Mustard Free 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. Red wine is gently heated with citrus rounds, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, and cardamom until everything melds into something rich and wonderfully fragrant — a splash of brandy or dark rum rounds it all out beautifully. The key is patience: keeping the heat low and never letting the wine boil preserves the depth of flavor and keeps the alcohol from cooking off too aggressively. Every ingredient here is naturally free from mustard in any form, so there's no need to scrutinize labels or worry about hidden spice blends sneaking something unwanted into your cup. You can adjust the sweetness as you go, adding sugar a teaspoon at a time until it hits exactly the right balance for your taste. Ladle it through a strainer into mugs, add a fresh orange slice or cinnamon stick for a little flair, and serve it immediately while it's still steaming.
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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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