Mulled gin with the Thermomix® takes 15 minutes and makes 2 glasses (about 240 kcal per glass). 500 g orange juice plus 60 g gin plus 1 piece of ginger plus 1 orange plus cinnamon, vanilla and star anise. Heated at 80°C in reverse direction. Important: the gin goes in at the very end so the alcohol does not evaporate.
We make mulled gin as a trendy alternative to classic mulled wine during the festive season. If you find mulled wine too sweet (typical industrial sugar punch), mulled gin gives you a bitter-fruity, herbal and spiced winter drink. At Christmas markets in Hamburg, Berlin and Munich it has been a firm favourite since 2018.
Mulled Gin with the Thermomix®
Ingredients 0 / 7 ✓
- 1 ginger approx. 4 cm
- 1 orange
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 sachet vanilla sugar
- 1 star anise
- 500 g orange juice
- 60 g gin
Instructions 0 / 3
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1
Prepare the ingredients.
Peel the ginger and slice it into the mixing bowl. Wash the orange, peel zest from one half and add it. Slice the other half.
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2
Heat the gin.
Add the remaining ingredients except the gin to the mixing bowl and heat for 6 minutes / 80°C / reverse direction / speed 1. Add the gin and mix for 5 seconds / reverse direction / speed 3.
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3
Strain and serve.
Pour the mulled gin through a sieve into two glasses and serve garnished with orange slices.
Tip: The mulled gin also tastes great with passion fruit juice. Give it a try!
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Nutrition per serving
Why gin and not vodka or rum
Gin contains juniper, coriander, angelica root, orris root and, depending on the brand, 20 to 30 different botanicals. These botanicals pair perfectly with festive spices (cinnamon, cloves, star anise) and the acidity of orange juice. Vodka would be neutral and dull, rum too sweet and molasses-heavy.
Recommended gin styles: London Dry Gin (Bombay Sapphire, Tanqueray) as the standard choice. Premium option: Monkey 47 or The Botanist (more intense botanicals). Budget gin works too, but the aroma is flatter. Use at least 37.5% ABV (the EU minimum standard for gin).
Adding the gin at the end: why not cook it through
Alcohol evaporates at 78°C. If you add the gin from the start, you end up with an alcohol-free punch. So: heat 500 g orange juice with spices, ginger and orange zest for 6 minutes at 80°C in reverse direction at speed 1. Only then add 60 g gin and mix for 5 seconds at reverse direction speed 3.
The same principle applies to classic mulled wine: red wine is never boiled, just warmed to 70 to 80°C. At higher temperatures both wine and gin lose their alcoholic character.
Fresh ginger and orange zest: the aroma boosters
1 piece of fresh ginger (about 3 cm, peeled and sliced) brings heat and warms from the inside. Ground ginger does not work: too powdery, no fresh aroma. If you do not have fresh ginger, leave it out rather than using powder.
Orange zest from an unwaxed organic orange: use a peeler to remove thin strips of the yellow skin (the white pith is bitter). 5 to 6 strips are enough. Important: use an unwaxed orange to avoid wax and preservatives on the skin.
Plus orange slices for garnish: slice half an orange thinly, place one in the glass and one on the rim.
Variations: apple, elderberry, cassis or tea
Apple mulled gin: 250 g cloudy apple juice plus 250 g orange juice. Sweeter, milder, a little less acidity.
Elderberry mulled gin: add 50 g elderberry syrup. Deep-fruity and autumnal.
Cassis mulled gin (purple colour): 50 g creme de cassis instead of 60 g gin. Turns the punch dark purple and sweeter.
Tea variation: 250 g orange juice plus 250 g strong hibiscus or berry tea. Less acidity, more tea flavour.
Hot gin (purist style): 500 g water plus 80 g gin plus spices plus honey. No juice, almost like a hot cocktail.
Pink gin variation: use a pink gin (e.g. Beefeater Pink) instead of classic gin, plus 1 tbsp pomegranate syrup. Visually striking and berry-forward.
Alcohol-free (for children): replace the gin with 60 g bitter lemon or tonic water (no alcohol, but a similar herbal and bitter character).
Serving: heatproof glasses, garnish, tonka bean
Pour into heatproof glasses or mugs (standard wine glasses can crack). Garnish: 1 orange slice cut onto the rim, 1 cinnamon stick as a stirrer, 1 star anise floating on top, and optionally 1 sprig of rosemary (surprisingly good with gin).
Pro tip: add 1 tonka bean (scored with a knife) before heating. It brings a vanilla and almond note that tastes genuinely premium. One tonka bean is enough for 4 to 6 brews.
For a Christmas market atmosphere: serve in thick mugs or handled glasses, alongside gingerbread or candied almonds. Turns your kitchen into a private chalet.
When to serve mulled gin
During Advent and the festive season (November to January). At festive brunches, Christmas parties, or New Year’s Eve pre-drinks. As an aperitif before the Christmas meal instead of sparkling wine. On sledging outings or mulled wine walks carried in a flask.
Also great at Halloween parties (pink gin variation with pomegranate) or winter birthdays. If you fancy other festive drinks, try our Advocaat Liqueur with the Thermomix® or the classic egg punch.
Best served fresh, can be reheated for up to 1 day
Best served fresh and straight away. Keeps in the fridge in a bottle for up to 1 day (strain out the spices first, otherwise they turn bitter). To reheat: 5 minutes at 80°C in reverse direction at speed 1 in the Thermomix®. Never go above 80°C or the alcohol will be lost.
For advance preparation: place all ingredients except the gin in the mixing bowl in the afternoon, then simply heat in the evening and add the gin. A spice mix in a screw-top jar, cinnamon plus star anise plus vanilla plus dried orange zest, keeps for up to 6 months and also makes a lovely Christmas gift.
