Wheat Free Mulled Wine (Glühwein)
Warm, spiced, and deeply aromatic, this classic German mulled wine is exactly what cold-weather gatherings call for. A bottle of dry red wine gets gently coaxed with cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, cloves, and fresh citrus until the whole kitchen smells like a Christmas market. A splash of brandy or dark rum deepens the flavor and gives it that unmistakable festive warmth. The good news for anyone avoiding wheat is that this recipe is naturally free of it — wine, whole spices, and citrus need no substitutions or workarounds whatsoever. The key technique here is patience: keeping the heat low so the wine never boils preserves the bright fruit notes and lets the spices bloom without turning bitter. A final pass through a fine-mesh strainer means every mug is silky smooth and ready to sip. Serve it straight from the pot with a fresh orange slice and let it do all the work of making the evening feel special.
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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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