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Festive Cranberry Orange and Apple Cider Holiday Sangria

Close-up of a glass filled with dark red holiday sangria, garnished heavily with fresh cranberries and bright orange slices.
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Make this crowd-pleasing holiday sangria ahead of time. It blends red wine with seasonal cranberry, orange, and apple cider for a beautiful, flavorful winter cocktail perfect for any gathering.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 (750 ml) bottle dry red wine, chilled
  • 1 cup apple cider, chilled
  • 1/2 cup brandy or dark rum (optional)
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1/4 cup simple syrup or maple syrup (adjust to taste)
  • 1 orange, thinly sliced
  • 1 apple (like Honeycrisp or Fuji), thinly sliced
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 2 star anise pods
  • Ice, for serving
  • Club soda or sparkling water, for topping (optional)

Instructions

  1. Combine the chilled red wine, apple cider, brandy (if using), orange juice, and simple syrup in a large pitcher or punch bowl. Stir gently to mix the liquids.
  2. Add the sliced orange, sliced apple, cranberries, cinnamon sticks, and star anise pods to the wine mixture.
  3. Cover the pitcher and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the fruit flavors to infuse the wine. This make-ahead step improves the flavor.
  4. When ready to serve, taste the sangria and add more sweetener if needed.
  5. Serve the holiday sangria over ice in glasses. Top each glass with a splash of club soda or sparkling water for extra fizz, if desired.
  6. Garnish each serving with a fresh cranberry or an orange slice.

Notes

  • For a non-alcoholic version, substitute the red wine with grape juice or cranberry-pomegranate juice blend.
  • If you do not have star anise, you can use 1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves, but use sparingly.
  • This recipe is easy to scale up for larger New Year’s Eve parties.
  • To make this a beautiful holiday drink, garnish the rim of the glass with coarse sugar mixed with orange zest.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookingbyjade.com/holiday-sangria-recipe-easy-punch/