Old-Fashioned Swedish Glögg

Glögg is a Swedish punch made from spiced wine. My grandfather brought this recipe over from Sweden in 1921. We still use it today. “God Jul!”

Preparation Details

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins

Servings: 60

Ingredients

• 5 (750 milliliter) bottles port wine
• 1 (750 milliliter) bottle 100 proof bourbon whiskey
• 1 (750 milliliter) bottle white rum
• 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
• 1 (3-inch) strip of orange peel
• 4 whole cloves
• 3 whole cardamom pods, cracked
• 1 (8-inch) square of cheesecloth
• ¾ cup white sugar
• 1 (15 ounce) package dark raisins
• 1 (6 ounce) package blanched slivered almonds

Steps

1. Heat port wine in a large stockpot with a lid over medium heat until just below the simmering point. Add bourbon and rum; heat until just below simmering. Save the bottles and their caps for storing leftover glögg.
2. Meanwhile, place cinnamon stick, orange peel, cloves, and cardamom pods in the center of the cheesecloth square. Gather edges of the cheesecloth and tie with kitchen twine to secure; set aside.
3. When wine mixture is very hot but not boiling, carefully light it with a long-handled match. Wearing a heatproof cooking mitt, carefully pour sugar into the flames; let mixture burn for 1 minute. Place the lid on the stockpot to extinguish the flames and turn off the heat. Let mixture cool, covered, about 10 minutes.
4. Add the cheesecloth spice bundle, raisins, and almonds to warm wine mixture; let it cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.
5. Strain cooled glögg and reserve the raisins and almonds.
6. To serve: Pour glögg into a saucepan and warm over medium-low heat until hot but not simmering, about 5 minutes. Ladle 3 ounces of warmed glögg into a small coffee cup or a small Swedish-style glögg mug, and garnish each serving with a few reserved raisins and almonds.