Glögg is the traditional Swedish mulled wine for Christmas. In Sweden the holiday season revolves around one beverage– Glögg. It’s warm, spiced, sweet, soul-warming and spiked. This cozy red wine drink is as important for the Christmas mood in Sweden as Eggnog is in other countries.

Glögg is the Swedish version of mulled wine. It is served in small cups or glasses with almonds and raisins in the bottom. Hosting a glögg party is very common during the month of December in Sweden. During these parties, glögg is served with snacks and sweets.

Glögg -The Swedish Mulled Wine For Christmas

Ingredients

Red wine

Port Wine (or sweet wine)

Vodka

Cinnamon stick

Cloves

Cardamom pods

Dried ginger

Dried Sevilla orange peel (bitter orange) or peel from a fresh orange.

Water

Sugar

Let’s make some Glögg

In the recipe I use dried Seville orange peel (bitter orange). If you can’t find any, just use some fresh peel from an orange.

In a medium size pot, add water and all the spices. Bring it to a boil and then add the sugar. Then lower the heat and let it simmer until all the sugar is dissolved – for about 3 minutes. Add the red wine, port wine and the vodka. Give it a taste and add more sugar according to your liking if needed.

If you want it stronger, just add some more vodka. But keep in mind, sugar + alcohol will make you see Santa for real.

Perhaps the most important tip of all – don’t let the glögg come to a boil! Boiling or even simmering the glögg will cause the alcohol to evaporate. You don’t want that! Bring the glögg up to the point of simmering and then turn off the heat.

You can enjoy your glögg straight away. But I prefer to let it rest for a day or two so that the spices can soak in the glögg .

Use a skimmer to remove the spices before serving.

Pour into a bottle without the spices and store cool. The mulled wine lasts for at least three months but is usually finished long before that.

Glögg without alcohol

If you want to make an alcohol free version, add the spices to either an alcohol free red wine or blackcurrant cordial (syrup), diluted according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Then add the spices and heat.

Serving

Heat gently before serving, but don’t let it boil.

Place some almonds and raisins in small glasses or espresso cups and fill them with your homemade Swedish Glögg. Let your guests use a spoon to eat the delicious almonds and raisins.

Merry Christmas and Skål.

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