Easy Holiday Sangria Recipe

The holiday season can easily be an overwhelming time of the year. When hosting, it can feel extra chaotic. So one of my go-to hosting tips is to have a batch cocktail ready to go. And a holiday sangria is a great option.

Holiday sangrias are also just a delicious and warm drink to enjoy this time of year. From the warming spices to seasonal fruit and your favorite red wine. Here’s an easy holiday sangria recipe to try. Great for a crowd if you’re hosting or are having a cozy night in with a few friends on the couch.

Holiday Sangria Recipe

This holiday sangria recipe is so easy and you can really switch it up however you like. If you like it more sweet add the cranberry and sweetener. If you prefer it less sweet, cut back on both, or remove them entirely. For a crowd, I think it’s nice to add some since it helps to stretch your wine and feels more indulgent.

Ingredients

• 1 bottle of a dry red wine
• 1 cup cranberry juice (100% juice, not the cocktail style) or pomegranate juice
• 1/2 cup of brandy
• 1/4 cup of maple syrup or honey (optional)
• Cinnamon sticks
• 2-3 star anise
• 1 cup of fresh cranberries
• 1 cup of chopped apples
• 1 orange, slice a few for garnish, then dice up the rest

Method

Add all of your ingredients to a pitcher and let it sit in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours. The longer the better. To serve, pour into coupes or glasses of your choice and make sure there are some bits of fruit in each glass. Garnish with an orange quarter. I like to add little stirrers to it so people can mix the fruit around and it makes your drink feel even more festive.

Garnish For Sangria

Top your sangria with a garnish to make sure it’s super festive. Use what you already have thanks to the ingredients in this easy holiday sangria. Try a thinly sliced apple or orange slice, a cinnamon stick or a few cranberries skewered on a fancy toothpick for a festive touch.

Another great option could be a sprig of rosemary to really bring in more flavors. And one of my favorite cocktail garnishes is a dehydrated orange slice. These always feel fancy and you can make them ahead of time and keep a bowl next to your sangria pitcher for easy garnishing.

I also love to add festive stirrers to holiday drinks. They instantly make it feel like a party. You can always find really fun ones this time of year.

Tips For Serving Holiday Sangria

Having a batched cocktail for guests to easily serve themselves allows you to do one less thing as a host this holiday season. Set up a bar cart that feels festive in your home so friends and family can easily pour themselves a glass of this delicious holiday sangria.

Have some glasses set out and ready to go along with your pitcher of red wine holiday sangria and any other holiday cocktail options you have prepared. Include a few bowls of garnishes so guests can build their own garnish. I like to always keep out some drink stirrers and some cocktail napkins.

Don’t have a bar cart? No problem. Turn your favorite corner of your bar or credenza into a makeshift holiday bar cart. Add a tray to keep any spills from ruining your counters or furniture.

Red Wine Sangria Versus White Wine Sangria

For the holidays, I think a red wine feels more festive. Not only because of the color, but also the warming spices that you can easily add to it. While white wine sangria is delicious, it tends to lean more summery. White wine sangria is best paired with more tropical fruits or stone fruits like mango, peaches and the like. You can definitely make a white wine sangria feel more festive for the colder months by adding in apple cider, fresh slices of apple and cranberries.

As for adding liquor to your white wine sangria, something lighter like Cointreau or an orange liquor would be great here. A good splash of apple cider too, is delicious or even a ginger beer to add a bit of spice to it. And you can still add cinnamon sticks and star anise to white wine sangria to give it that holiday flavor.

Are you team red wine sangria or white wine sangria?

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