Hazelnut Free Mulled Wine (Glühwein)
Warm, spiced, and deeply aromatic, this mulled wine is the kind of drink that makes a cold evening feel like a celebration. 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 is patience — keeping the heat low so the wine never boils, just steeps, pulling every bit of warmth from those whole spices. Every single ingredient here is naturally free from tree nuts, so there's no need to scrutinize labels or worry about hidden additives sneaking into your cup. You can adjust the sweetness as you go, tasting and adding sugar a teaspoon at a time until it's exactly right for your crowd. Ladle it through a strainer into mugs and you've got something that looks and tastes far more impressive than the effort it actually takes.
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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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