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One of the great joys of travelling, is being able to try a traditional recipe from the region – and at Christmas, we pull out all the stops to impress with seasonal favourites.

It’s a celebration of regional idiosyncrasies and specialities and a part of what makes us who we are.

Christmas Swedish Glogg RecipeSnoweshoeing holiday

Make your own Swedish Glogg

Here we share one of our favourite and not-too-tricky Christmas treats from Europe: glogg. Variants on glogg (or gluhwein in Germany or mulled wine for the British) appear all over Europe, but the one we’ve included is a traditional Swedish version.

This warm, spiced alcoholic drink was first served as a soothing, warming pick-me-up for travellers coming in from the cold of the harsh yet beautiful Scandinavian winter. It’s best served with something sweet – the traditional pairing for Swedes is either gingerbread or lussebulle, which are sweet saffron buns curled into a pretty s-shape and decorated with raisins. Glogg and lussebulle are traditionally served on St Lucia’s Day, December 13th.  

We’ve included the recipe too, so you can bring a little taste of adventure into your own home this festive season.

swedish gloggA cup of Swedish glogg

Nordic Glogg Recipe

On a cold winter’s night, Scandinavians like nothing better than to keep out the chills than a steaming cup of glogg. This mulled red wine is infused with whole spices and orange zest and served warm, with a slug of vodka added at the end. It’s the perfect drink to serve at any gathering.

Glogg Ingredients

  • 1 bottle of red wine
  • 2 sticks of cinnamon
  • Small knob of root ginger
  • 12 whole cloves
  • 1 star anise
  • The peel of one orange, fresh or dried
  • 75g caster sugar
  • 2tbsp raisins
  • Vodka to taste – or tolerance!

Method

  • Pour the wine into a large saucepan and add all the spices and orange peel.
  • Add the sugar and heat until bubbles appear on the surface of the wine, being careful not to let it boil (you’ll drive off the alcohol). Remove from the heat and leave the wine to infuse for at least one hour.
  • Before serving, reheat the wine slowly until just below boiling. Divide the raisins between serving mugs and pour the hot wine through a sieve, straining out the spices as you go.
  • Add vodka to taste, or a decorative orange peel to serve. 

On your next visit to Sweden, make sure you take the opportunity to try a warming glass of glogg or follow our Swedish Glogg recipe at home.

View all adventure holidays in Sweden below.