This Christmas sangria recipe is a blend of white wine, brandy, apple cider and holiday flavors including oranges, cinnamon and cranberries. The perfect festive drink for winter parties!
I always like to have some great drink recipes and cocktails on hand for entertaining during the holiday season. Some of my favorites include a cranberry mimosa, Grinch cocktail, champagne punch, Christmas margarita and this delicious and beautiful holiday sangria.
Sangria is an amazing drink to enjoy year round, but it’s especially fun to do a winter version for the holidays. This Christmas sangria is loaded with color and flavor, and is even better when made ahead of time!
Table of Contents
Christmas Sangria Ingredients
To make this recipe, you will need a bottle of white wine, unsweetened cranberry juice, sparkling apple cider, ginger ale, brandy, cinnamon sticks, apple, orange, star anise and fresh cranberries. You can garnish the drink with a sprig of rosemary and extra star anise.
How Do You Make Christmas Sangria?
Place the wine, brandy and cranberry juice in a large pitcher. Add the cinnamon sticks, orange slices, apple slices, star anise and fresh cranberries. Place the pitcher in the fridge to chill for at least two hours. When you’re ready to serve the drink, add the apple cider and ginger ale. Garnish the glasses with rosemary and star anise, then serve and enjoy.
Tips For The Perfect Drink
- I recommend using a high quality white wine such as Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio for this recipe.
- Add the sparkling cider and ginger ale right before serving for the best results. Otherwise the drink could go flat if you add the sparkling liquids at the beginning.
- You can use any type of apple you like. Some of my favorite options include Pink Lady, Honeycrisp or Granny Smith.
- Sometimes I use two smaller clementines rather than a full sized orange for a different flavor and presentation.
- Leftover Christmas sangria will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Quick Tip
Choose a Spanish brandy or a Cognac for the best flavor.
Recipe FAQs
Sangria contains wine, sliced fruit and cinnamon sticks. It may also have brandy, or other ingredients such as soda or fruit juice.
You can put many different types of fruit in sangria. Some popular options include apples, oranges, raspberries, blueberries, pineapple, strawberries or grapes.
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Flavor Variations
While this recipe is delicious as is, there are so many different ways to customize Christmas sangria to your tastes.
- Juice: Swap out the cranberry juice for orange juice, pomegranate juice or pear juice. You could also use ginger beer instead of ginger ale.
- Fruit: Try adding other fall and winter fruit such as sliced pears, limes, lemon or pomegranate seeds.
- Liquor: Try other types of wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling. You could also use orange liqueur instead of brandy.
- Garnishes: Garnish your glasses with sugared cranberries, mint sprigs, cinnamon sticks or crystallized ginger.
I make a batch of holiday sangria every year on Christmas Eve. It’s the best way to celebrate the season!
More Festive Drink Recipes
Cranberry Margarita
10 mins
Christmas Punch
6 mins
Poinsettia Cocktail
5 mins
Cranberry Moscow Mule
10 mins
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Christmas Sangria
Ingredients
- 750 ml bottle white wine such as chardonnay or pinot grigio
- 1/2 cup cranberry juice unsweetened
- ½ cup brandy
- 1 apple sliced
- 1 orange sliced
- ½ cup fresh cranberries
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 2 star anise
- 1 cup ginger ale
- 1 cup sparkling apple cider
- rosemary sprigs and star anise for garnish
Instructions
- Pour the white wine into a large pitcher.
- Add the cranberry juice and brandy.
- Place the apple slices, orange slices, cranberries, cinnamon sticks and star anise in the pitcher.
- Stir, then chill the white wine mixture for at least 2 hours.
- Remove the pitcher from the fridge, then pour in the apple cider and ginger ale.
- Serve, with extra star anise and rosemary sprigs for garnish if desired.
Notes
- Add the sparkling cider and ginger ale right before serving for the best results. Otherwise the drink could go flat if you add the sparkling liquids at the beginning.
- You can use any type of apple you like. Some of my favorite options include Pink Lady, Honeycrisp or Granny Smith.
- Sometimes I use two smaller clementines rather than a full sized orange for a different flavor and presentation.
Made half cocktails and half mocktails, easy to do. Thanks for the recipe.
Gorgeous and refreshing Christmas holiday drink. Thanks for sharing.
I love how festive this looks and all the seasonal flavors. A tasty twist.
Oh yum! Such a delicious and festive blend of flavors. I love how easily the sangria comes together. Definitely perfect for the holidays.
We served this last night to our friends for a small Christmas party. A huge hit!