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Here’s the ideal fall cocktail: apple cider sangria! This cozy drink pairs apple cider with red wine, orange and cinnamon. You’ll be amazed by how it tastes cozy and refreshing all at once.
Why we love this recipe
When the air gets a chill and you start pulling on chunky knit sweaters…guess what? You don’t have to stop drinking sangria! Yes, red sangria and white sangria are usually reserved for summer months. But there are creative spins on this Spanish drink so that you can drink it all year long.
Try this apple cider sangria! It pairs the cozy flavors of fall with dry red wine to make a Spanish-style autumnal spin on this drink. Add a hint of apple cider, and it’s a flavor-packed drink that is the best for fall parties!
Ingredients for apple cider sangria
This apple cider sangria is not a traditional Spanish recipe—it simply takes elements of the classic way to make this drink. I lived in Spain in university and in the process fell in love with its cuisine. I fully believe in the traditional Spanish way to make sangria: American versions are much too sweet!
Sangría is a wine punch that originates from Spain. The classic version is made with red wine and chopped fruit, and often orange juice or brandy. In Spain white sangria is also popular, and there are a myriad of other not-so-traditional spins like rosé sangria, watermelon sangria, etc. This apple cider sangria is a creative variation, but it’s solidly inspired by the Spanish way to make it. Here are the ingredients in this apple cider sangria:
- Fruit: apple, pear, orange
- Sugar
- Cinnamon
- Dry red wine
- Apple cider or sparkling apple cider
Best wine to use for apple cider sangria
All you need is a bottle of dry red wine for this apple cider sangria! Any dry red will do, of course! Some of the best varietals for this type of sangria are:
- Rioja Tempranillo
- Garnacha (Grenache grown in Spain)
- Malbec
- Pinot Noir
How to make sangria…the Spanish way
The way we make all of our sangria recipes is a method is inspired by our favorite Spanish chef, Jose Andres. Chef Andres is from Spain and started many successful restaurants here in the US. The “Spanish” way to make this apple cider sangria is this:
- Macerate fruit for 1 hour: Mix the sangria fruit with sugar and cinnamon, and let it stand at room temperature and break down. This helps the fruit flavors permeate the wine even more.
- Add liquids: Add the red wine.
- Serve with apple cider: When serving, pour half the glass with apple cider and half with the red wine mixture.
Variation: sparkling apple cider
There’s a non-Spanish spin to this apple cider sangria, but it’s a tasty way to enhance the cider flavor! Here’s what to know:
- Pour half of the glass cider, then half red wine (or mix in a pitcher!). This makes for a beautiful two-toned drink. If you’re serving for a crowd, you can simply combine the cider with the red wine in a large pitcher.
- Sparkling apple cider adds lightness and bubbles. It’s traditional in Spain to serve sangria with soda water: sparkling apple cider mimics the fizziness.
Don’t forget to eat the fruit
A fun part about this apple cider sangria is that you don’t have to let the fruit go to waste! When you serve it, you can also provide skewers for your guests. Then you can eat the wine-soaked fruit from your drink using the skewers! It’s a nice “dessert” or palate refresher after a meal.
More sangria variations
There are lots of types of sangria outside of this apple cider sangria: one for every occasion and season! Here are some of our favorites:
- Classic: Red Sangria and White Sangria Crisp and refreshing, here are the traditional Spanish ways to make these classic flavors.
- Summer: Rose Sangria, Strawberry Sangria, Watermelon Sangria and Easy Peach Sangria are light and fruity: perfect for summer!
- Frozen: It’s like the smoothie form of this boozy drink! Try Frozen Sangria.
More fall drinks
Go for Mulled Wine, Mulled Cider or Hot Apple Cider to keep things warm and cozy. Or try our Apple Cider Bourbon Cocktail or Apple Cider Mimosa for cocktails with an apple cider spin. See all of our fall drinks, here!
Dietary notes
This apple cider sangria recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.
Frequently asked questions
Any crisp eating apple will work beautifully! Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, and Granny Smith are all great choices. You can even use a mix of varieties for more complex flavor.
Cinnamon sticks are a classic choice! Star anise, thin apple slices, and fresh cranberries also make lovely garnishes.
You can use a dry white wine like Pinot Grigio if you prefer, you can use other whites like Sauvignon Blanc or even a dry rosé. Just avoid anything too sweet, as the apple cider already adds sweetness.
Apple Cider Sangria
Here’s the ideal fall cocktail: apple cider sangria! This cozy drink pairs apple cider with red wine, orange and cinnamon.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 10 1x
- Category: Drink
- Method: Stirred
- Cuisine: Cocktail
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 apple
- 1 pear
- 1/2 orange
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 750 ml bottle dry red wine, such as Rioja
- 1 750 ml bottle sparkling cider or apple cider
- Optional garnishes: Cinnamon stick, rosemary sprig, remaining orange slices
Instructions
- Thinly slice the apple, pear, and orange. Place them into a medium bowl and stir in the sugar and cinnamon. Transfer to a large pitcher. Allow to stand for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Pour in the red wine. Stir and refrigerate for 1 hour, or as long as 4 hours. (Don’t go beyond 4 hours or the fruit texture starts to degrade.)
- To serve, fill a glass with ice. Fill halfway with sparkling apple cider or apple cider, then halfway with red wine mixture (or you can pour them both together in a pitcher). Garnish with cinnamon stick, rosemary or orange slices. When you’ve polished off the sangria, you can snack on the sweetened fruit.
