Instant Pot™ Glühwein, A Classic Holiday Recipe

Instant Pot™ Glühwein is a quick, easy holiday treat that’s sure to become a family favourite. Oranges, spices, and an optional shot of rum, flavour this Christmas market classic recipe. Best of all? It pressure cooks in under 20 minutes!
It just doesn’t feel like Christmas until you’ve had a glass of warm glühwein. The heady fragrance of citrus and spic, are classic holiday aromas that make most folks feel warm and fuzzy at this time of year.
If you don’t live around the corner from a Christmas market, this is one treat you’ll probably want to make at home. And, the good news is, it’s easy.
Pressure cooking the wine, along with the aromatics, ensures that it never comes to a boil — which is exactly what you want. It also draws out the pungency of the spices and orange, deeply flavouring the wine for that classic hit of rich spiciness.
This recipe is easy to scale up for a crowd and, using the Instant Pot™, you can leave it on the counter on the “Keep Warm” setting and allow guests to serve themselves right out of the pot. This option is also sure to perfume your house with a delicious and welcoming holiday fragrance!
About This Recipe
Instant Pot™ Glühwein is a very easy recipe. The only question to ask yourself is what sort of red wine to use! While there are no hard and fast rules, I can give you a few pointers.
Any wine that is bright, fruity and un-oaked would be appropriate. A fruit-forward wine will taste best. Wines from Southern France or Italy are terrific. Alternately, South African or California Pinotage, Merlot, and Shiraz are all good choices. Focus on flavour. And, whatever you do, do not prepare glühwein with a red you don’t enjoy drinking!
Most of all, I sincerely hope that you, and your friends and family, enjoy this Instant Pot™ Glühwein every bit as much as my family does. Bon appétit!
Instant Pot™ Glühwein, A Classic Holiday Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 750 ml bottle red wine
- 1 orange, washed and thinly sliced
- 2 oranges, juice of
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 star anise
- 7 cloves
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup white rum (optional)
Instructions
- Place the wine, orange slices, orange juice, and whole spices in the liner of the instant pot. Secure the lid and turn the Pressure Release valve to the "Sealing" position. Press [Pressure Cook] and set the cooking time for 1 minute on high pressure.
- As soon as the cooking time has finished, press [Cancel] on the Instant Pot to turn off the "Keep Warm" function and leave the pot to de-pressurize naturally. (I like to do this in the morning and leave the orange and the spices to steep in the wine all day.)
- When you are ready to serve, press [Keep Warm] and add the sugar and the rum (if using) to the pot liner. Once the wine is warm and the sugar is dissolved, strain it into mugs and serve immediately.
Notes
- If you are making a larger batch for a party, ensure that you do not fill the Instant Pot™ beyond its limit. Once the wine is warm, cover it with the glass lid, and allow guests to serve themselves. The wine will also fill your space with a gorgeous aroma.
- For best results, use a fruit-forward red wine that has not been oaked. Ensure you use a wine you like to drink!