Mulled Wine Jam Recipe

This mulled wine jam combines frozen mixed fruit with red wine and cozy spices for a rich, aromatic spread that captures all the best flavors of the season. It’s perfect for spooning over cheese boards, spreading on toast, or gifting during the holidays.

If you love cozy flavors, make-ahead Christmas treats, and recipes that feel special without being complicated, this mulled wine jam is a lovely recipe to keep in your back pocket. Made with frozen mixed berries, a bottle of red wine, and classic wine spices, it’s the kind of blog post recipe that feels right at home on a holiday table, cheese board, or tucked into jam jars for gifting.

This wine jam recipe takes inspiration from spiced wine, red wine jelly, and even old-school plum jam traditions, but it’s simplified for modern home cooks. No fancy equipment, no long time on the stove, and no need for water bath canning unless you want to go that route. Let’s break it down.

Why You’ll Love This Mulled Wine Jam

• Cozy, spiced flavors that capture the holiday spirit
• Uses frozen mixed berries, so it’s easy and budget friendly
• A great make-ahead Christmas recipe for gifting or entertaining
• Freezable feasts friendly (no pressure to can)
• Works as both a jam and a mulled wine syrup style topping
• Flexible texture depending on whether you use natural pectin or added pectin
• Perfect for cheese boards, baking, or even a bowl of vanilla ice cream

This is one of those recipes that feels special without being fussy, which is exactly what I love teaching home cooks to make.

Mulled Wine Jam Ingredients

No exact measurements listed here on purpose. This section focuses on understanding ingredients, substitutions, and technique.

Fruit Base

• Frozen mixed berries – Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries work beautifully. You can also mix in red plums or fruit with plum skins for a deeper flavor, similar to plum jam.

Sweetener

• Granulated sugar – This is non-negotiable. The sugar content is required to reach the proper setting point and stabilize the jam. Reducing it will affect texture and safety.

Wine & Citrus

• Dry red wine – Think merlot or cabernet from a wine club pickup or even a budget-friendly bottle of red wine.
• Lemon juice – Fresh lemon juice balances sweetness and helps with setting.
• Orange peel or orange zest – Use strips of peel or zest carefully. Avoid the white pith to prevent bitterness. Orange juice or orange quarters can throw off balance, so stick to peel.

Spices (Wine Spices)

• Cinnamon stick – Warm and grounding
• Star anise – Adds depth and that classic mulled aroma
• Whole cloves – Powerful, so a little goes a long way

Flavor Finish

• Salt – Enhances everything
• Vanilla – Stirred in at the end for roundness

Optional

• Pectin powder – For a firmer set, especially if you like a classic strawberry jam texture or plan to use it in linzer cookies

How to Make Mulled Wine Jam

Start by adding the frozen fruit, red wine, sugar, lemon juice, salt, and spices to a medium-large pot. Let everything sit briefly so the berries begin to thaw. Set the pot over medium heat and bring it up slowly.

Once bubbling, mash the fruit gently. You’re not looking for a rolling boil yet—just a gentle simmer. Stir often to prevent sticking, especially as the sugar dissolves. As moisture cooks off, the bubbles will slow and look glossy. This is a key visual cue I always teach.

If using pectin, whisk it in during the simmering stage and cook briefly to activate. Toward the end, you’ll reach a full boil momentarily, then return to medium-low heat to finish.

Remove the cinnamon stick, star anise, whole cloves, and orange peel. Stir in vanilla, then let the hot jam cool completely before transferring to jam jars.

Do You Need Pectin for Mulled Wine Jam?

No, you don’t need pectin. Mixed berries contain natural pectin, and the sugar and lemon juice help the jam set as it cooks. If you like a softer, spoonable texture—similar to red wine jelly or white wine jelly—skip it.

Use pectin if:

• You want a firmer set
• You plan to bake with it
• You prefer a traditional jam texture

How Long Does Mulled Wine Jam Take to Cook?

The total time is about 45 minutes. Prep takes only a few minutes, and the cook time is roughly 30 minutes at medium heat to medium-high heat, followed by cooling.

You’ll know it’s close when:

• The bubbles slow
• The jam coats a spoon
• A small spoonful placed on a small saucer wrinkles when pushed

That’s your setting point.

How to Store Mulled Wine Jam

This jam should be refrigerated unless properly processed.

• Refrigerator: Store in sealed jars for up to 2 weeks
• Freezer: Freeze up to 3 months (great for healthy freezable meals and make-ahead Christmas prep)

Water bath canning is possible, but it requires tested acidity levels and proper processing. If you’re newer to canning, freezing is safer and simpler. Follow standard canning practices through trusted sources if doing so.

How to Use Mulled Wine Jam

This jam shines beyond toast.

• Spoon over baked brie or in a brie bread bowl or make a decadent grilled cheese sandwich
• Swirl into yogurt or serve with a bowl of vanilla ice cream
• Use as a filling for linzer cookies
• Sub out the cranberry sauce in my cranberry brie jalapeño poppers and use this instead
• Serve on a cheese board alongside sausage, crackers, or even leftover chicken recipes

It’s also excellent paired with holiday mains and makes a thoughtful gift.

Tips for the Best Mulled Wine Jam

• Keep heat controlled. Avoid scorching by stirring and adjusting to low heat when needed.
• Don’t rush the reduction. Jam takes time to thicken properly.
• Remove spices fully to prevent bitterness over time.
• Label jars with the date, especially if freezing.
• Remember the alcohol content cooks down significantly, leaving flavor behind.
• Pair as a dipping sauce with these amazing sausage rolls.

More Recipes To Try

Cranberry BBQ Sauce

Apricot BBQ Sauce Recipe

Steak and Red Wine Compound Butter