My tried-and-true holiday sangria recipe is the perfect cocktail for Christmas, New Year’s, Thanksgiving, or any time during the holiday season! I make it with red wine, vodka, sparkling apple cider, spiced apple cider, and cranberry juice, so it really tastes festive. Plus, this red wine Christmas sangria is so easy to make, I can simply whip up an extra batch during any party without missing a beat. It really fills the room with holiday cheer!
I’ve got a sangria for every season and this one is absolutely my favorite sangria for the holidays! The mix of apple cider and cranberry makes it taste like fall and winter all in one comforting cocktail. It’s also just a little bit fizzy and bubbly thanks to the sparkling cider, which I think adds a nice finish to every sip. It’s the star of every one of my holidays parties!
Ingredients for Christmas Sangria
- Red Wine: A dry red wine works best for this recipe, unless you want an extra sweet sangria. I typically use a Cabernet.
- Sparkling Apple Cider: This adds a bubbly finish that’s especially nice for New Year’s Eve.
- Spiced Apple Cider: This gives it a really nice, warm flavor.
- Vodka: You can use any vodka you prefer here. I often use a gluten-free vodka to make it drinkable for everyone, but many pure distilled vodkas are naturally gluten-free.
- Cranberry Juice: I prefer to use pure unsweetened cranberry juice so the sangria doesn’t get too sweet. But you can use cranberry juice cocktail if you like.
- Fruit: A mix of sliced oranges, apples, and cranberries infuse the liquid with more fruit flavor.
How to Store
This holiday sangria tastes best when mixed and served right away, or with just a few hours of chilling in the fridge beforehand. Since it only takes 5 minutes to throw together, I’ve never needed to worry much about preparing it. If you do have some leftover, store it in a pitcher in the refrigerator; it’ll taste best if consumed within a couple of days.
Serving Suggestions
To really make this sangria feel festive for Christmas, I serve glasses of it heavily garnished with fresh fruit slices and a sprig of rosemary. Sometimes I add these sugared cranberries on top for an extra sweet finish, or these dried orange slices.
5-Star Review
“I made this for Christmas eve. It is one of the best red sangrias that I have had! Loved the spiced flavor from the spiced apple cider!” – Leslie
Easy Holiday Sangria (Gluten Free)
Ingredients
- 750 ml Red Wine I used Cabernet (1 bottle)
- 750 ml Sparkling Apple Cider (1 bottle)
- 1 cup Good Quality Vodka
- 1 cup Cranberry Juice
- 1 cup Spiced Apple Cider
- Sliced oranges apples, fresh cranberries, and springs of rosemary for garnish
Instructions
- Stir together all of the liquid ingredients in a large pitcher.750 ml Red Wine, 750 ml Sparkling Apple Cider, 1 cup Good Quality Vodka, 1 cup Cranberry Juice, 1 cup Spiced Apple Cider
- Garnish the pitcher with the fruit slices.Sliced oranges
- Pour over ice and add a sprig of rosemary to each glass.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
Generally, yes sangria is gluten free, and this recipe definitely is!
Vodka generally works best, but you could use rum, brandy, or another liquor if you prefer.
I recommend using a dry red wine since the other ingredients will really sweeten things up. I used Cabernet for this recipe, but Pinot Noir or Malbec would work too.
Yes, you can mix everything together and keep it in the fridge until ready to serve. Just give it a nice stir before serving.
More Christmas Drinks to Try!
Can you indicate what size bottle of sparkling cider? How much do you need? This looks delicious!!
Both the wine and the cider are 740ml!
What size bottle of red wine?
A standard 750ml bottle!
I made this for Christmas eve. It is one of the best red sangrias that I have had! Loved the spiced flavor from the spiced apple cider! Couldn’t find the gluten free vodka, which would have been good for some family members.
YAY! So happy to hear that. Happy New Year! Sorry you couldn’t find the GF vodka, that stinks! A lot of vodkas are still GF depending on how they’re made, I should update the post to reflect that. Thanks for saying hi :) :)
Where did you get that glassware? It’s gorgeous.
Thank you! I’m pretty sure I got it from Crate and Barrel. Have a fabulous Thanksgiving!
Soundz delicioso!! I wonder if it can be made a few days ahead of time & be ok
Thank You! :)
I’m allergic to Apples, what can I use to replace the Apple Cider?
I cannot wait to make this for our guests! Well, who says I have to wait? ;-)
Sangria is a must around the holidays! This sounds delicious!