Vegetarian Mulled Wine (Glühwein)

Total time30 min

Prep time5 min

Cook time25 min

5.0

(22)

Few drinks capture the feeling of a cold evening better than a steaming mug of spiced red wine, and this classic German-style version delivers exactly that kind of deep, aromatic warmth. A full bottle of dry red wine forms the backbone, while brandy adds a gentle kick and layers of whole spices — cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, and cloves — slowly infuse the liquid with incredible complexity. Fresh orange and lemon rounds brighten everything up, keeping the flavor from feeling too heavy or one-note. The key technique here is patience and low heat: you want the wine to steam and barely simmer, never boil, so the alcohol stays mellow and the spices have time to bloom properly. A final taste and sugar adjustment means you can dial in the sweetness to exactly where you want it before ladling it through a strainer into mugs. It's the kind of drink that makes your whole kitchen smell like a holiday market, and it comes together with almost no effort. Serve it with a fresh orange slice or cinnamon stick and it looks as good as it tastes.

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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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