Apple Cider Sangria Recipe – Love and Lemons

I’m making this apple cider sangria for every party this fall! Made with white wine, fresh apples and warm spices, it’s fruity, festive and serves a crowd.

This apple cider sangria recipe is my new favorite cocktail for fall entertaining! It’s also my family’s favorite: they loved it so much the first time I served it that I made it again for another family gathering the following weekend. Since then, it has been a staple of our fall meetings. Sweetened with apple cider, filled with fresh apples, and warmly spiced with cinnamon and star anise, it’s bursting with festive fall flavors.

If you’re looking for a fun cocktail to serve at Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, or any other celebration this season, I can’t recommend this apple cider sangria enough. It’s easy to make with 7 simple ingredients, you can make it in advance and it serves a crowd. Add in the fact that it’s fruity, refreshing, and delicious, and I don’t think there’s much more one could look for in a fall cocktail. I hope you love this apple cider sangria as much as we do!

Apple Cider Sangria Ingredients

First, a little background: Sangria is a Spanish wine punch typically made with red wine and infused with fruit. This variation is not traditional, but I still call it a sangria because it has a few key similarities to the classic:

1. It has a wine base. I use white instead of red.
2. It cools down overnight. This allows the fresh fruit and spices to infuse flavor into the drink.
3. It’s super fruity, thanks to chopped apples, apple cider and orange liqueur.

Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

• Dry white wine – I use pinot grigio specifically because its dry flavor and green apple notes make it perfect for this recipe. If you prefer to use another white, Sauvignon Blanc would be my second choice.
• Apple cider – For sweetness and apple taste. High quality apple juice would also work.
• Orange liqueur – It adds fruity depth to sangria and gives it a boozy touch.
• Ginger beer – For sweetness, fizz and a nice bite of ginger. Ginger ale would also work, although I prefer the spicier ginger flavor of ginger beer.
• Fresh apples – Any genre you like! I always make this recipe with a mixture of green and red apples. The mix of colors makes it so pretty!
• Star anise and cinnamon sticks – They infuse sangria with a warm, spicy flavor.
• And ice cream – To serve! This drink is very refreshing chilled.

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

How to Make Apple Cider Sangria

This apple cider and white wine sangria recipe has four simple steps:

1. Prepare the sangria base. In a large pitcher, combine chopped apples, spices, wine, apple cider and orange liqueur. Make sure to do this step a day in advance!
2. Place in the refrigerator overnight to allow the aromas to develop.
3. Add the ginger beer. Pour it just before serving so it will be bubbly when served.
4. Serve in glasses with ice. If you’re wondering: yes, you can eat the fruit! Don’t hesitate to add a few pieces of apple to each glass.

Well done friends!

More Fall Cocktail Recipes

If you like this recipe, try one of these festive fall cocktails next:

Apple Cider Sangria

Preparation time: 10 minutes minutes

Total duration: 10 minutes minutes

Serves 8

Sweet, fruity, and warmly spicy, this apple cider sangria recipe is the perfect fall cocktail! It serves a crowd, so it’s great for parties and gatherings like Thanksgiving. Be sure to mix the fruit, spices, wine, and orange liqueur the night before so they can steep overnight.

• 3 apples, ax
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 4 star anise
• 1 (750 ml bottle) pinot gris, or other dry white wine
• 1½ cups apple cider or apple juice
• 2 ounces orange liqueur, like Cointreau, Grand Marnier, or triple sec
• 3½ ounces ginger beer
• Ice

Cooking methodStop your screen from going dark

• In a large pitcher, place the apples, cinnamon sticks and star anise. Add the pinot grigio, apple cider and orange liqueur and mix. Chill in the refrigerator overnight.

• Just before serving, add the ginger beer and stir gently.

• Serve in glasses with ice.