Beef Free Mulled Wine (Glühwein)
Warm, spiced, and deeply aromatic, this classic German mulled wine is the kind of drink that turns a cold evening into something genuinely festive. Dry red wine simmers low and slow with cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, cloves, and fresh citrus rounds until the whole pot smells like a holiday market. A splash of brandy or dark rum adds a gentle kick that rounds out the spice beautifully. The key here is patience — keeping the heat low so the wine never boils means you preserve all that rich, velvety depth without cooking off the alcohol or turning the flavor sharp. Naturally free from any meat-based ingredients, this is a recipe where every element is purely plant-forward and pantry-friendly. A final taste and a touch more sugar lets you dial in the sweetness exactly where you want it before ladling it through a strainer into mugs. Serve it with a fresh orange slice or a cinnamon stick resting on the rim and watch it disappear fast.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 1 bottle (750 ml) dry red wine (such as merlot, pinot noir, or dornfelder)
- ¼ cup brandy or dark rum
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar, plus more to taste
- 1 orange, sliced into rounds
- 1 lemon, sliced into rounds
- 6 whole cloves
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 4 whole star anise
- 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- ¼ tsp whole black peppercorns (optional)
For serving
- orange slices or cinnamon sticks, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the red wine, brandy, sugar, orange rounds, lemon rounds, cloves, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and cardamom pods in a medium saucepan. Add the peppercorns, if using.
- 2
Warm the mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar, until steam rises steadily and small bubbles appear around the edges — about 10 minutes. Do not let the wine boil; reduce the heat to low as soon as it approaches a simmer.
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