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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Glögg (Swedish Mulled Wine)

    Published: Dec 28, 2020 · Modified: Oct 22, 2022 by Neriz · This post contains some affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    No Christmas celebration in Sweden is complete without some Glögg (or Swedish Mulled Wine).  If you haven’t tried it yet, no worries, there is no need to travel to Northern Europe to enjoy it.  You can easily make it at home!

    An overhead shot of a cup of glogg, highlighting the star anise and cardamom spice in it.

    What does glögg mean?

    Glögg is a warm, spiced drink that is popular in the Nordics during Christmas.  

    You will always see it in family gatherings, as well as office parties — where they serve it at the start of the main event, while everyone is ‘warming up.’ 🙂 

    The smell and the taste of glögg, it’s simply perfect for Christmas.  

    Be warned, though, when you prepare this at home; your entire kitchen would smell so good, you wouldn’t want to leave!

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    Ingredients

    An image showing all the ingredients you need to prepare glögg at home.
    • Orange – some prefer to add orange slices instead of just the peels when making Swedish glögg. However, it gives it a bit of too much orange flavor for me, so I only use the peels.
    • Spices – cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, and cloves.
    • Red Wine – go for any young, dry red wine, not the bold or sweet kind (like Lambrusco).   

    Remember that you will add spices to it, so it will be more challenging to balance the flavor if they have deep, oaky taste.

    • Sugar – regular, white sugar is all you need for this Swedish glögg recipe.
    • Almonds and raisins – you need both for serving.
    A closer shot of a saucepan filled with Swedish mulled wine, with t he spices floating; on the side, raisins and blanched almonds are shown.

    Preparation

    Start preparing your Swedish glögg by placing a medium-sized saucepan over low heat.

    Pour both bottles of red wine into the saucepan (photo 1).

    Add orange peel, cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, and cloves (photo 2).

    First part of a collage of images on how to make homemade mulled wine.

    Add sugar (photo 3).

    Mix until sugar has dissolved (photo 4).

    Cover with a lid and continue simmering for about twenty minutes, mixing occasionally.  Do not let it BOIL!

    Second part of a collage of images showing the step by step process on how to make mulled wine at home.

    Take the saucepan off the heat.

    Transfer it into a jug or bottle and let everything soak for at least two hours (ideally up to twenty-four hours).

    When ready to serve, strain the spices and heat the glögg — enjoy with some raisins and blanched almonds.

    An overhead shot of a pan of homemade glögg, ready for serving, with raisins and almonds on the side.

    Recipe variation

    • Other liquor.  Traditionally, cognac or brandy are added to Swedish glögg.  

    A lot of locals still do, just not my preference.  But if you love those liquor, then go ahead and enjoy!

    An image that shows how Swedish glogg is served, with raisins and blanced almonds.

    FAQs

    Can you drink cold mulled wine?

    Absolutely.

    But traditionally, glögg is served warm (not boiling). The warmth, coupled with spices’ aroma and flavor, is part of what gives you that warm, fuzzy feeling when drinking it.

    What is the difference between glögg and gluhwein?

    They refer to the same thing, except gluhwein is how they call it in Germany.  

    Oh! And it’s called ‘vin brulé‘ in Italy. 🙂

    Can you boil alcohol out of mulled wine?

    Boiling will definitely cause most of the alcohol to evaporate. 

    Nothing wrong with that if that’s what you prefer.  

    I see quite a lot of non-alcohol glögg sold here in Stockholm as well.  So, it’s not an anomaly at all.

    How long can you keep a bottle of glögg?

    If you keep it sealed in a container, it will stay fresh for about 3 to 5 days.  Just keep it refrigerated, then warm it up when serving.

    What can I serve with it?

    Glögg is excellent with gingerbread cookies, lussekatter (Swedish saffron buns), or a slice of this saffron cake.  

    Give these combos a try!

    See how easy it is to make this Swedish glögg recipe?  So, give it a go this weekend and let me know!

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    📖 Recipe

    An overhead shot of a cup of glogg, highlighting the star anise and cardamom spice in it.

    Glögg Recipe (Swedish Mulled Wine)

    A Nordic tradition that you can easily prepare at home. Give Swedish Glögg (Mulled Wine) a try and discover why the locals love it so much!
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    Course: Drinks
    Cuisine: Swedish
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Resting Time: 2 hours hours
    Total Time: 2 hours hours 40 minutes minutes
    Servings: 10
    Calories: 101kcal
    Author: Neriz

    Equipment

    • Medium-Sized Saucepan
    • Pyrex Measuring Cups
    • Rubber Spatula
    • Strainer for Sifting

    Ingredients

    • 2 bottles red wine, (750 ml each)
    • 1 medium orange peel
    • 4 sticks cinnamon
    • 3 pcs star anise
    • 15 pcs cardamom pods
    • 15 pcs cloves
    • 2/3 cup sugar
    • 1/4 cup raisins (for serving)
    • 1/3 cup almonds, blanched (for serving)

    Instructions

    Preparing Swedish mulled wine:

    • Place a medium-sized to a large saucepan over low heat and pour the wine into it.
    • Add the peels, cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, and cloves.
    • Add the sugar and mix until completely dissolved.
    • Continue simmering for 15 minutes — but do not let it boil.
    • Take it off the heat, transfer the wine into a bottle or jug, and let everything soak for 2 to 24 hours.

    Serving homemade glögg:

    • Strain the spices and heat the wine (again, do not boil).
    • Pour into serving glasses or mugs.
    • Serve Swedish glögg with some almonds and raisins.

    Notes

    • Cook’s Tip #1:  Make sure you do not boil the wine when making Swedish glögg.  It causes most of the alcohol to evaporate.
    • Cook’s Tip #2:  Use young, dry red wine instead of sweet or robust variety.
    • Cook’s Tip #3:  If you prefer a more orangey flavor in your homemade glögg, use orange slices instead of orange peels.
    • Cook’s Tip#4:  Cognac or brandy are traditionally added in Swedish glögg, so feel free to do so if you like it.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 101kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 7mg | Potassium: 103mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 13IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1mg
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