Spiced Autumn Apple Sangria is a boozy cocktail blend of Spanish red wine, brandy, fresh seasonal Autumn fruits like apples, pomegranate, oranges & infused with star anise and cinnamon sticks! Say hello to your new favourite and easiest big-batch cocktails you can make, giving all the delicious and cozy Fall season feels!
Spiced Autumn Apple Sangria
Autumn is hands down my favourite season. I love the crisp air, falling leaves, cozy sweaters, and of course all the fall foods and drinks! It’s harvest time, it’s a time for reflection, it’s a time to be grateful and give thanks! This Sangria recipe was made for this season but can be enjoyed year round – spanish red wine, seasonal fruit and aromatic spices are the heart and soul of this delicious cocktail!
Here are some other reasons why I love this Spiced Autumn Apple Sangria recipe:
- Perfect cocktail to celebrate the Fall/Autumn season, especially the Thanksgiving holiday
- Simple to make – toss all the ingredients into a large pitcher, stir, and refrigerate for a few hours!
- Easily customizable – swap out the fruit listed in the recipe for some of your faves i.e. pears and cranberries
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What You Need to Make the Spiced Autumn Apple Sangria Cocktail
750ml Bottle Spanish Red Wine
Ginger Ale
Orange Juice
Brandy
Honeycrisp Apple
Orange
Pomegranate Seeds
Cinnamon Sticks
Star Anise
How To Make Spiced Autumn Apple Sangria
If you’ve never made one before, you have no reason to fear! Sangria’s are so easy to pull together! Start with a large pitcher, combine all the ingredients, stir, and refrigerate for a few hours, that’s it, that’s all. Super simple, but very delicious!
- Prepare Fruit – core apples, then slice both the apples and oranges, and remove pomegranate seeds.
- Combine Ingredients – in a large pitcher, combine the red wine, ginger ale, orange juice, brandy, apples, oranges, pomegranate seeds, cinnamon sticks and star anise.
- Chill – refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight prior to serving.
Which Wine to Use for Red Wine Sangria
Generally speaking, any inexpensive red wine you typically enjoy can be a great choice for a red wine sangria. However, opt for a Spanish red wine for an authentic feel and taste. You can choose Garnacha (also called Grenache) or Rioja from Spain. Alternatively you can go with a Malber or Merlot for a sweeter result, a Pinot Noir as well!
Why Low-Tannin Red Wine for Sangrias
Tannins are naturally-occurring compounds in grape skins, seeds and stems that often make wine taste bitter or astringent, especially when chilled. It is also known as wine’s pucker power – what makes you pucker when you drink certain wines. For this reason, you want a red wine with low tannins.
Seasonal Fruit
Simply put, fruit eaten in season is best enjoyed because it’s often juicer, sweeter, and overall better. For this same reason you should choose seasonal fruit for your sangria. The fruit infuse the sangria with a fresh and light flavour as well as adds a natural sweetness.
Sangria Resting Period
This is a very important step in the already very easy process of making a Sangria. I recommend allowing your sangria to rest in the refrigerator for a few hours to overnight. This allows the sweetness from the fruit to infuse with the wine, letting its natural juices add to the overall flavour. The longer it sits the more the flavours meld together.
If you enjoyed this Spiced Autumn Apple Sangria, be sure you check out other cocktails and drinks here.
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Spiced Autumn Apple Sangria
Equipment
- Large Pitcher with Lid
Ingredients
- 750 ml Bottle Spanish Red Wine
- 2 1/2 cups Ginger Ale
- 1/2 cup Orange Juice
- 1/4 cup Brandy
- 1 Honeycrisp Apple cored and sliced
- 1 Orange sliced
- 1 Pomegranate seeds
- 2 Cinnamon Sticks
- 3 Star Anise
Instructions
- In a large pitcher, add apple slices, orange slices and pomegranate seeds.
- Pour in the red wine, ginger ale, orange juice and brandy, then add the cinnamon sticks and star anise. Let sit in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight prior to serving. When ready to serve, pour into glasses and enjoy responsibly!
Video
Note, the nutritional information is calculated using a nutrition facts calculator. It is a rough estimate and can vary based on products used.
12 Comments
Stephanie
November 17, 2021 at 9:20 pmThis drink was a hit! The sweetness from the honey crisp apple and the tartness from the pomegranate was the perfect combination of flavors with the wine. I will definitely be adding this to all my holiday parties.
Marta
November 17, 2021 at 10:20 pmThis has all of the amazing flavors of fall in my favorite drink. This sangria will definitely be the hit of my holiday parties this year.
Erique
November 20, 2021 at 10:20 pmThis is definitely the perfect fall cocktail and now one of my favorite cocktail recipes. The honey crisp apples bring the perfection together.
Robin
November 22, 2021 at 2:48 amThe ginger ale gave this sangria a different, yet delectable twist I had never tasted before.
Crystal DaCruz
November 22, 2021 at 10:36 amI’m always looking for seasonal sangria recipes to try and this is my new fall go-to! The flavors were incredible, I can’t wait to serve this again on Thanksgiving!
Lilly
November 22, 2021 at 3:54 pmI love the addition of ginger ale, brandy, and star anise in this sangria! It was so refreshing! I served this at brunch with friends over the weekend and everyone enjoyed it! I will definitely be making this again!
Chenée Lewis
November 23, 2021 at 12:50 amLoving this festive fall sangria!! Everyone loved the fall flavors — definitely making this again ASAP.
Britney
November 23, 2021 at 1:36 pmThis sangria is so cozy. We had this with our steak dinner last night and could get enough!
Maryanna
November 27, 2021 at 6:53 pmMade this recipe for thanksgiving after finding it on Pinterest and it was so delicious! Perfect for the fall and perfect with our thanksgiving dinner!
Jazz
December 1, 2021 at 12:06 pmWe loved this sangria! Especially the ginger ale and pomegranate–very nice touches.
Kerri
October 27, 2023 at 11:54 amCan I use anise extract instead of star anise?
Taneisha Morris
November 10, 2023 at 2:37 pmHi Kerri! I have never used anise extract in this recipe, however I believe you can – just add gradually (you wont need much) as it is very potent! Enjoy!