Glühwein, aka mulled wine, is a cozy, spiced red wine, gently simmered with sugar, orange, and warm spices like cinnamon, cloves, and star anise. It's fragrant, lightly sweet, and a hug-your-mug kind of drink. This easy German mulled wine recipe includes a keep-warm option, and makes your whole kitchen smell (and taste) like the holidays.
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On a cold winter evening, nothing beats curling up by the fireplace with a warm mug of mulled wine. It's cozy, fragrant, and instantly makes the day feel a little more festive.
About This Recipe
I first learned this recipe from my hubby's German friends back in grad school. Known as Glühwein (sometimes spelled Gluhwein or Gluwein), mulled wine is a classic European winter drink-especially popular around Christmas.
This mulled wine recipe is my take on Glühwein. It's warm, perfectly spiced, and slightly sweet. And like many good things, this crowd-pleaser is made in the Instant pot in just 15-20 minutes!
I love using the Instant Pot to make mulled wine because I can keep it at a consistent mild heat on the Saute setting without having to monitor it continuously like I would on the stove. Plus, I can keep it warm for my guests using the 'keep warm' setting.
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What is Mulled Wine?
Mulled wine, also known as spiced wine, hot wine, or Glühwein, is a festive red wine drink simmered with whole spices, sugar, and citrus. It's sometimes served as-is, but is often spiked with another liquor, such as rum, bourbon, or Grand Marnier.
What kind of wine is best for mulled wine? Traditionally, mulled wine is made with red wine. I use a full-bodied red wine like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, or Syrah, but any similar red wine will work. Use a relatively inexpensive variety of wine since the flavor gets modified.
Ingredients- Notes & Substitutions
This cozy drink comes together with 6-7 ingredients, and chances are that you might have most of them at home. Let's take a look at mulled wine ingredients:
- Red Wine: Any full-bodied red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, or Syrah, works well.
- Orange: We need 2 oranges- one for infusing the flavor, and the other for garnish. Pick a ripe orange to add natural sweetness to the drink.
- Water and Sugar: These form the sweet base for this drink.
- Spices: I prefer cinnamon stick over bark, but use whatever you have on hand. We also need cloves and star Anise for flavor.
- Liquor: I like to kick up the flavors by adding Grand Marnier. You can add brandy, a shot of dark rum, whiskey, or bourbon instead, or skip it altogether.
Quantity Tip: One bottle of wine will yield about 5 cups of mulled wine. I usually account for 2 cups per person when making this recipe.
How to Make Mulled Wine (German Glühwein)
Here are the step-by-step directions on how to make mulled wine in just 20 minutes:
- Prepare sugar syrup: Turn the Instant Pot to SAUTE mode and adjust the heat to LOW. Add water and sugar, and bring it to a boil until the sugar dissolves.
- Prepare aromatics: While the water heats up, peel one orange- just the orange part, not the white pith. Pierce cloves into the orange peel. Juice the orange to get about ½ cup of juice. Add the orange peels, juice, star anise, and cinnamon stick to the pot. Simmer for 1-2 minutes.
- Add wine: Adjust the heat setting to low, then add the red wine.
- Simmer: Cover with a lid and let it simmer gently for 10 minutes. Cancel Saute and remove all the spices and orange peels.
- Serve warm: Stir in orange liqueur (or brandy). Ladle into heat-safe mugs. Add a cinnamon stick and 1-2 orange slices, and serve. You can also turn on the "keep warm" setting to keep it warm throughout the evening.
Alternative Method: Stovetop Mulled Wine
If you don't have an Instant Pot, you can easily make mulled wine on the stove. Follow the exact instructions in a saucepan on low heat. Be sure to watch it carefully so as not to overheat the wine.
Serving Suggestions
I love serving this mulled wine in glass mugs so you can see the color and wrap your hands around the warm mug. However, any mugs you have will work! I also love to brighten the mugs up with garnishes like orange slices, cinnamon sticks, or fresh cranberries.
This drink is the perfect beverage to serve at holiday parties with a spread of festive appetizers. Here are a few of my favorites to serve along:
Mulled Wine Variations
Here are some tried-and-tested variations of a class mulled wine!
- White mulled wine: If you prefer the taste of white wine over red, you can substitute the red wine with a dry or semi-sweet white wine and make a White Mulled Wine. Some wines that work great are Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, and Riesling.
- Non-Alcoholic Mulled Wine: I make a sun non-alcoholic variation for some of my friends and the kids, and it's a hit every year. I replace the red wine with apple cider and follow the recipe.
