Last year on Dec. 22, 2022, the Academy of Country Music (ACM) provided a little inspiration for those final pre-holiday trips to the grocery store by sharing several recording acts' favorite recipes on Instagram. Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood and Little Big Town's Kimberly Schlapman's go-to baked goods got spotlighted, as did Christmas spirits —in the alcohol sense— from Kelly Clarkson.
Clarkson's simple recipe for mulled wine requires only a bottle of red wine, six whole cloves, five whole cinnamon sticks, three star anise, a quarter cup of honey, a half cup of brandy and an orange sliced into rounds for garnish. Put it all in a pot and bring it to a simmer before reducing the heat to medium low for 10 minutes.
Mulled wine is sometimes called spiced wine. It's typically an alcoholic drink that's frequently made with red wine and various mulling spices. Many recipes incorporate raisins. It can be served hot or warm and is traditionally drank during the winter months. It's regularly found at Christmas markets in Germany and other European countries. In Poland, it's often Vodka spiked. In whatever form, think of it as holiday party punch for adults.
Clarkson is always one with the yuletide this time of year. The NBC fixture will host the network's live two-hour special Christmas in Rockefeller Center on Nov. 29 starting at 8 p.m. ET. The show will concurrently livestream on the streaming service Peacock.
Clarkson will sing during the broadcast, 20 years after she first performed at the annual event.
"I'm so excited to consider this city and Rockefeller Center my new home, and I can't imagine a better way to kick off Christmas this year than to be a part of this beautiful New York tradition with the lighting of the tree!" Clarkson shared in a statement published by Today.
In Dec. 2022, ACM also shared Swift's chai sugar cookies, Underwood and Ivey Childers' pumpkin caramel french toast and Schlapman's Schlap happy bars. A longtime Underwood friend, Childers owns Nashville's Ivey Cake Store and founded Southbound Tequila.
Kelly Clarkson's Mulled Wine
One Bottle of Red Wine
6 Whole Cloves
5 Whole Cinnamon Sticks
3 Star Anise
1/4 Cup of Honey
1/2 Cup of Brandy
1 Orange, Sliced Into Rounds (Garnish)
Editor's Note: This story was first published on Dec. 22, 2022.
