Ultra cozy and with all the warming spices, this keto mulled wine might just be the definition of holiday cheer. i.e. its Christmas spirit in a drink!
Keto Mulled Wine 🍷
A totally refined sugar free delight
Whether you call it glühwein, gløgg, vin chaud, or simply just mulled wine… one things for sure, if Christmas had a spirit drink this would surely be it.
And it’s definitely a personal favorite. Because to make a not-so-long story even shorter, it will always remind me of Christmas markets in Europe. And of my German best friend in college, who adored the holidays more than any person I’ve ever met… and ensured a flowing supply around this time of year (thank you Tini!).
Now, there are countless (countless!) of ways to prepare it so feel free to deviate form my standard recs. Say you can alter the spice ratios to taste, or even to throw in some cranberries (though you might want to add the greater amount of sweetener if you go down this route).
Whatever path you decide to go down, know that your Christmas spirit is sure to be replenished!
But (but!) is wine keto?
OK, so while its not nil carbs as hard liquors, a glass of red wine averages around 5g net carbs so it can definitely be squeezed into a keto diet. The important thing to remember here is that you most definitely don’t want to splurge in a bottle… nor pick one that is bone dry.
You actually want a little fruitiness here, which is why merlots or malbecs are generally the recommended choice. Or just ask at your local wine store!
My one (vip!) top tip
Ever had mulled wine that was horribly bitter? Yeah me too. It might surprise you, but said bitterness in fact comes not from the spices, but from the white part of the orange peel. You know, the part that comes after the rind.
So instead of quartering and boiling an orange as many recipes have you do, I’m going to *highly* incentivize you guys to spend a few more minutes and peel away the orange rind in strips (using either a pairing knife or peeler). After all, this is the part of the orange that actually has the essential oils and is going to give you all the good flavor, without any of the bitterness. #winning
Other than that I also like to squeeze the orange itself into the mulled wine and use that as my sole sweetener. But it does (obviously) add a bunch of extra carbs, so this is only a good option if you’re trying to avoid adding any refined sugars or sweeteners.
If keto you can just go ahead and add some good old sweetener (anything but pure monkfruit and stevia will work here). And if paleo go ahead and use some good old honey (my top choice for flavor), but maple syrup will be ace too.
Looking for more keto cozy boozy treats?! Be sure to check outmy eggnog(a reader favorite!) andhot toddy(a personal favorite!).
(Refined Sugar Free!) Keto Mulled Wine
Ultra cozy and with all the warming spices, this keto mulled wine might just be the definition of holiday cheer. i.e. its Christmas spirit in a drink!
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 5 minutes mins
Course Drinks
Cuisine European, Keto
Servings 8
Calories 149 kcal
Ingredients
- 2 large oranges
- 1 bottle red wine such as merlot
- 1/4-1/2 cup allulose or sweetener of choice, to taste*
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 cloves
- 2 star anise
- 3 cardamom pods lightly crushed (optional)
- 1 cup brandy
Instructions
Slice one orange and set aside for garnish. Using a peeler (or pairing knife), peel away the orange rind of the second orange, doing your very (very!) best to avoid the white peel (you know, the part that results in bitter mulled wine).
Add the wine and spices to a non reactive pot (I used my dutch oven), and sweeten to taste. I find 1/4 cup more than enough, but know that traditional mulled wine uses about 1/2 cup. Bring it to a boil, lower the heat and allow to simmer for 30 minutes.
Add the brandy at the *very* end (you want an alcoholic drink after all!). Pour into mugs or heat proof glasses, garnishing with an orange slice and a cinnamon stick (optional, but pretty).
Turn on some holiday music, sit in front of your tree and enjoy all the cozy vibes!
Notes
*to keep it completely refined sugar free, I personally like to squeeze the orange itself into the mulled wine and use that as my sole sweetener. But it does (obviously) add a bunch of extra carbs, so this is only a good option if you’re trying to avoid adding any refined sugars or sweeteners.
If keto you can just go ahead and add some good old sweetener (anything but pure monkfruit and stevia will work here). And if paleo go ahead and use some honey (my top choice for flavor), but maple syrup will be ace too.
And please note that calculating the carbs 100% accurately here is fairly impossible, as you have quite a few ingredients just infusing it and wines are all over the place depending on how fruity they are. So what I simply went for was an average of the carb count in wine (about 5g carbs!).
Nutrition
Serving: 1mulled wine | Calories: 149kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 120mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2IU | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg
Keyword keto mulled wine, sugar free mulled wine
Whip up this recipe?Comment below or drop me a line @gnomgnom._ and tag #gnomgnomyum!
