Non-alcoholic mulled wine (aka Kinderpunsch in German) is the perfect drink to get into the holiday spirit this time of the year. It’s a great alternative to using alcohol and is perfect for the whole family. Filled with grape juice, apple juice, warm spices, fresh fruit, and a dash of honey, this mulled wine without alcohol is the best choice for holiday parties.
Make a large pot of this homemade alcohol-free punsch, glögg, or glühwein for your holiday parties because it will go fast! This non-alcoholic version is great for serving kids and people who are staying away from alcohol. Serve it alongside hot chocolate, hot apple cider, or your other favorite non-alcoholic drinks.
Besides making this drink on the stove, you can also make it in a crock pot or an instant pot if you need to save stove space for cooking other holiday dishes. This is the perfect way to kick off the festive season at all your holiday parties this year.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Perfect for kids
- Makes the house smell festive
- Meal-prep friendly
- Cozy and comforting
For more delicious German recipes, check out my German waffles, spelt pretzels, German gingerbread, and coconut macaroons.
Ingredients
Find the simple ingredients for this delicious alcohol-free drink at your local grocery store or online retailer.
- Red grape juice
- Apple juice – clear, not cloudy
- Lemon – zest and juice
- Oranges – zest and juice
- Honey or an alternative sweetener of you choice, e.g. brown sugar, maple syrup
- Whole cloves
- Cinnamon sticks
- Cardamom pod
- Star anise
How to make mulled wine
These simple steps are the best way to make this non-alcoholic mulled wine recipe.
- In a large saucepan, combine the grape and apple juice, orange and lemon zest, and their juice, the spices, and the honey.
- Bring it to a simmer and reduce the heat immediately.
- Add a small sieve to your mug when pouring the mulled wine to strain out any zest and spices.
- Serve it with a thin slice of orange to add extra flavor and color.
- Reduce the heat to low to keep any leftover mulled wine hot for second serves.
Tips
Try these tips and tricks to make this delicious recipe.
- Make this warm drink up to a day ahead of time. This is a great way to allow the flavor to intensify as it sits in the refrigerator.
- Strain the entire pot to remove the whole spices and orange peel before serving. Otherwise, you can strain each individual glass.
- Dip the rim of your glass in water, then lightly dip it in granulated sugar for a festive sugar rim.
- Once this warm beverage reaches a simmer, remove it from the heat. It does not need to boil.
Serving
Serve this warm wine with a garnish for this holiday season. Adding a little flair when serving this drink at Christmas parties makes a beautiful presentation.
- Fresh orange slices
- Sugar rim
- Cinnamon stick
- Rosemary
- Whole cranberries
Variations
This holiday mocktail can be changed to fit your tastes and preferences. Here are some options to get you started.
- Use cranberry juice or pomegranate juice for the grape juice.
- Prepare this drink in a slow cooker or instant pot rather than a pot on the stove.
- Add other spices like nutmeg, ginger, black peppercorns, or cardamom pods for an even spicier drink.
- Pour in a tablespoon of pomegranate molasses for depth of flavor like a great glass of wine.
Serving suggestion
Refrigerate: Keep this non-alcoholic beverage in a pitcher in the fridge for up to one week.
Reheat: You can drink this drink cold right from the refrigerator. Otherwise, you can heat it slowly in a small saucepan on the stovetop until it’s simmering. Another option is to heat it in an individual mug in the microwave in 30-second increments until it’s warm all the way through.
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FAQ
Can I use non-alcoholic wine in this recipe?
Should I use ground spices instead of whole spices in mulled wine?
Can I freeze non-alcoholic mulled wine?
Recipe
Non-Alcoholic Mulled Wine
Ingredients
- 4 cups red grape juice
- 4 cups apple juice
- 1 lemon zest and juice
- 2 oranges zest and juice
- 1 tbsp honey
- 8 cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 cardamom pod
- 1 star anise
Instructions
- In a large pot, combine the grape and apple juice. Add zest of 1 orange and the lemon as well the juice of each of them. Add in the spices and honey, and combine everything well.4 cups red grape juice, 4 cups apple juice, 1 lemon, 2 oranges, 1 tbsp honey, 8 cloves, 2 cinnamon sticks, 1 cardamom pod, 1 star anise
- Bring it to a simmer and reduce the heat immediately. The alcohol-free mulled wine does not need to boil.
- Add a small sieve to your mug when pouring the mulled wine into it to strain out any zest and spices.
- Serve it with a thin slice of orange to add extra flavor and color.2 oranges
- Reduce the heat to low to keep any leftover mulled wine hot for second serves.