Glögg: Scandinavia's Spiced Mulled Wine and a Simple Recipe

Photo via Pexels. A general mulled wine scene, not a specific glögg brand or recipe.

Sometime in late November, a quiet change takes place in Nordic kitchens, offices and train stations. A smell arrives: orange peel, cloves, cinnamon and cardamom, warming in a pot. In Sweden it is called glögg, in Denmark and Norway gløgg, and in Finland glögi. Whatever the spelling, it is the unofficial scent of the Scandinavian winter, the drink that turns a dark 3 p.m. into something close to a party.

Most English-language articles describe glögg as “Scandinavian mulled wine” and leave it there. That undersells it. Glögg is stronger, spicier and more ritualised than the glühwein or mulled cider most people know, and the way it is served, with raisins and almonds waiting at the bottom of the cup, is its own small tradition. This guide covers where glögg came from, how it differs from country to country, how it is drunk, and a simple recipe you can make at home.

What Is Glögg?

Glögg is a spiced, usually sweetened and often fortified hot drink, traditionally based on red wine. Its name is short for glödgat vin, “glowing wine”, from the Swedish verb glödga, to heat until glowing. The term is first recorded in Swedish in the early seventeenth century, though people had been warming and spicing wine across Europe for far longer, going back to Roman times.

The classic Scandinavian spice set is:

Cinnamon sticks for warmth
Cloves for sharp, almost medicinal depth
Cardamom, the signature Nordic spice, which also flavours Sweden’s cardamom buns
Ginger for a dry heat
Bitter orange or orange peel, which gives the drink its distinctive, slightly bitter edge

What sets glögg apart from German-style glühwein is the spirit. Many Nordic recipes strengthen the wine with vodka, brandy or aquavit, and some commercial versions are fortified well beyond ordinary wine strength. Older recipes were much milder: a nineteenth-century Swedish recipe reportedly mixed a bottle of red wine with water, a few cloves, cinnamon and sugar. Over the decades both the strength and the spice list grew.

Glögg, Gløgg and Glögi: How the Countries Differ

Sweden: the original and the most ritualised

Swedish glögg is the version most people picture. It is served hot in small cups or mugs, and a spoonful of raisins and blanched almonds goes into each cup before the glögg is poured over them. You drink the liquid first, then eat the soaked fruit and nuts with a small spoon. Alongside it you will find pepparkakor (thin gingerbread biscuits), saffron-scented lussekatter and sometimes blue cheese.

The social calendar matters as much as the drink. Offices host a glöggmingel, a short mingle with glögg and biscuits, and the season peaks around St Lucia on 13 December. You will also meet glögg at the start of a julbord, often served as a welcome drink before the herring appears. For more on the season as a whole, see our guides to Swedish Christmas traditions and Swedish Christmas food.

Denmark and Norway: gløgg with a side of dough

In Denmark, gløgg is almost always paired with æbleskiver, small round pancake-like dumplings dusted with sugar and dipped in jam. Together they are a staple of Christmas markets and of the cosy evenings Danes call hygge. Danish recipes lean on port or sherry as well as red wine, and raisins and almonds still go in the cup. Our roundup of Danish Christmas food covers what usually shares the table.

Norwegians drink gløgg in much the same way, typically at advent gatherings and in the run-up to the big Christmas dinners, whether that means the pinnekjøtt of the west coast or the notorious lutefisk.

Finland: glögi, with or without alcohol

Finland has made glögi its own. Alongside the wine-based drink, Finnish shops sell a large range of non-alcoholic glögi, usually built on blackcurrant or other berry juice, which you simply heat and spice. It suits a country where many people drive in the dark winter months and where office and school events want something everyone can share. Finnish glögi is typically served with joulutorttu, a star-shaped prune jam pastry.

A quick comparison

Sweden: red wine, often fortified; raisins and almonds in the cup; gingerbread and saffron buns on the side
Denmark: red wine plus port or sherry; served with æbleskiver and jam
Norway: similar to Denmark; a fixture of advent gatherings
Finland: wine-based or berry-juice-based, often alcohol-free; served with prune tarts

How to Drink Glögg Properly

Serve it hot, not boiling. It should be steaming and sippable, not scalding.
Add the raisins and almonds first. A teaspoon of each in a heatproof glass or mug, then pour.
Use a small cup. Glögg is rich and strong, so a small cup is traditional; you can always have a second.
Pair it with something dry and spiced. Gingerbread, saffron buns or æbleskiver balance the sweetness.
Do not drive afterwards. Nordic countries are strict about drink-driving, and glögg is stronger than it tastes.

A Simple Glögg Recipe

Every family has its own version, and many Swedes buy a bottle of concentrated glögg base and add it to wine. If you want to make it from scratch, this is a reliable starting point. It makes about eight small servings.

Ingredients

1 bottle (750 ml) fruity red wine
100 ml vodka, brandy or port (optional, for a stronger drink)
2 cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves
6 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
A thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, sliced
Peel of 1 orange, in wide strips with the white pith removed
80 to 120 g sugar, to taste
Raisins and blanched almonds, to serve

Method

Pour the wine into a saucepan and add the spices, ginger, orange peel and sugar.
Heat gently until it is steaming, and keep it just below simmering for 15 to 20 minutes. Do not let it boil, or you will lose alcohol and flavour.
For the strongest flavour, turn off the heat and let it steep for an hour or even overnight, then reheat gently.
Strain, stir in the spirit if using, and taste. Add more sugar if you want it sweeter.
Put a spoonful of raisins and almonds in each cup, pour the hot glögg over them and serve.

Non-alcoholic version: replace the wine with a bottle of blackcurrant or mixed berry juice, reduce the sugar, and follow the same method. This is essentially Finnish-style glögi.

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Where to Drink Glögg in the Nordics

Christmas markets: the best place to try it. See our guides to the best Christmas markets in Scandinavia and the best Christmas markets in Stockholm.
Copenhagen in December: bars, bakeries and market stalls all serve gløgg. See December in Copenhagen for ideas.
Offices and homes: if you are invited to a glöggmingel, say yes.

Alcohol is regulated differently in each country, with Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland selling stronger drinks mainly through state-controlled shops. Our article on Swedish drinking culture explains the system, and if you want to compare glögg with something much more aggressive, try the story of Iceland’s Brennivín.

Why Glögg Matters

It would be easy to dismiss glögg as a seasonal novelty, but it does something important in Nordic life. In a region where winter means very little daylight, glögg is a reason to gather, light candles and stay a little longer. It marks the start of the Christmas season rather than the end, and it is a rare drink that is shared as much at work as at home. The best way to understand it is to hold a cup, spoon out the last almond and listen to the room.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is glögg the same as mulled wine?

It is a close relative. Glögg usually contains cardamom, bitter orange and a splash of spirit, and it is served with raisins and almonds, which sets it apart from most other mulled wines.