Non Alcoholic Mulled Wine (Kinderpunsch)

Name: Non Alcoholic Mulled Wine (Kinderpunsch)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: German
Ingredients: 1 orange; 2 cups apple cider or natural apple juice; 1 cup cherry juice (or red grape juice); 1 cup pomegranate juice (or cranberry juice); 2 cups water; 6 whole cloves; 1 whole star anise; 2 cinnamon sticks; 4 cardamom pods, cracked; 4 hibiscus tea bags (or berry tea or fruit flavored tea of choice); honey, cane sugar or brown sugar to taste (optional); Optional garnish ideas: orange slices, apple slices, cranberries, pomegranate arils, cinnamon sticks, star anise

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Stay festive and skip the booze with this easy homemade non-alcoholic mulled wine recipe (aka Kinderpunsch). A super delicious, warm and cozy Christmas mocktail that everyone can enjoy!

Two glasses of non alcoholic mulled wine (Kinderpunsch).

What is Kinderpunsch?
Why You’ll Love This Alcohol Free Mulled Wine
Ingredients You’ll Need
How To Make Kinderpunsch (Non Alcoholic Mulled Wine)
Variations
Helpful Tips
A Few Questions Answered
More Holiday Drinks
Non Alcoholic Mulled Wine (Kinderpunsch) Recipe

What is Kinderpunsch?

Kinderpunsch is a classic German non-alcoholic Christmas punch that is served at Christmas markets and during the cold winter months. Although the name literally translates to “children’s punch”, this warm drink is an alcohol free alternative to Glühwein or mulled wine that both kids AND adults enjoy!

It’s made with a combination of fruit juices and tea that are simmered together with a blend of aromatic mulling spices. The surprise ingredient that distinguishes Kinderpunsch from other non alcoholic mulled wine recipes is the addition of hibiscus or fruit tea which infuses the warm punch with a delicious tangy flavor and red color. As is the case with most recipes, there are many regional and family variations.

Hand holding a glass of Kinderpunsch (non alcoholic Christmas punch).

Why You’ll Love This Alcohol Free Mulled Wine

Love the warm aromatic flavors and cozy smells of mulled wine but looking for a non-alcoholic alternative? Look no further! You are going to love this Kinderpunsch recipe!

Warm and cozy: Perfect for cold winter nights and holiday gatherings!
Suitable for everyone: A family friendly option that both kids and adults can enjoy! It’s a delicious alternative to traditional Glühwein for adults who prefer not to drink alcohol, designated drivers and children.
Easy to make: Just 5 minutes of prep work and then let it simmer and steep!
The perfect Christmas drink! A warm and festive mocktail that tastes like Christmas in a cup. Can also easily be scaled to serve a crowd for holiday parties. It would also make a great gift, packaged into a pretty jar with some festive ribbon.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ready to get all warm and cozy with a cup of Kinderpunsch? Here’s what you’ll need to make this non alcoholic mulled wine:

Labelled photo of Kinderpunsch ingredients.

Apple Cider: Or natural apple juice.
Cherry Juice: Or red grape juice.
Pomegranate Juice: Or cranberry juice.
Water
Orange: Both the zest and juice.
Mulling Spices: A combination of whole cloves, star anise, cinnamon sticks and cardamom pods.
Hibiscus Tea: Or a berry tea or fruit flavored tea of choice.
Sweetener (optional): Honey, cane sugar or brown sugar to taste.
Optional Garnish: For a cute finishing touch, you can add a garnish. Some ideas include orange slices, apple slices, cranberries, pomegranate arils, cinnamon sticks and star anise.

Note: Aim to purchase juices without added sugars – just 100% juice.

Detailed ingredient list and directions located in the recipe card below.

How To Make Kinderpunsch (Non Alcoholic Mulled Wine)

Get ready for your home to smell amazing! To make this alcohol free mulled wine, simply…

STEP 1: Prep orange. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from the orange in wide strips. Make sure to only peel the orange part, avoiding the pith (white part) as much as possible since it is bitter. Juice the orange and set both the juice and strips of zest aside.

Thick strips of orange zest, bowl of orange juice and the remaining orange halves.

STEP 2: Simmer. Add the orange juice and zest, apple cider, cherry juice (or red grape juice), pomegranate juice (or cranberry juice), water and spices to a large saucepan and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes.

Non alcoholic mulled wine simmering in a saucepan.

Tip: Pierce the cloves into the strips of orange zest for easier removal later.

STEP 3: Steep. Turn off the heat, add the tea bags, cover and steep for 8-10 minutes. Remove the tea bags and add sweetener to taste.

Hibiscus tea bags steeping in a simmering saucepan of Kinderpunsch.

STEP 4: Strain and serve. Strain or pull out orange zest and spices. Pour into small mugs or heatproof glasses and garnish if you like. Serve warm and enjoy!

Two garnished glasses of German Kinderpunsch.

Variations

Want to customize this recipe a bit? Feel free to…

Experiment with spices: You could also add a vanilla pod, ginger slices, allspice berries, nutmeg, lemon zest or even black peppercorns.
Vary the juices: I like to use a combination of juices and have listed some alternatives in the recipe. However, you can use one type of juice or any combination that you enjoy. Just make sure to use 100% juice with no added sugars.
Make in a slow cooker: Add all ingredients to a slow cooker and cook on low for 1.5 hours.
Make a stronger spiced flavor: After the tea bags have been removed, cover and steep for up to 1 hour and then gently reheat before serving. Or add the spices to the apple cider a day ahead of time and keep in the fridge to infuse.

Helpful Tips

Always use whole spices! Don’t use ground spices since they will make the drink cloudy and gritty. Whole spices infuse the punch with flavor and then are easy to strain or fish out.
Don’t add the orange pith! The white pith on the orange can make the Kinderpunsch slightly bitter which is why I recommend just adding the zest and juice instead of slices while simmering.
Cheesecloth option: You can bundle the orange zest and spices in cheesecloth for easy removal later instead of straining or fishing out individually.

Two glasses of Kinderpunsch on a wooden tray garnished with orange slices, cinnamon sticks, star anise and pomegranate arils.

A Few Questions Answered

How to store non alcoholic mulled wine?

Make it ahead or store leftovers in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Strain first and pour into a jar or airtight container.

How do I reheat leftovers?

Gently reheat on the stovetop over low heat.

What is the best way to keep it warm for a gathering?

There are a few ways to keep it warm if you are not serving it right away. Once it has been strained, you can put it back in a clean pot on the stove over very low heat or transfer to an Instant Pot or slow cooker on the “Keep Warm” setting. This will keep the Kinderpunsch nice and warm until you are ready to serve. Perfect for entertaining!

What are some other German Christmas recipes?

I have a number of German recipes here that you can browse through. A few that are perfect for Christmas include any of these German Cookies like Vanillekipferl or Kokosmakronen. My family also has a tradition of making these German Waffles served with strawberry compote and whipped cream on Christmas morning.

Glass of Kinderpunsch (alcohol free mulled wine).

More Holiday Drinks

Looking for some more festive holiday drink ideas? Here are a few to try:

Orange Spice Mulled Tea
Glühwein (German Mulled Wine)
Pomegranate Lime Spritzer
Limoncello Tonic (not just a summer cocktail)

Did you make this non alcoholic mulled wine recipe? I would love to hear about it! Please leave me a comment below.