The mulled wine recipe
per glass, choose 6 for a bottle
Put the wine, sugar, one orange slice, lemon peel, cinnamon stick, clove, and star anise in a heavy-bottomed pan.
Heat over low heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved; do not let the wine boil and keep it around 70 degrees.
Put the lid on the pan and let the mulled wine steep warm for 20 minutes.
Rinse a heat-resistant glass with hot water so it doesn't crack and the drink stays warm.
Pour the mulled wine through a small sieve into the glass and garnish with the second orange slice.
What did you think of this recipe?
One click on a star is enough. If you'd like to add something, we'll read it first before it appears here.
Save this recipe
Send the mulled wine recipe to your own email, so you have it at hand when you make it. You'll also receive a €5 discount code on orders from €50, for the glasses that go with it.
The story
Warming wine with spices is centuries old. The Romans already knew spiced wine, and in the Middle Ages hypocras was popular: sweetened wine with cinnamon and other spices, usually drunk cold. The oldest known German mulled wine recipe is attributed to the Saxon Count August Josef Ludwig von Wackerbarth and dates from 1834. The name says what it is all about: glühen means to glow. In 1956, Augsburg wine merchant Rudolf Kunzmann was the first to bottle mulled wine, and according to the story, he was fined for it because adding sugar to wine was not allowed at the time. Today, European regulations define what mulled wine is: a drink made exclusively from red or white wine, primarily spiced with cinnamon or cloves, without added water and with at least 7 percent alcohol.
The right glass
At a German Christmas market, mulled wine is served in an earthenware mug; at home, an Irish coffee glass works better. The handle keeps your fingers away from the hot glass, the foot keeps it steady on the table, and the heat-resistant glass lets you see the deep red color. A glass of 26 to 28 cl is ideal: it holds a 12.5 cl serving with a slice of orange, while leaving room to capture the aroma. Rinse the glass with hot water beforehand. You can find them in our Irish coffee glasses collection.
Onis Acapulco Irish Coffee Glass 28 cl (6 pieces)
Libbey Sentido Irish Coffee Glass 26 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets together € 33,90.
The right tools
For mulled wine, besides the glass, use a bar spoon to stir, a jigger for precise measuring and a nutmeg grater. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glassware set (our choice 01) + 3 bar tools together € 80,80.
What do you make mulled wine with?
For mulled wine, you need red wine. On every drinks page, you can read the alcohol percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it works well in and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
Glühwein mit Schuss gets 2 cl of rum or amaretto per glass, added only once it is in the glass, so the alcohol does not evaporate in the pan. In Germany, it can officially no longer be called mulled wine, but punch. For white mulled wine, use a dry Riesling with lemon instead of orange. Scandinavian glögg is served with raisins and peeled almonds in the glass. Closer to home is Bisschopswijn, with an orange studded with cloves, while those who prefer whisky and honey can make a Hot Toddy.
Serving tip
Keep the pan on the lowest heat or place it on a réchaud, so everyone can top up their glass without the wine coming to a boil. Remove the cloves and star anise after half an hour; otherwise, the mulled wine will become bitter. Find more hot drinks among the winter cocktails.
Good to know
Making mulled wine for a whole bottle
A 75 cl bottle is exactly six glasses of 12.5 cl. So for the recipe, choose 6 people and you’ll immediately see the right quantities: 60 grams of sugar, 12 orange slices, the peel of half a lemon cut into strips, 3 cinnamon sticks, 6 cloves and 3 star anise. Half of the orange goes into the pan; save the rest for the glasses. For a party with twelve or eighteen guests, put two or three bottles on at the same time. Use a pan that is no more than two-thirds full, so you can stir without spilling, and check after twenty minutes whether the spices can be removed.
