Perfect for any Christmas party, this drink is easy to make and features all the cozy and sweet flavors of the holidays. You’ll love the sweet and tart taste of this sangria, as well as its beautiful red color.

You might think are too many fruit flavors going on, but you’d be wrong. They blend perfectly.

glass pitcher with wine, cinnamon sticks, and cranberries.

Christmas Sangria Recipe

All the best flavors of winter: cranberry, apple, and cinnamon combine with wine and flavored liquors for an easy holiday drink your guests will love

Prep Time 5

Chilling time 2

Total Time 2 5

Serving Size people

Equipment

1 gallon or larger pitcher

Ingredients

½ cup fresh cranberries
1 large apple peeled, cored, and diced
1 cinnamon sticks
1 bottle red wine 750 ML
½ cup apple brandy
½ cup black raspberry liquor
1½ cups apple cider
1 cup cranberry juice
fresh rosemary for garnish

Instructions

Place the fruit in the pitcher. Add the diced apples, fresh cranberries, and cinnamon stick in a pitcher.
Add the liquids. Add the red wine, apple brandy, black raspberry liquor, apple cider, and cranberry juice on top. Stir well.
Chill. Allow to chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Serve over ice or plain, with fresh rosemary and additional cranberries, if desired.

Notes

Don’t bother buying expensive wine or liquors for this recipe: there are so many other ingredients competing with them you’ll hardly notice!

You can make this the night before a party and let it chill overnight.

🧂a note about the Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this grown-up winter drink:

fresh cranberries
fresh apple
cinnamon sticks
red wine (This recipe calls for red wine, but feel free to experiment with different types. Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon would work well. You don’t have to buy an expensive bottle for this recipe, since the other flavors will mask any subtle notes in the wine.)
apple brandy
black raspberry liquor (You can try orange liqueur instead of black raspberry, or a different flavor of fruit brandy.)
apple cider
cranberry juice
fresh rosemary

pitcher
something long for stirring
serving glasses

🥫 Storage instructions

Store in a sealed container in the fridge. This will keep it fresh and prevent any changes in taste or texture.

2 glasses of red sangria with rosemary and cinnamon stick.

If you have leftovers, drink them within 2 days.

👩🏻‍🍳 Expert tips

Make sure you let the sangria chill for at least 2 hours before serving, to let all the flavors blend.
If you want a little fizz in your Christmas Sangria, try adding a splash of sparkling water or ginger ale before serving.
You can also experiment with other winter fruits, like pears or blood oranges. There are no rules.

📘 Related Recipes

🍽 Serve it with

For an intimate Christmas gathering, serve your sangria alongside these dishes:

Christmas Sangria (Apple + Cranberry)