Cranberry Sangria Recipe
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My Cranberry Sangria Recipe is our go-to holiday cocktail. Use your favorite red wine and combine it with brandy, Cointreau, cranberry juice, apple juice, and fresh fruit. Your guests will be impressed!
While this is our favorite winter Sangria recipe, I’ve got a couple of others that you should bookmark. My Apple Cider Sangria is great for the fall season and my Tropical Tequila Sangria makes an amazing summer party cocktail! Make these all in batch form for your parties!
The holiday season is upon us and it’s time to bring out all the ho ho ho’s and falalalala’s we can muster. Put on those ugly Christmas sweaters, play some Jingle Bell music, and get out the holiday cookies, Chex party mix, and cranberry sangrias.
Tis’ the season for celebrating!
Let’s talk about my Cranberry Sangrias! THE perfect party cocktail for so many reasons.
- The TASTE – All the best flavors coming together including red wine, brandy, and triple sec – with a delicious fruit combo and some flavored ice cubes.
- The LOOK – Nothing says holiday season like cranberries, and all that red sparkle. Picture perfect!
- The SIMPLICITY – This cocktail is so simple to make. There is no blending or mulling here.
- The MAKE AHEAD aspect – Yes, it’s best to mix the alcohol and the juices ahead of time. You can also add the fruit, or wait until an hour or so before serving.
Ingredients Needed
- Red Wine – I like to use a bottle of Pinot Noir for this sangria. But you could try other red wines, if desired.
- Brandy – Just 1/2 cup required.
- Cointreau – Instead of Cointreau, you could use any Triple Sec.
- Juice – Use a combo of cranberry juice and apple juice. I usually use Cranberry-Apple plus apple.
- Fruit – Slice an apple and an orange, plus use some sugared cranberries to add the most beautiful garnishes
Some Tips for making this Holiday Sangria:
- Make the sugared cranberries ahead of time, and store them in the freezer.
- If using flavored ice cubes, simply pour cranberry juice into ice cube trays and freeze. You’ll also need to do this ahead of time.
- If you prefer an extra sweet sangria, use some of the simple syrup from the making of the sugared cranberries.
- Make the sangria several hours in advance to meld the flavors. I often make it the day before the event.
- If you like boozy fruit, then soak it all day in the Sangria. If you don’t really care about it, then wait until later to add it because it will become discolored. For the pictures here, I waited to add the fruit so it would pop on the photos.
- This batch makes about six cocktails. Feel free to double or triple it for large groups.
Other holiday cocktails:
Tis the season. Cheers, friends! 🙂
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Please let know if you try this recipe. Be sure to comment and leave a review on the blog so I can see what you think. You can also like my Facebook Page, follow me on Pinterest, and catch me on Instagram.
xoxo ~Sue
Cranberry Sangria Recipe
Ingredients
- 750 ml bottle of red wine – I prefer Pinot Noir
- 1/2 cup brandy
- 1/2 cup orange liquor – I prefer Cointreau
- 1 1/2 cup Cran-Apple juice – or cranberry juice
- 1 cup apple juice
- honey crisp apple – sliced thin with the juice of one lemon
- orange – sliced
- fresh cranberries – sugared (if desired)
- flavored ice cubes or regular – to serve
Instructions
- Prepare 6-8 hours (or more) in advance by making some sugared cranberries. Use recipe on the blog for sugared cranberries.
- Make some flavored ice cubes. Pour cranberry juice into some ice cube trays and freeze. Do this ahead of time as well.
- Using a large glass pitcher, combine the wine, brandy, orange liqueur, Cran-Apple juice, and apple juice. Stir, and refrigerate for several hours.
- About an hour before serving, add fruit slices (with lemon juice), and place back in refrigerator for an hour or so.
- To serve, pour Sangria over ice cubes or flavored ice cubes, add some orange and apple slices, some fresh cranberries, and enjoy.
Notes
- Make the sugared cranberries ahead of time, and store them in the freezer.
- If using flavored ice cubes, simply pour cranberry juice into ice cube trays and freeze. You’ll also need to do this ahead of time.
- If you prefer an extra sweet sangria, use some of the simple syrup from the making of the sugared cranberries.
- Make the sangria several hours in advance to meld the flavors. I often make it the day before the event.
- If you like boozy fruit, then soak it all day in the Sangria. If you don’t really care about it, then wait until later to add it because it will become discolored. For the pictures here, I waited to add the fruit so it would pop on the photos.
- This batch makes about six cocktails. Feel free to double or triple it for large groups.
There are not enough weekends before the holidays to enjoy this so will be making it after as well.
So true! It’s a favorite of mine too!!
This was the easiest 5 star rating ever! You know you have a hit, when your son calls from college and asks for the recipe pronto for an upcoming party! Get started because all of the cool kids are doing it.
Haha! So true!