Cranberry Apple Sangria
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This Cranberry Apple Sangria is the ultimate fall cocktail, fruity, festive, and so easy to make! Bursting with crisp apples, tart cranberries, and a splash of cinnamon spice, this sangria is as beautiful as it is delicious. Whether you’re hosting Friendsgiving, Thanksgiving, or just a cozy fall get-together, this 10 minute make-ahead recipe is guaranteed to impress your guests and keep the good vibes flowing all season long!
Happy 10 year anniversary to my favorite festive cocktail! Originally posted in 2015, this sangria recipe has been on my Thanksgiving and Christmas party menu for the last 10 years and it’s always a hit.
What better way to enjoy the holidays with your family than with a pitcher of the most delicious sangria. Cranberries, apples, cinnamon and spiced rum give this sangria recipe a delicious burst of fall and winter flavors.
Whether you’re celebrating Thanksgiving with family, Friendsgiving with friends, or a party during the holiday season, this cranberry apple sangria will be a hit with everyone!
Make a big pitcher the night before the festivities, so that it’s ready to go the next day. This way the fruit has time to absorb the wine and rum, and all of the flavors of the sangria will meld together perfectly.
Ingredients
Here I explain the best ingredients for this cranberry apple sangria recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For the exact ingredient measurements, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Orange
- Brown sugar
- Ground cinnamon
- Spiced rum
- Red wine – I’ve used both tempranillo and cabernet to make this recipe and they both work great!
- Orange Liqueur or triple sec
- Cranberry juice
- Whole cranberries – frozen or fresh cranberries will work in this recipe. The frozen cranberries will defrost in the sangria as it sits in the fridge.
- Red apples – I like to use honeycrisp apples, as they’re known for having a super-crisp texture and balanced sweet-tart taste, which makes them perfect for this sangria recipe.
- Club soda – you could also use a lemon flavored bubbly water for a bit more citrus flavor in the sangria.
Instructions
Add the orange slices to the bottom of a large bowl or large pitcher. Sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon over the oranges and muddle. (If you don’t have a muddler, the back of a spoon will work also!)
Add the spiced rum, red wine, orange liqueur, and cranberry juice. Stir to combine, then add the cranberries and diced red apples.
Place in the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour (preferably overnight). Add the club soda right before serving.
Serve in glasses filled with ice.
If you’re feeling fancy you can add a brown sugar and cinnamon rim, and a slice of orange to the glasses!
More Thanksgiving recipes
Don’t forget to check out the other delicious recipes from “Thanksgiving Week” on WhitneyBond.com!
Cranberry Apple Sangria
Video
Ingredients
- 1 orange, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup spiced rum
- 1500 ml red wine, 2 -750 ml bottles – I used Tempranillo
- ¼ cup orange liqueur
- 1 cup cranberry juice
- 1 cup cranberries
- 1 cup red apples, diced
- 1 cup club soda, chilled
Instructions
- Add the orange slices to the bottom of a large bowl or pitcher.
- Sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon over the oranges and muddle. (If you don’t have a muddler, the back of a spoon will work also!)
- Add the spiced rum, red wine, orange liqueur and cranberry juice.
- Stir to combine, then add the cranberries and red apples.
- Place in the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour (preferably overnight).
- Add the club soda before serving.
- Serve in glasses filled with ice.
Nutrition Facts
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10 Comments on “Cranberry Apple Sangria”
Do you have the exact measurements? How much apples, cranberries, juice etc..
Hi Casey, yes, all of the measurements are in the recipe card at the bottom of the blog post. Enjoy!
Did you use cranberry juice cocktail or unsweetened cranberry juice?
Hi Dana, I used cranberry juice cocktail
Should I double the recipe if I am making for a large group of people? How many people does the regular recipe call for?
Hi Christina, this recipe will make approximately 10 – 8 oz glasses of sangria. I would definitely recommend doubling it for a large group.
I’m not a fan of red wine. Have you made this with white wine?
Hi Carol, I haven’t made it with white wine, but I think it would be great with a sauvignon blanc! Please let me know if you try it with white wine, I’d love to hear what you think!
Will silver rum work? I bought the wrong kind 🙁
That will be fine, you might just add a little less rum, or a touch more cinnamon to get that same cinnamon apple spice flavor you’re looking for! Enjoy!