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Classic Spiced Red Christmas Sangria (Make-Ahead Friendly)

Close-up of a glass filled with vibrant Christmas sangria, featuring orange slices, cranberries, star anise, and a cinnamon stick.
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Make this vibrant, spiced red Christmas sangria ahead of time for your holiday gatherings. It combines red wine, brandy, and seasonal fruits with warming spices for an easy, crowd-pleasing festive drink.

Ingredients

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  • 1 (750 ml) bottle dry red wine (like Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon)
  • 1/2 cup brandy
  • 1/4 cup orange liqueur (like Cointreau or Triple Sec)
  • 1/4 cup orange juice, fresh squeezed
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup or simple syrup
  • 1 large orange, thinly sliced
  • 1 large apple (Fuji or Honeycrisp), cored and sliced
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 1 cup sparkling water or club soda (add just before serving)

Instructions

  1. Combine the red wine, brandy, orange liqueur, orange juice, and maple syrup in a large pitcher or non-reactive container. Stir gently to mix the liquids.
  2. Add the sliced orange, apple slices, cranberries, cinnamon sticks, and whole cloves to the pitcher.
  3. Cover the pitcher and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight. This allows the fruit to macerate and the spices to infuse the wine mixture. This step makes it a perfect make ahead holiday cocktail.
  4. When ready to serve, remove the cinnamon sticks and cloves if you prefer a less intense spice flavor.
  5. Just before serving, top the sangria mixture with the cold sparkling water or club soda for effervescence. Do not add the soda too early, or it will go flat.
  6. Serve the Christmas Sangria over ice in wine glasses, making sure each glass gets some of the festive fruit.

Notes

  • For a White Christmas Sangria Recipe variation, substitute the red wine with a dry white wine (like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc) and use white cranberry juice instead of whole cranberries. Omit the cloves.
  • If you want a sweeter drink, increase the maple syrup to 1/4 cup.
  • To make this a Prosecco Sangria, replace the sparkling water with chilled Prosecco for a more elegant finish.
  • This recipe is excellent for holiday entertaining and scales up easily for large crowds.

Nutrition

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