In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, water, cinnamon, cloves, and cranberries. This recipe produces quite a spicy syrup. If you're concerned it might be too strong for you, start with 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves, taste test after a few minutes of simmering, and add the rest if necessary. Bring to a boil and immediately turn down to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently and being careful not to let mixture boil over sides of saucepan. After 10 minutes, cranberries will be macerated and mixture will have thickened. Allow to cool.
Once cranberry mixture has cooled, strain through a mesh sieve, cheesecloth, or fine strainer into a small container. Save the cranberry chunks and use as chutney.*
You should now have about 1 cup of mulled cranberry syrup. Use 1/2 cup per 1-750mL bottle of wine, or add 2 Tablespoons to each 6 ounce serving (or add to taste). You can also use your syrup for any cocktail in which you enjoy cranberry juice. Store mulled cranberry syrup in an airtight container at room temperature and use as needed (mixture will thicken as it cools-- heat up to return to liquid).
To serve chilled:
Add a touch of club soda (if desired) right before serving.
Moisten the rim of a glass with water and roll in cinnamon sugar (optional). Garnish with cranberries and ice (if desired).
To serve warm:
Heat wine and syrup in a large saucepan or pot over low heat until heated through.
Moisten the rim of a mug with water and roll in cinnamon sugar (optional). Garnish with cranberries (if desired).
Notes
Your spiced cranberry chutney can be used for spreading on crackers or bread, spreading on a block of cream cheese to eat with crackers and/or bread, with pork, lamb, or venison, on a sandwich, or at Thanksgiving.
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.