- Fruit variations: Instead of an orange, you can also use a grapefruit, blood oranges, Granny Smith apple, or a cup of blackberries.
- Replace sugar with an equal amount of honey or maple syrup for a refined-sugar-free variation.
How to Store
Leftover mulled wine will last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Be sure to remove all spices and citrus to prevent a bitter taste. To rewarm, microwave or heat on low on the stove.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Use whole spices. Ground spices will cloud the wine and are very difficult to strain out. Whole spices infuse the wine with flavor but are easy to fish out when you're ready to serve.
- Use fresh oranges for the best and most vibrant taste.
- Pierce the orange. I recommend piercing the orange peel with the cloves so they're easy to remove. Alternatively, you can use a spice cloth or cheese cloth to keep the cloves and star anise together so they can be easily fished out before serving.
- Cook on low heat. Use gentle heat, as high heat will cook out the alcohol and make the wine bitter.
- Don't overcook. You want to allow time for the spices to infuse into the wine, but if you leave them too long, those flavors can start to overtake the wine's taste.
- Double the recipe. You can easily double this recipe if you're serving a crowd. Double the recipe ingredients and cook as instructed. Just make sure to use the same type of wine.
- For an alcohol free mulled wine, replace the red wine with apple cider.
FAQ
There's essentially no difference-Glühwein is simply the German/Austrian name for mulled wine. It's the same cozy winter drink: warm, spiced red wine that's especially popular during the holidays, with "mulled wine" being the English term.
Mulled wine is about as alcoholic as the wine you're using to make it. Since we're heating the wine on low, we're not completely cooking out the alcohol.
Boiling mulled wine can cook out the alcohol, causing the wine to lose some of its flavor.
You can keep the mulled wine warm by turning on the "keep warm" setting of the Instant Pot. Before you do this, I recommend removing the spices and aromatics. If you let them sit in the wine too long, they will overtake the flavor of the wine, and the taste can become bitter.
More Easy Cocktail Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Gluhwein - Easy Mulled Wine Recipe (+ Keep-Warm Option)
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Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 orange peeled and juiced (½ cup)
- 1 orange Sliced into half-moons (garnish)
- ¾ cup water
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 cinnamon Stick
- 8-10 cloves
- 1 star Anise
- 750 ml red wine merlot/ cabernet sauvignon/ syrah
- 1½ oz Grand Marnier or brandy- add 2oz for stronger taste
Instructions
- Prepare sugar syrup: Turn the Instant Pot to SAUTE mode and adjust the heat to LOW. Add water and sugar, and bring it to a boil until the sugar dissolves.
- Prepare aromatics: While the water heats up, peel one orange- just the orange part, not the white pith. Pierce cloves into the orange peel. Juice the orange to get about ½ cup of juice. Add the orange peels, juice, star anise, and cinnamon stick to the pot. Simmer for 1-2 minutes.
- Add wine: Adjust the heat setting to low, then add the red wine.
- Simmer: Cover with a lid and let it simmer gently for 10 minutes. Cancel Saute and remove all the spices and orange peels.
- Serve warm: Stir in orange liqueur (or brandy). Ladle into heat-safe mugs. Add a cinnamon stick and 1-2 orange slices, and serve. You can also turn on the "keep warm" setting to keep it warm throughout the evening.
Stovetop Recipe
- Follow the same instructions in a deep saucepan. Keep the heat on low to make sure that once the wine is added, it does not boil.
Notes
- Use whole spices. Ground spices will cloud the wine and are very difficult to strain out. Whole spices infuse the wine with flavor but are easy to fish out when you're ready to serve.
- Use fresh oranges: Fresh oranges make a world of difference in taste here.
- Pierce the orange. I recommend piercing the orange peel with the cloves so they're easy to remove. Alternatively, you can use a spice cloth or cheese cloth to keep the cloves and star anise together so they can be easily fished out before serving.
- Cook on low heat. Use gentle heat, as high heat will cook out the alcohol and make the wine bitter.
- Don't overcook. You want to allow time for the spices to infuse into the wine, but if you leave them too long, those flavors can start to overtake the wine's taste.
- Double the recipe. You can easily double this recipe if you're serving a crowd. Double the recipe ingredients and cook as instructed. Just make sure to use the same type of wine.
- For an alcohol free mulled wine, replace the red wine with apple cider.
Reena says
You will not find a better recipe! I just made this for our neighborhood Christmas lighting party. It was ready in minutes. Do add the Grand Mariner at the end. Everyone at the party is now asking for this recipe!!!
Aneesha says
Hi Reena, I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for your kind words. Wish you a Happy Holiday Season!