Christmas Sangria

Serve up this Christmas sangria for every event you plan to host this Christmas season. A red sangria that is loaded with cranberries, oranges, apples, rosemary, cinnamon sticks, and more. I used cranberry juice, red wine, and apple cider as the base of this refreshing sangria.

Refreshing, fruity, tart, and sweet in every single sip is what you get with this festive and colorful wine cocktail. Add a sugared green rim, and you have a Christmas cocktail that offers an elegant presentation value.

Craving more Christmas-themed drinks? Here are a few more popular ones to try out. Eggnog amaretto cocktail, holiday sangria, or even this Jack Frost cocktail.

Reasons To Make This Christmas Sangria

• The base is a sweet red wine and then you pair it with all the fruit, it is bursting with flavor.
• Make it ahead of time and keep it in the fridge until your guests arrive to serve it up.
• A fun cocktail for adults to sip on as you entertain for a holiday gathering. Great for serving a larger crowd.
• Easy prep and minimal effort to make, that provides a gorgeous cocktail.
• Versatile in ingredients you will use for the drink.

Ingredients Needed

Fruit – Apples, cranberries, and oranges are all used for this recipe. You can use fresh or frozen cranberries.

Rosemary – The rosemary adds a nice earthy component but also is gorgeous in presentation value.

Honey – The sweetener of the drink is the honey. It is light but also helps to enhance the sweetness of the fresh fruit.

Lemon Juice – The acid in this drink is the lemon juice. I do recommend using fresh lemon juice over bottled. You will have a more vibrant flavor.

Cinnamon Sticks – Add some cinnamon sticks into the sangria to help add some warm spice flavor to each sip.

Apple Cider – Unfiltered cider is what I used. It is a big flavor as it is going to help balance out the wine flavor.

Cranberry Juice – Reach for 100% cranberry juice for this, as it is going to offer the best flavor.

Wine -Reach for a sweet red wine of your choice. Any of your favorites work and will help elevate the sangria recipe to a whole new level of deliciousness.

Variations to Recipe

• Taste the wine and then add more or less honey to adjust the sweetness. If it is too sweet add more wine or even more lemon juice to balance the sweetness.
• If you light press the rosemary leaves with a wooden spoon it will help release more oils and help to add more of the herb flavor to the drink.
• Add some pomegranate, grapefruit, or other fruits to the mixture.
• You can use pomegranate juice in replace of cranberry juice if you would like to alter the flavor.
• Use a flavored cranberry like cran-grape or cran-raspberry for added flavor. Feel free to use any flavor of cranberry juice.
• Add in some cloves for added spice flavor or even a whole nutmeg to release some flavor to the drink.
• Add in some maple syrup or agave nectar in replace of the honey.
• Swap the lemon with lime juice.

Tips for Success

Quality Wine

The first thing I want to stress is to reach for a bottle of red wine you enjoy the flavor of. It is going to be the biggest flavor so you need to enjoy the flavor. A fruit Merlot or even a Spanish Rioja is great. You don’t have to spend a lot on the wine.

Make Sure Fruit Is Ripe

Make sure the fruit you use is ripe and free of blemishes and such. The fruit is going to help add extra sweetness to the wine sangria. So fresh and ripe fruit will help the best in adding flavoring

Sweetening Sangria

You will want to use a sweetener to balance out the flavors. Honey is what I used but I did offer maple syrup, simple syrup, etc. can be used. Even an orange liqueur like a Triple sec can be used.

Chill Ingredients

Make sure you keep your wine and fruit mixture in the fridge in a sealed container. It needs to stay nice and chilled as it blends all the flavors together. This is a cocktail that needs to be served chilled. Room temperature is not recommended.

Sparkling Water

Right before serving you can add in sparkling water or even a ginger ale or lemon-lime soda. It will add a nice carbonated texture that will make the drink stand out even more when you go to sip on it.

Serve With The Fruit In Glasses

Don’t be afraid to add the slices of fruit into the glasses when you go to serve it up. It is a gorgeous presentation value but also it can be eaten if your guests would like.

Storing Leftover Sangria

Place any of the sangria you do not plan to drink right away in an airtight container. Make sure it has a lid and store it in the fridge. Drink within 1-2 days of making it.

The fruit will soften as it sits longer in the fridge. So feel free to discard and add fresh fruit to glasses when you go to serve it up.

FAQs

What fruits are commonly used in red wine sangria?

Oranges, apples, berries, peaches, and even lemons and limes are often used when making a red wine sangria. Depending on the season will depend on the type of fruit to use.

Can I make sangria ahead of time?

You can make red wine sangria ahead of time by around 12-24 hours. I recommend not adding any carbonated items until right before serving. However, allowing the fruit and wine mixture to blend in the fridge will help enhance the flavor.

What’s the ideal serving temperature for red wine sangria?

You will want to serve your sangria cold. Most of the time you will find it is served with ice for a super chilled drink.

Is it safe to consume sangria with alcohol-soaked fruit?

Eat the fruit in moderation as it can take on a lot of the alcohol and become a bit potent. So eat with moderation in place.

Can I make non-alcoholic Christmas Sangria?

Yes, use grape juice or other fruit juice in replace of the wine. Let the mixture marinate for at least 30 minutes before you pour it to help flavors to blend. You will have similar flavors to the Christmas sangria but of course non-alcoholic and kid friendly.

More Holiday Recipes

• Christmas Pinwheel Cookies
• Sugar Cookie Cocktail
• Grinch Punch