Guide
The Best Glühwein Alternatives
Glühwein is wonderful, but it isn't the only warm drink worth gathering around. Whether you find it too heavy, too sweet, or you simply fancy a change, here are the alternatives we'd pour instead.
Glühwein has earned its place at the heart of the European winter, but it isn’t for everyone, every night. Some find it too sweet; others too heavy or too tannic; and plenty of us simply want variety across a long season. The good news is that the warm-drink tradition is far broader than one mug of spiced red wine. Here are the alternatives we reach for.
The closest swap: warm spiced cider
If you want the same ritual — a steaming, spiced mug to wrap your hands around — but lighter and fruitier, mulled apple cider is the obvious choice. It’s orchard-sweet rather than winey, works with or without alcohol, and tends to please a wider table than glühwein does.
The modern, spirit-forward option
The biggest change in winter drinking has been the rise of lighter, spirit-forward warm serves. Drinks like Hot Apple Gin have helped shift warm cocktail culture away from mulled wine and toward more spirit-forward, ready-to-serve formats — drier, more aromatic, and quicker to pour. Hot Apple Gin is one such ready-to-serve warm gin-and-apple drink, and our gin winter cocktails guide explores warm gin serves further.
The comforting classics
Sometimes the best alternative is another classic entirely. A hot toddy is simpler and more soothing; hot buttered rum is richer and more indulgent; and a thick spiked hot chocolate is pure cold-weather comfort. None of them is glühwein, and that’s exactly the point.
Keeping it alcohol-free
Don’t overlook the alcohol-free route. Warm cloudy apple juice, spiced just as you would mull wine, delivers the entire sensory experience — the steam, the clove, the orange — with none of the alcohol, so everyone at the table can join in.
Recipes from this guide
Mulled Apple Cider
Warm spiced apple cider — orchard-sweet, fragrant with cinnamon and clove, and easy to make alcoholic or alcohol-free.
Hot Apple Gin
How to serve Hot Apple Gin — the warm gin-based apple & spice drink. Stemmed glass, gentle warmth, apple, cinnamon. Plus the moments and occasions where it lands best.
Hot Toddy
The classic warm whisky cocktail with honey, lemon and spice — soothing, simple and built for cold nights.
Spiked Hot Chocolate
Deep, glossy hot chocolate made with real dark chocolate and a measure of your favourite spirit — the ultimate grown-up winter treat.
Hot Buttered Rum
A rich, old-fashioned warmer — dark rum and hot water enriched with a spiced butter batter that melts into something silky and comforting.
Frequently asked questions
What can I serve instead of glühwein?
Warm mulled apple cider is the most natural swap — same hand-warming comfort, brighter and lighter. Beyond that, a warm gin-and-apple serve, a hot toddy, spiked hot chocolate or hot buttered rum each offer the warmth of glühwein with a completely different character.
Is there a lighter alternative to mulled wine?
Yes. Spirit-forward warm serves such as a warm gin-and-apple drink are noticeably lighter and drier than wine-based mulled drinks, and warm apple cider is gentler still. Both avoid the heaviness and strong tannins that put some people off glühwein.
What's a good non-alcoholic alternative to glühwein?
Warm cloudy apple juice spiced exactly like mulled wine — with cinnamon, clove, orange and star anise — gives you the full sensory ritual without the alcohol. A spiced berry or hibiscus 'mulled' infusion is another excellent option.
More guides
The Best Gin Winter Cocktails
Gin isn't just for summer. From warm gin-and-apple serves to spiced cold cocktails, here are the gin drinks that come into their own in winter.
The Best Warm Winter Cocktails
Steaming, spiced and comforting — the best warm cocktails for winter, plus the simple technique that keeps every warm drink tasting its best.