Infuse Magic into Your Evenings: Discover My Irresistible Mulled Wine Spices Recipe!
This is my traditional homemade German Mulled Wine Spice Mix recipe. It’s incredibly easy to make and always so cozy and delicious. Mulled wine is a perfect drink for cold winter days when you need to warm up in front of the fireplace. In Germany you traditionally enjoy your Glühwein with your friends at the Christmas Markets.
Winter’s chill is no match for the delicious warmth of German mulled wine, or Glühwein, a time-honored tradition that has kept people cozy and content for centuries. As the cold evenings draw in, there’s nothing better than curling up by the fire with a steaming mug of spiced wine. Today, I’m excited to share my authentic German mulled wine spice mix recipe that will transport you to the heart of a charming German Christmas market with every sip!
The Magic of Glühwein
Steeped in history and rich in flavor, Glühwein is a delightful combination of red wine, spices, citrus, and sugar, all simmered together to create a soul-warming drink. This mulled wine spice mix celebrates the essence of German tradition and adds a touch of nostalgic magic to your winter gatherings. So, let’s dive into this recipe and make your home smell like a festive wonderland!
I am absolutely convinced that homemade mulled wine just about the easiest recipe ever for winter and holiday entertaining. Truly. It literally just takes about 5 minutes to prep and can be made either on the stovetop or in a slow cooker. It’s easy to scale anywhere from a “date night” for two…up to big holiday parties with dozens. It’s totally customizable with your favorite spices and liqueurs. And my German Mulled Wine Spice Mix makes an easy last minute hostess gift if filled in a nice spice jar. You just need to replace the fresh orange slices with dried ones.
Which Wine to Use?
Wine forms the backbone of this recipe, so naturally, your wine selection is important. Do not use expensive wine for mulled wine, since you are using a whole bottle or more. Just choose a quality wine not too cheap, but definitely not too expensive.
The best red wine to use for mulled wine is Merlot or Zinfandel. These wines are dark, fruity and full bodied, which means they can support all of the flavors we’ll be adding. Avoid red wines that are high in tannins or super oaky in flavor, like Cabernet Sauvignon. Also avoid very light red wines, like Pinot Noir, because they don’t offer enough body to carry the spices.
You can even add some Brandy to the Mulled Wine which amps up the alcohol content a bit. That’s the reason why I’m not using much of it, it’s more for a warming flavor.
For an alcohol free and kids friendly version you can substitute the red wine with grape juice. Reduce the sugar amount to your liking.
Mulled Wine Spices - Glühweingewürz
Equipment
- 1 Tea Egg or Disposable Tea Bag
Ingredients
- 1 bottle Red Wine
- 1 Orange peeled and in slices
- 4 Cardamom Capsules
- 1 Star Anise
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
- 4 Cloves
- 5 tbsp. Brown Sugar
Instructions
- Peel the oranges and slice them. Keep some of the orange peel for decoration.1 Orange
- Heat the red wine in a pot and add the sugar, cinnamon stick, orange peel and orange slices to the wine.1 bottle Red Wine, 1 Orange, 1 Cinnamon Stick, 5 tbsp. Brown Sugar
- Put the spices into a tea egg or a disposable tea bag and add to the red wine.4 Cardamom Capsules, 1 Star Anise, 4 Cloves
- Let the wine simmer over low heat for about 10-15 minutes. Don't let it boil, otherwise the alcohol will evaporate. Pour into mugs and serve. Decorate with an orange peel.
