Christmas Sangria Recipe Easy Festive Holiday Drink for Cheers
A festive and flavorful Christmas sangria recipe combining dry red wine, fresh citrus, warm spices, and seasonal fruits for a cozy holiday drink. Perfect for parties and gatherings, this easy-to-make sangria offers a warm hug in a glass with a modern twist.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes (including infusion time)
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Beverage
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 bottle (750 ml / 25.4 fl oz) dry red wine (Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon recommended)
- 1/4 cup (60 ml / 2 fl oz) brandy
- 1/2 cup (120 ml / 4 fl oz) freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 large fresh orange, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup (about 50 g) fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 medium apple, cored and diced
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4–5 whole cloves
- 1–2 star anise pods (optional)
- 1 cup (240 ml / 8 fl oz) sparkling water or club soda, to top off
- 1–2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup (optional, adjust to taste)
Instructions
- Prepare the fruit: Wash the oranges, cranberries, and apple thoroughly. Thinly slice the orange into rounds and dice the apple after coring.
- Juice the orange using a citrus juicer to extract 1/2 cup (120 ml) of fresh orange juice. Optionally, grate 1 teaspoon of orange zest and add to the pitcher.
- In a large pitcher, pour in the entire bottle of red wine, 1/4 cup brandy, and the fresh orange juice. Stir gently with a wooden spoon.
- Add the sliced oranges, diced apple, fresh cranberries, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and optional star anise pods to the pitcher.
- If desired, add 1-2 tablespoons of honey or maple syrup for sweetness and stir gently to combine.
- Cover the pitcher with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, ideally overnight, to allow flavors to infuse.
- Before serving, stir the sangria and top it off with 1 cup sparkling water or club soda for fizz. Optionally strain out the spices using a fine mesh sieve.
- Pour the sangria into glasses, ensuring each glass gets some fruit pieces. Garnish with a cinnamon stick or orange slice if desired.
Notes
Avoid stirring too vigorously after adding fruit to keep fruit pieces intact. Use dry red wine for balanced flavor. Start with fewer cloves to avoid overpowering taste. For best flavor, chill overnight. Strain before serving for a smoother drink or serve with fruit for rustic look. Frozen cranberries can be used to keep sangria chilled longer. Leftovers keep well up to 3 days in fridge; add fresh sparkling water before serving again. Avoid freezing sangria.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 ounces (180 ml)
- Calories: 150180
- Sugar: 812
- Sodium: 510
- Carbohydrates: 1015
- Fiber: 12
Keywords: Christmas sangria, holiday drink, festive sangria, red wine sangria, holiday cocktail, easy sangria recipe, Christmas party drink