Fall Sangria
This cozy Fall Sangria is full of red wine, crisp apples, oranges, cinnamon, and warm spices—perfect for an easy, make-ahead pitcher cocktail on chilly autumn evenings.
Ingredients
- 1 750 ml bottle dry red wine Tempranillo, Garnacha, Merlot, or Pinot Noir
- 1/2 cup brandy or cognac or dark rum
- 1/4 cup orange liqueur such as Cointreau or Triple Sec
- 1 large crisp apple such as Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, or Pink Lady, cored and thinly sliced
- 1 orange thinly sliced; plus more for garnish if desired
- 1/2 cup apple cider non-alcoholic; use high-quality refrigerated cider if possible
- 1/4-1/3 cup honey or simple syrup to taste; or maple syrup/agave for vegan
- 2-3 cinnamon sticks
- 4-6 whole cloves optional
- 1-2 star anise pods optional
- 1 cup club soda or sparkling water chilled; added just before serving
- Ice for serving, added to glasses
Instructions
- Wash and dry the apple and orange. Core the apple and slice it thinly (about 1/4-inch slices) so it can soak up the wine. Slice the orange into thin rounds, removing any seeds, and cut larger rounds in half if desired.
- In a large glass pitcher, add the sliced apple, sliced orange, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and star anise (if using).
- Pour in the dry red wine, brandy, and orange liqueur. Stir gently to distribute the fruit and spices.
- Stir in the apple cider and 1/4 cup of honey or simple syrup (or maple/agave). Stir well until the sweetener is dissolved, then taste, keeping in mind the flavors will mellow as the sangria chills.
- Cover the pitcher and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight (8–12 hours) so the fruit and spices can infuse the sangria. If short on time, chill for at least 1–2 hours, understanding the flavor will be lighter.
- Before serving, taste the sangria and add more honey or syrup if desired. Pour in the chilled club soda or sparkling water and stir gently to keep the bubbles.
- Fill glasses with ice. Pour or ladle the sangria into each glass, making sure to include some apple and orange slices. Garnish with extra orange slices or a cinnamon stick if desired, and serve immediately.
Notes
Yield: about 1 standard pitcher (6–8 servings). Chill for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, for best flavor. For a sweeter version, use ginger ale or sparkling apple cider instead of club soda. For a lighter, brunch-friendly batch, reduce the brandy and increase the apple cider and sparkling water. Make a non-alcoholic “mocktail twin” by combining apple cider, pomegranate or grape juice, orange juice, the same fruits and spices, and topping with sparkling water or ginger ale.
Nutrition
Calories: 220kcal
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