Glögg and Swedish Cookies

For the 14th Day of the Advent Calendar

The Glögg made by Eric Wiseman for Torchio. Photo by Eric.

During the holidays, when my mother would make Glögg —the Swedish spiced wine with spirits — the gorgeous aroma of the spices as they warmed on the stove with all those heady liquids wafted into every room.

My brother Bill owns a restaurant here in Chicago and this weekend, Glögg is on the menu. Bar Manager at Torchio, Eric Wiseman, has adapted a 1979 recipe from the Chicago Tribune and everyone is loving it, including me.

Below Eric’s recipe, I’ve also attached a terrific alcohol-free version from Daytona Dawn Danielsen, along with a couple of Swedish cookie recipes to nibble on with your Glögg.

Glögg is a strong concoction, usually made for a crowd. If you have any left over, cool and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Thank you so much, Eric and Bill! ✨

Glögg

I was first introduced to glögg at a local bar in Andersonville, Chicago where there's been a large Swedish population since the 1920s. I immediately fell in love with the drink, convinced the bartender to share the recipe, and I've been making Swedish glögg during the holidays for many years now.

— Eric Wiseman, December, 2024

Eric’s Glögg Recipe

Adapted from Craig Goldwyn, via the Chicago Tribune (1979)

Makes ~10 6-oz servings.

INGREDIENTS

• Wine & Spirits

  • 1 bottle cab sauv, carignan, or other dry red wine

  • 1 bottle port

  • 1 bottle brandy

• aromatics

  • spices

    • 2 cinnamon sticks

    • 1/2 TB cardamom seeds (or crushed pods)

    • 6 whole cloves

  • miscellaneous

    • Peel of 1/2 orange

    • 1/4 cup raisins

    • 1/2 cup almond slivers

• 1 cup turbinado sugar

• orange(s) for garnishing

DIRECTIONS
Step 1

1. Pour the wine, port, and 1 cup brandy into a stainless steel pot.

2. Place the cinnamon sticks directly in the liquid; put the remaining aromatics into a cheesecloth bag, tie it off, and place in the liquid.

3. Cover and warm gently, but do not boil (boiling will burn off the alcohol).

Step 2

1. Put the sugar in a pan and add 1/4 bottle (3/4 cup) brandy.

2. Heat the sugar and brandy slurry over a low flame until it becomes a clear golden syrup.

3. If you feel so bold, caramelize the syrup by igniting it with a long torch. Be careful while lighting, as a ~2ft tall flame may be produced! This step isn't necessary, but if you turn the lights down low, it's a fun spectacle at parties (and it does add more character to the flavor).

Step 3

1. Add the syrup to the spiced wine mixture.

2. Cover and let it mull for an hour over a low flame.

Step 4

1. Serve in a heated mug with an orange swath as garnish.

2. Enjoy!

Alcohol-Free Scandinavian *Gløgg

Daytona Dawn Danielsen (https://daytonadanielsen.com) the wonderful food writer who specializes in Nordic cooking, has a really great sounding Alcohol-Free Gløgg recipe, perfect for the holidays. Here’s the link: Recipe

*About the spelling of Glögg: in Sweden it is Glögg; In Norway and Denmark it is Gløgg.

Alcohol-Free Gløgg Photo ©️ Daytona Dawn Danielsen

Swedish cookies

Eric placed the perfect cookie in the photo to accompany the Glögg — a Swedish ginger cookie, from Annas Swedish Thins.

There’s a 1997 five-star recipe for Swedish Ginger Thins from The New York Times I want to try, it looks great. Here’s the recipe: Swedish Ginger Cookies

Chocolate Slices/Chokladsnitter

Photo: Jolene

These chocolate slices, “chokladsnitter” are easy to make, keep well, and I think would taste great with a warm mug of Glögg. I bought the pearl sugar online and I love the way it dresses up the slices.

The tablecloth with reindeer is from the 1950s and my grandmother embroidered all of our names on it and updated it with new family members (and pets) well into the 1990s.

Chokladsnitter recipe by Mia Öhrn, link: here

Day 14 of “The Little Town” Advent Calendar — today we get a further look at the interior of Richard Sellmer’s publishing house, complete with a stack of books.

See you tomorrow! 📚

Jolene