Turkey 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. A full bottle of dry red wine gets gently coaxed with cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, and cloves until the whole kitchen smells like a holiday market. Brandy deepens the base, while fresh orange and lemon rounds add a bright citrus lift that balances all those heady spices beautifully. The key is patience — keeping the heat low enough that the wine never boils means you preserve all that complex flavor without cooking off the alcohol or turning the wine bitter. A final taste and a touch more sugar lets you dial in the sweetness exactly where you want it. Strained clean and ladled into mugs with a fresh garnish, it's an effortlessly impressive drink that comes together with nothing more than a saucepan and a handful of pantry spices. Completely free of any poultry by nature, every single ingredient here is plant-based or spirit-based, so there's nothing to swap or second-guess.
About FigFig is a food discovery app that helps you find foods and recipes that fit your dietary needs. Whether you have food allergies, intolerances, or follow a specific diet, Fig makes it easy to eat with confidence.
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.
Want the full recipe?
Create a Fig account for step-by-step instructions, access to our full recipe library, and more!