Which wine should you use for mulled wine
Choose a dry, fruity red wine with low tannins and little or no oak aging. Merlot, grenache, zweigelt, dornfelder, and a simple côtes-du-rhône work well. Tannins taste stronger in warm wine, making it feel astringent, while the vanilla and smoke from oak compete with the cinnamon. It does not need to be expensive: sugar and spices mask the finesse of a good bottle. The very cheapest boxed wine does make the mulled wine thin and sour. A simple wine that you would also enjoy drinking without spices is the right level.
How hot can mulled wine get
Around 70 degrees is ideal: steaming hot, but without bubbles. Alcohol boils at 78 degrees, well below the boiling point of water, so as soon as the wine starts bubbling, the alcohol evaporates quickly and the flavor becomes flat. Cloves and star anise also turn bitter if they steep at too high a temperature or for too long. A cooking thermometer makes this easy. Without a thermometer, watch the edge of the pan: if you see small bubbles rising there, turn down the heat. Keep the lid on the pan so the alcohol and aroma stay where they belong.
Mulled wine spices: whole or ground
Use whole spices. Ground cinnamon and cloves do not dissolve, make the wine cloudy, and leave a gritty layer on the bottom of your glass. You can simply remove whole cinnamon sticks, cloves, and star anise after steeping, or put them in a tea infuser beforehand. Ready-made mulled wine spice bags work too: hang one in each bottle, just like a tea bag. Cloves are the strongest of the bunch, so use them sparingly. For more depth, add a slice of fresh ginger or half a vanilla pod.
How to make alcohol-free mulled wine
For an alcohol-free version, replace the wine with red grape juice, or with half grape juice and half strong rooibos tea if you want it less sweet. Leave out the sugar, as grape juice is sweet enough. The spices, orange, and method remain the same. Since it contains no alcohol, this version can be heated a little more, although the spices will still turn bitter when boiled. In Germany, this drink is called Kinderpunsch and is sold at every Christmas market alongside the mulled wine. You can find more alcohol-free drinks among our mocktails.
Difference between mulled wine and bishop's wine
Mulled wine and Bishop's wine are both hot red wine with spices, but the emphasis differs. Mulled wine comes from Germany, is drier and more spiced, and centers on cinnamon, cloves and star anise with a little citrus. Bishop's wine is the Dutch Sinterklaas version: sweeter, with an orange studded with cloves, often a pinch of nutmeg and no star anise. Scandinavian glögg is heavier again, with raisins, almonds and often a splash of stronger liquor. Anyone who has mastered the technique for mulled wine can make all three: low heat, whole spices and never boiling.
Frequently asked questions
How do you make mulled wine?
Heat dry red wine with sugar, orange slices, a strip of lemon peel, cinnamon, cloves and star anise over low heat to around 70 degrees. Let it steep for twenty minutes with the lid on the pan, without boiling, and pour it through a small sieve into a preheated, heat-resistant glass. Allow 12.5 cl of wine per glass, so one bottle makes six glasses.
How much alcohol is in mulled wine?
About the same as in the wine you start with, usually 11 to 13 percent, as long as you do not let it boil. The sugar and moisture from the orange lower the percentage slightly. If the wine does boil, alcohol evaporates quickly. Under European regulations, mulled wine must contain at least 7 percent alcohol.
Can you reheat mulled wine?
Yes. First remove the spices and orange, otherwise it will become bitter, and store the mulled wine covered in the refrigerator. It will keep for two to three days. Then warm it slowly over low heat to around 70 degrees and do not let it boil. Per glass, you can also use the microwave in short intervals.
Which glass do you use for mulled wine?
A heat-resistant glass with a handle, such as an Irish coffee glass holding 26 to 28 cl. The handle protects your fingers, and the glass lets you see the color. A thick-walled tea glass or double-walled glass also works. Always rinse the glass with hot water first so it does not crack from the temperature difference. See also our tea glasses.
Everything for your bar,
at one address
Glasses in hospitality quality, delivered as a set. Order today, delivered quickly.
Shop the glasses →