Peanut Free Mulled Wine (Glühwein)
Few drinks capture the warmth of a cold evening quite like a steaming mug of spiced red wine, and this classic German-style version is deeply aromatic and endlessly cozy. A full bottle of dry red wine gets gently infused with cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, cloves, and fresh citrus rounds, then brightened with a splash of brandy or dark rum for a little extra depth. The key is keeping the heat low and patient — you want fragrant, gently simmering wine, not a boil that would cook off all the good stuff. Every ingredient here is straightforward and naturally free from peanuts or tree nut cross-contact concerns, so you can focus entirely on getting the spice balance just right. A final taste-and-adjust step with sugar means you can dial in the sweetness to your exact preference before ladling it through a strainer into mugs. It's the kind of drink that makes a holiday gathering feel genuinely special, and it comes together with almost no effort at all.
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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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