Winter Sangria Recipe

This Winter Sangria is a real show stopper, perfect for holiday parties or cozy nights by the fire. It isn’t usually made with warm spices like cinnamon or honey, but we’ve added them to give the drink a seasonal depth that pairs perfectly with the red wine. To make it extra festive, you can garnish the glasses with a rim of cinnamon sugar or a star anise pod. Not traditional, maybe, but very delicious.

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Winter Sangria Recipe Ingredients

• 2 cups no-pulp orange juice
• 3 to 6 ounces orange liqueur (such as Grand Marnier or Cointreau)
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 clementines or blood oranges, cut into sections
• 1 Granny Smith or other tart apple, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1 red Anjou pear, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 2 liters sweet sparkling red wine, chilled (such as Rosa Regale or Lambrusco)
• 1 liter lemon-lime soda, chilled

How To Make Winter Sangria Recipe

1. Create the base: In a large pitcher or a punch bowl, whisk together the orange juice, orange liqueur, and honey until the honey is completely dissolved.
2. Add fruit and spice: Drop in the cinnamon stick, clementine sections, cubed apple, and cubed pear. Stir gently to coat the fruit in the liquid.
3. Macerate: Set the mixture aside at room temperature for at least 1 hour. This resting period allows the fruit to absorb the flavors and the cinnamon to infuse the juice.
4. Add the sparkle: Right before you are ready to serve, pour in the chilled sparkling red wine and the chilled lemon-lime soda. Stir gently to combine without losing too much carbonation.
5. Serve: Serve immediately in glasses filled with ice, ensuring each glass gets a scoop of the marinated fruit.

Recipe Tips

• The Maceration Magic: Don’t skip the 1-hour rest at room temperature. This process, called maceration, softens the fruit and extracts the cinnamon flavor. If you skip it, you just have wine with hard apple chunks floating in it.
• The Fizz Factor: You must add the sparkling wine and soda immediately before serving. If you mix the whole batch an hour early, the bubbles will go flat, and the drink will taste heavy and syrupy.
• Chilled Ingredients: Because you are adding so much liquid at the end, ensure the wine and soda are ice cold. Relying solely on ice cubes in the glass will dilute the drink too quickly.
• Honey Dissolution: Honey can seize up in cold orange juice. Whisk it vigorously with the liqueur first (which is usually room temp) to loosen it up before adding the cold juice.

What To Serve With Winter Sangria Recipe

This Winter Sangria Recipe is a sweet, fruity cocktail that pairs wonderfully with savory party snacks. It cuts through the saltiness of a Charcuterie Board filled with cured meats and sharp cheeses like Manchego or Aged Cheddar. For hot appetizers, serve it alongside Spicy Meatballs or Bacon-Wrapped Dates, as the sweetness of the sangria balances the heat and smoke. It is also an excellent companion for dessert, pairing well with Dark Chocolate Brownies or a Spiced Carrot Cake.

How To Store Winter Sangria Recipe

• Refrigerate: You can store the fruit base (juice, liqueur, fruit, cinnamon) in the fridge for up to 24 hours. However, once the wine and soda are added, it is best consumed within 2 hours before it goes flat.
• Leftovers: If you have leftover finished sangria, remove the cinnamon stick so it doesn’t become bitter. Store in the fridge for up to 2 days; it won’t be fizzy, but it will still taste delicious over fresh ice.

Winter Sangria Recipe Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 240 kcal
• Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 35g
• Protein: 1g

Nutrition information is estimated per serving.

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