How to Make Amazing Gluhwein (Mulled Wine) Without Sugar
If you’re enjoying crisp cold weather, mulled wine is the perfect cozy companion. The warm aromatics fill your house with familiar fall scents like cinnamon and cloves. And during the holiday months when the time seems to whirl by, it's one of the easiest (and fastest) cocktails to make for yourself or a party.
By selecting the best wine, balancing out aromatic spices, and adding fresh fruits we've perfected this amazing Gluhwein recipe so you won’t even miss the sugar.
Start by choosing a fruity red wine
By starting with a sweeter wine, you’ll utilize the natural sugar from the grapes instead of adding additional sweeteners later. According to Wine Folly, wine is made from fermented grape juice and the grape sugar is converted into alcohol. Sweet red wines are produced by stopping the fermentation a little early, leaving a touch of grape sugar behind in the wine.
If you’re wondering exactly what brands of wines to use, here’s a great list of The Best Sweet Red Wines. Since mulling wine disguises a lot of subtle flavor profiles, there’s no need to splurge on a fancy bottle. We usually aim for a bottle in the $8-$10 range.
Use mostly whole spices, not ground
Whole mulled wine spices allow you to infuse fragrant flavor without the unpleasant grainy texture of ground spices. With a mesh infusion bag or cheese cloth you can customize your own spice blend and avoid straining out small bits later. If whole spices are hard to find in your local grocery store, this mulled wine kit has everything you need.
No Sugar Gluhwein Recipe
Ingredients
1 bottle of fruity red wine
1 orange, juiced
1 orange, sliced
6 allspice berries
10 cloves
4 cinnamon sticks
12 cardamom pods
4 anise stars
Step 1 - Infuse & Simmer
Combine mulled wine spices in a mesh infusion bag or cheese cloth and tie close. Pour one full bottle of wine into a large pot and submerge your spice bag in the wine. Add fresh orange juice and slices directly into the pot and simmer on low for 20 minutes. Don’t let your wine come to a boil unless you want the alcohol to burn off. Once ready, turn off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
Step 2 - Serve
Pour into a ceramic mug or a heat proof glass. We used these beautiful Irish coffee mugs, which are heat safe and pretty to look at. Garnish with an anise star or orange slice and enjoy!