Glühwein

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(313)

Glühwein is a hot spiced "glow wine" that's found in many winter markets in Germany and Austria. This is the recipe my father would make for New Year's Eve. Many tourists know it as an after-ski drink. After you come in from being out in the cold and snow, this warm, spicy mulled drink is supposed to make you "glow" with warmth again.

3 clear mugs of spiced wine garnished with orange slices and cinnamon sticks.
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Prep Time:
5 mins
Cook Time:
35 mins
Total Time:
40 mins
Servings:
6
Yield:
3 cups

Warm up from the inside out with this cozy Glühwein recipe. Subtly spiced cloves and cinnamon, you'll want to make this orange-infused wine all season long.

What Is Glühwein?

Glühwein is German mulled wine. The word translates to "glow wine" because the boozy beverage will make you feel lit from within!

Best Wine for Glühwein

Use dry red wine, such as Chianti or cabernet sauvignon. Don't use something you wouldn't want to sip on, but you also don't want to waste your most expensive bottles.

No matter what you use, make sure you add the wine to the mixture when it is hot but not simmering (so the alcohol doesn't boil out).

How to Make Glühwein

You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here's a brief overview of what you can expect when you make this cozy Glühwein:

  1. Bring the water, sugar, and cinnamon stick to a boil. Reduce the heat to low.
  2. Cut an orange in half and squeeze the juice into the mixture.
  3. Push the cloves into the outside of the orange peel. Place into the simmering mixture.
  4. Simmer until the mixture is thick and syrupy. Remove from heat.
  5. Stir in the wine while the mixture is hot, but not simmering.
high angle looking down at a mug of Gluewein
dotdash meredith food studios

How to Serve Glühwein

Remove the cinnamon stick and orange peel, then ladle the Glühwein into stoneware mugs. Garnish with orange wedges. If you choose to serve the drink in glass mugs, make sure to heat them with hot water first so the glass doesn't shatter.

Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise

"Utterly fantastic," raves wenzk. "I made this for my husband and he was just as impressed, the smell in our house was great and the deep rich warming effect. Lovely!"

"I was in Frankfurt, Germany last year for their Christmas Market," says one Allrecipes community member. "All you can smell is Gluehwein, there is a vendor every few feet. It was the best thing I had ever tasted! This recipe is exactly like I remember it."

"Often, I like to add a few splashes of brandy," according to Sarah. "It makes it a bit more potent, which is especially nice if your wine got a little too warm and some alcohol evaporated."

Editorial contributions by Corey Williams

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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 6 servings

  • ¾ cup water

  • ¾ cup white sugar

  • 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick

  • 2 medium oranges, divided

  • 10 whole cloves

  • 1 (750 milliliter) bottle red wine

Directions

  1. Gather all ingredients.

    All ingredients gathered to make Gluehwein.

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  2. Combine water, sugar, and cinnamon stick in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low.

    Water, sugar and a cinnamon stick combined in a saucepan.

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  3. Cut one orange in half; squeeze orange halves over the sugar mixture to release their juice. Push 5 cloves into the outside of each orange peel; place peels into the simmering mixture. Continue to simmer over the lowest heat until thick and syrupy, 20 to 30 minutes.

    Mixture is now thick and syrupy.

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  4. While mixture is simmering, slice remaining orange and set aside for serving.

  5. When mixture is finished simmering, stir in wine and heat until steaming but not simmering, 3 to 5 minutes. Discard orange peels and cinnamon stick.

    Stir wine into mixture and heat until steaming.

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  6. Ladle into mugs and garnish with orange slices.

    3 clear mugs of spiced wine garnished with orange slices and cinnamon sticks.

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

552 home cooks made it!