The Christmas season calls for warmth.
Not just in your hands, but deep inside your body.
Ayurveda reminds us that what we drink affects us just as much as what we eat – especially during the winter months, when cold, dryness, and movement can easily create unrest in the system.
This Ayurvedic mulled wine is intended to be more than just a cozy drink.
It's a small winter ritual.
Warming, spicy, and balancing – and created to support the body during a time when we often push it a little more than it truly asks for.
Ingredients
Base
– 1 liter apple juice or grape juice (or a mix)
– 2 dl cranberry juice
Spices
– 1 cinnamon stick
– 5 green cardamom pods (lightly crushed)
– 5 cloves
– 2–3 cm fresh ginger, sliced
– ½ tsp black peppercorns
– 1 star anise (optional)
– 1 small piece of licorice root (optional – adds sweetness and soothes the respiratory tract)
Sweetness (to taste)
– 1–2 tbsp raw honey or jaggery
(add only when the mulled wine has cooled slightly)
Optional, when serving
– A slice of orange or some orange peel
– Raisins and chopped almonds
Instructions
Combine cranberry juice, spices, and ginger in a saucepan.
Bring to a boil, then simmer gently for 10–15 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.
Add apple juice, and grape juice if using, and optionally orange slices. Heat slowly – do not boil.
Turn off the heat, cover, and let the mulled wine steep for 5–10 minutes.
Strain out the spices.
When the mulled wine is warm, but not boiling hot (approx. 60 °C), stir in honey or jaggery.
Serve warm – perhaps with raisins and almonds in the cup.
An Ayurvedic perspective on mulled wine
In Ayurveda, spices are not about intensity, but about digestion, circulation, and balance.
This mulled wine is formulated to warm without overheating and to create calm rather than agitation.
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Cinnamon and cardamom provide warmth and softness
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Ginger and pepper ignite the digestive fire (agni)
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Cloves and star anise have a mild calming and grounding effect
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Licorice root adds sweetness and supports the respiratory tract
Adjust to your dosha
Ayurveda reminds us that we don't all need the same things – not even during the Christmas season.
Vata
This mulled wine is particularly good for Vata: warm, sweet, and calming. Perfect on cold, windy days or in the evening when the body needs to settle down.
Pitta
Reduce the ginger and pepper, and preferably choose grape juice over apple juice. Serve the mulled wine mild and not too hot.
Kapha
Increase the ginger and pepper, perhaps with a pinch of turmeric. Use less sweetness and drink it as an invigorating ritual during the day.
Enjoy!
