Homemade Mulling Spice Mix Bags

Ingredients

• 6 ounces, weight Whole Cinnamon Sticks
• 10 whole Nutmegs
• ⅓ cups Finely Chopped Crystallized Ginger
• ⅔ cups Dried Orange Peel
• ⅔ cups Dried Lemon Peel
• ¾ cups Whole Cloves
• ½ cups Allspice Berries

Preparation Instructions

You will also need:
32 empty tea bags (I use #3 T-sacs)
cooking twine
quarter-pound candy boxes (optional)
instruction labels (optional
ribbon (optional)

Place cinnamon sticks and nutmegs in a zippered freezer bag and close, pressing out all the air from the bag. Place the bag on a cutting board and pound with a heavy pot or frying pan until sticks and nutmegs are broken into pieces.

Chop ginger into small pieces. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Set aside. Cut kitchen twine into 32 six-inch pieces. Place 2 slightly heaping tablespoons full of spice mix into each tea bag and tap gently on a hard surface to settle the spices in the bottom of the bag. Fill all bags until spice mixture is completely used up.

Pinch each bag closed about 1 inch above the top of the spices so they have enough room to expand and move around while in the liquid. Tie a double knot around the pinched point with the kitchen twine, and add a bow if you like.

If you are giving these as gifts, make sure to include the instructions below for your recipients.

To make mulled apple cider:
Combine 1/2 gallon apple cider and 1 spice bag in a crockpot or a large pot on the stove. Heat for 30-40 minutes or until hot. Remove spice bag and discard. Serve hot.

To make mulled wine:
Combine 1/3 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in a large pot on medium heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add 750 ml of red wine and 1 spice bag. Reduce heat to low and heat until wine is hot. Remove spice bag and discard. Serve hot.

Adapted from About.com