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Festive Cranberry-Orange Red Christmas Sangria

Close-up of a glass pitcher filled with vibrant red christmas sangria, garnished with fresh cranberries, orange slices, cinnamon sticks, and star anise.
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Make this easy, crowd-pleasing red wine holiday sangria for your next gathering. It features seasonal fruits and warming spices, and you can prepare it ahead of time.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 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 fresh orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 star anise pod
  • 1 orange, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 1 apple (such as Honeycrisp or Fuji), cored and thinly sliced
  • 1 cup sparkling water or club soda (added before serving)

Instructions

  1. In a large pitcher or beverage dispenser, combine the red wine, brandy, orange liqueur, orange juice, sugar, cinnamon stick, and star anise pod. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
  2. Add the sliced orange, cranberries, and sliced apple to the pitcher. Gently stir to combine all the fruit with the liquid.
  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 holiday drinks step is key for the best taste.
  4. Before serving, remove the cinnamon stick and star anise pod. Stir in the cold sparkling water or club soda.
  5. Serve the Christmas sangria over ice, making sure each glass receives some of the festive fruit.

Notes

  • For a less sweet drink, reduce the added sugar to 1 tablespoon.
  • If you prefer a White Christmas sangria recipe, substitute the red wine with a dry white wine like Pinot Grigio and use white cranberry juice instead of whole cranberries.
  • Garnish individual glasses with a sprig of fresh rosemary for an elegant holiday serving idea.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://mistyplate.com/christmas-sangria-recipe-cranberry-orange/