you to add to your jar. Instructions are on the tag and directions on where to go to make a refill of this recipe.
Printable tag tips:
- Download the PDF.
- Make sure to print the tags in a landscape or horizontal orientation.
- Print on card stock (110 lb)
- Use the guide marks to help cut apart the tags.
Giving mulling spice as a gift
- Make a batch of mulling spices.
- Print and cut out the tags.
- Fill a 8 ounce canning jar with 1 ½ cups of mulling spices.
- Close with a lid and a ring.
- Cut 27 inches of twine or string.
- Punch holes in the top of the tag.
- Lace the twine or string through the holes and tie around the neck of the jar.
- Optional: include a spice ball with the jar, tying the chain under the twine.
Free Printable Tag:
Click here to download the printable
FAQ's and Tips
Not a problem if you don't have a tea ball for the mulling spices! Use a square of cheese cloth, tied up with string instead of the tea diffuser. Alternatively, you can use a paper coffee filter, tied with string as well.
Fill a large tea ball infuser with 2 tablespoons of these mulling spices and in a medium sauce pan, gently simmer 4 cups of apple cider over medium heat for 20 minutes. After the simmer time is up, gently remove the infuser ball and serve the mulled cider in a mug with a garnish of a whole cinnamon stick and a grate of fresh nutmeg.
I am a big fan of using a local, unfiltered apple cider. By it being un-filtered or partially filtered, it is going to have more body to the drink and contain more nutrients than a filtered cider. You can change up your flavors by switching out part of the cider for apple juice, pear juice, cranberry juice or cherry juice.
I recommend using fresh spices for each batch of mulling. Once the spices have infused the drink for a few hours, they have done their job.
That being said, during a party I have been known to add a heavy splash of wine or cider to the pot or slow cooker just to 'stretch' the drink. The longer the drink mulls, the stronger it gets. By adding fresh liquid to the end of a batch it can brighten it up and mellow out any strong, concentrated flavors.
If I see that the drink container is empty, I will start the process of mulling over with fresh spices. The choice is up to you but this is what I do in my home.
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Whole all spice berries
- ⅔ Cup plus 2 tablespoons Dried Orange Peel
- 1 Cup crushed cinnamon sticks
- 2 Tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons whole cloves
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients and store in an air tight container.
To serve:
- 2 tablespoons of these mulling spices in a tea ball and in a medium sauce pan, gently simmer 4 cups of apple cider over medium heat for 20 minutes.
- For every ½ gallon of cider you are going to need ¼ cup of mulling spices.
- For every gallon of cider you are going to need ½ cup of mulling spices. Warm in the crockpot for a minimum of 2 hours on low or 1 hour on high.
- Remove the spice ball from the cider before serving.
Nutrition
Notes
- crush cinnamon sticks in a zip top bag with a rolling pin.
I am Sarah Mock. Welcome!
Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 15 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.
Meri Mastronardi says
How often can the tea-ball filled with mulling spices be used? Must it be thrown away after one use?