Eggless Mulled Wine (Glühwein)
Warm, spiced, and deeply aromatic, this classic German mulled wine is the kind of drink that makes a cold evening feel like a celebration. Whole cloves, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and crushed cardamom pods steep slowly in red wine and a splash of brandy, filling your kitchen with a scent that's half cozy tavern, half holiday market. The fresh orange and lemon rounds add a bright citrus backbone that keeps everything from feeling too heavy or sweet. Naturally free of eggs in every sense — no hidden binders, no custard-style additions — this is one of those recipes where the ingredient list is exactly what it looks like. The key is patience: keeping the heat low so the wine never boils ensures you get a silky, full-bodied cup rather than something harsh or flat. A final taste-and-sweeten step lets you dial in the sugar to your liking before ladling it through a strainer into mugs. Serve it with a fresh orange slice or a cinnamon stick 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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