The Fall Cider Sangria Recipe Your Next Party Needs
Sighhhh. I *guess* I’ll accept that fall is truly here. I’ve been in denial in my new warm Dallas home, but given that it dipped close to freezing this weekend, I can no longer hide my head in the sand. At least we have this spiced apple cider sangria to lessen the sting of that a bit.
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I’d been wanting to try my hand at making sangria for a long time, but…well, it’s kind of a dangerous thing to make for yourself. Like REALLY dangerous. And when I’d have people over, their tastes didn’t run to sangria.
So I bided my time and finally it’s sangria time! And this fall sangria recipe is a perfect place to start.
What I love about this fall sangria recipe is that it’s mellow and balanced—not overly sweet, not too dry, but also not super boozy. You could make a huge batch if you need (but I just went with a single batch, perfect for 3 ladies).
The beauty of sangria is in its “choose your own adventure” nature, and the ability to whip it up ahead of time and have easy cocktails for a crowd. Here is the overall combination you need…
- A good dry red wine: For this (and most red) sangria, you’ll want a good quality red wine that’s fruity but dry. Wines like Tempranillo, Pinot Noir, and Grenache are perfect.
- Apple cider: This is bringing a juicy sweetness and the taste of fall.
- Liqueur: This is key for bringing flavor and a boozy hit. While Grand Marnier is most popular, I went a different direction, pairing Licor 43 (spices, a hint of vanilla) and a rich cherry liqueur. The flavor you use is flexible though. Next time I’d keep the Licor 43 but maybe pick a boozier, less sweet additional one (kirsch??).
- Fruit: Honeycrisp apple and pear are the star, along with champagne or concord grapes. I had planned to a cut-up orange as well, but was running out of room in the pitcher.
- Spices: To amp up our fall flavor, I used cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and a star anise or two. I considered a few cardamom pods but didn’t want to go overboard. Overall we’re going for a similar palate as mulled wine.
This was the perfect girls’ night tipple, a make-ahead drink that was super easy but still felt special.
I’d typically say you should finish sangria within a day or two, so the wine doesn’t oxidize too much (plus the fruit starts to get a bit mushy).
Other delicious cocktails for fall:
- Cinnamon Cranberry Whiskey Sour (With or Without Egg White)
- A Perfect Amaretto Sour Cocktail (with Bourbon)
- Spiced Pear Bourbon Cocktail
- “New York” Sour, A Perfect Fall Whiskey Cocktail (with Optional Egg White Foam)
- 10 Delicious Thanksgiving Cocktails for Your Table
- How to Make an Italian Gin & Tonic
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Fall Cider Sangria
Ingredients
- 1 bottle of fruity but dry red wine 750ml
- 2 1/2 cups of apple cider
- 3 ounces of Licor 43
- 1 ounce of boozier liqueur like kirsch
- 1 honeycrisp apple sliced in bite-size pieces
- 1 ripe Bartlett pear sliced in bite-size pieces
- Champagne or concord grapes
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 star anise
- 4 whole cloves
Instructions
- Put all the fruit in a large pitcher, then add the wine and all the other ingredients.
- Stir together, taste, and adjust any ingredient amounts as needed.
Notes
- For this (and most red) sangria, you’ll want a good quality red wine that’s fruity but dry. Wines like Tempranillo, Pinot Noir, and Grenache are perfect.
- The exact ingredients (the fruit and liqueurs in particular) can be flexible depending on your tastes and what you have on hand.
- This is better when you can mix it up ahead of time (a few hours) and let the flavors meld.
