Christmas Sangria
Perfect for sipping during holiday gatherings or just with loved ones around the table, this bright, fruity, and fabulous Christmas Sangria is filled with orchard fruit, amazing wine, and just the right amount of juice.
I love sangria – it’s the perfect grownup cocktail. Elegant in presentation but still easy to make, sangria isn’t quite wine and isn’t quite juice, but rather a fruity mixture of both. Perfectly sippable with brunch, lunch, or even dinner, this Christmas Sangria is particularly festive and great around the holidays.
Christmas Sangria
Cabernet Sauvignon is the backbone of this red sangria recipe, so make sure you start with a good quality drinkable bottle of wine. It doesn’t have to be the most expensive, but this isn’t cooking wine.
Cranberries, apples, pears, and even pomegranate arils infuse this Christmas cocktail with flavor and color while a touch of sweetness comes from maple syrup and liqueur.
The best part about making this Christmas Sangria is I can make a big pitcher of it ahead of time and let my guests help themselves!
Why I love this recipe
- It’s fruity, colorful, and there’s not too much alcohol in it.
- I can make it ahead of time and let my guests help themselves.
- It’s gorgeous served in my favorite tall bubble glass pitcher.
- It’s so pretty! Serve it in nice wine glasses and soak up the compliments!
Gather these ingredients for Christmas Sangria
-
- Cabernet Sauvignon – Look for a nice full-bodied bottle.
- Cranberry juice – NOT cranberry cocktail. You want 100% juice.
- Pomegranate juice – Again, look for pure juice.
- Cointreau
- Maple syrup – Real maple syrup.
- Apple – Honeycrisp is my first pick; cut it into small chunks.
- Pear – A lovely ripe pear cut into small chunks.
- Navel orange – Washed and cut into slices.
- Cranberries – Fresh cranberries.
- Pomegranate arils – You can find packaged arils in some stores or collect the arils from a pomegranate yourself. See my tips below.
- Crushed ice – For serving.
- Cinnamon sticks – For a pretty garnish.
- Rosemary sprigs – For garnishes.
To make sugared cranberries
- Fresh cranberries
- Water
- Granulated sugar
How to make the tastiest red Christmas Sangria
- Combine the red wine, cranberry juice, pomegranate juice, Cointreau, maple syrup, apple and pear chunks, orange slices, cranberries and pomegranate arils in a large pitcher and stir to combine.
- Refrigerate the sangria for 2-4 hours or until ready to serve.
- Pour over crushed ice and garnish with a cinnamon stick, a sprig of rosemary, and a handful of sugared cranberries.
How to make sugared cranberries
- Bring water and ½ cup of sugar to a boil, then stir for 30 seconds or until the sugar is dissolved.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the cranberries.
- Transfer the cranberries to a wire rack to dry for about 30 minutes.
- Roll the cranberries in the remaining sugar, working in batches if needed.
- Put the sugared cranberries back on the rack and allow to dry for at least an hour.
Tips & substitutions
- Cointreau is an orange liqueur. You can also use Triple Sec or Grand Marnier.
- My favorite kind of apple in this sangria is Honeycrisp, but any juicy apple will work.
- If you can’t find pomegranate arils, buy a pomegranate and score it around the middle, then pull the halves apart. Invert a half over the bowl and whack the skin with a wooden spoon. The arils will fall into the bowl.
- Serve it in a beautiful TALL pitcher (here is my favorite extra tall bubble glass pitcher.)
- Keep the crushed ice cold in an insulated ice bucket and let guests pour and garnish their own glasses of Christmas Sangria.
Serving suggestions
- Christmas Sangria is perfect for your Christmas morning brunch. It pairs wonderfully with a more casual scrambled eggs brunch board or a more elegant meal of stuffed French toast or waffles and fruit salad. Or, serve it with this sangria cake!
Storage
Store any leftover Christmas Sangria in the fridge for a day or two. After that, the fruit will start to break down. Sugared cranberries can also be kept in a cool, dry place for a day or two.
Check out these awesome cocktail recipes while you’re here
Get the Recipe:
Christmas Sangria
Ingredients
- 1 bottle full bodied cabernet sauvignon
- 1 cup cranberry juice, not cranberry cocktail
- 1 cup pomegranate juice
- 1/3 cup Cointreau or Triple Sec
- 3/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 honeycrisp apple, cut in chunks
- 1 pear, cut in chunks
- 1 navel orange, slices
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
- crushed ice for serving
- cinnamon sticks for garnish
- rosemary sprigs for garnish
Sugared cranberries
- 1 12 ounce bag fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
Equipment
- 1 large pitcher
Instructions
Make the sangria
- In a large pitcher, combine the red wine, cranberry juice, pomegranate juice, Cointreau or Triple Sec, 3/4 cup of maple syrup, apple chunks, pear chunks, orange slices, cranberries, and pomegranate arils. Stir to combine. Chill in the fridge for 2-4 hours or until ready to serve, or serve immediately over crushed ice. Garnish with a cinnamon stick, a sprig of rosemary, and a handful of sugared cranberries!
Make the sugared cranberries
- Bring water and ½ cup of the sugar to a boil. Once boiling, stir for thirty seconds until dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in the cranberries. Stir until completely coated, then transfer to a wire rack to dry. Let dry for 30 minutes, then roll in the remaining sugar. Transfer back to the rack, and let dry for an additional hour. Store in a dry, cool place.
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
