spiced cider sangria
Why fuss over playing bartender all night when you can throw down a pitcher drink and be done?
While I do love mixing for folks, I’d rather it not consume the entirety of my holiday experience. Imagine having to cook dinner and do dishes and find music and dream up individual cocktails for everyone. Not the most enjoyable night, I don’t think – it’s not like it’s your actual job and your guests are paying you for all that.
So, enter the sangria. I seem to scare up a new sangria every year. Small wonder, too: they’re highly customizable, so creativity knows no bounds, and pretty much always win with whomever I serve a round to.
This Thanksgiving, our sangria is minimal. I know many of us are zapped of energy thanks to the current events of the world, be they atmospheric or political or just plain personal. I assure you, though, that it does not lack in pep and pizzazz. Our Spiced Cider Sangria offers up a cozy, boozy glass perked up with extra cinnamon and lots of sliced apples.
Trust me: you’ll want a few of those tipsy fruits in your serving.
Get a Lil Spicy
6 ingredients mix into our punch bowl. Easy ones to find, too, so lucky for you I needn’t yack too long before you get your mixologist on.
First, find your favorite brand of apple cider (or make your own!) Trader Joes’ is extra popular, but I do like Target’s original cider and the honeycrisp cider when I can find it. I’m not sure they sold the latter this year.
Grab your favorite pitcher or punch bowl and stir up the cider with bourbon (spiced rum works great too!), Cointreau or any orange liqueur, a bottle of white wine, sliced apples, and a few cinnamon sticks. The wine needn’t be top shelf, or even middle shelf, but I usually prefer something drier.
Cover the sangria and refrigerate at least two hours. You can also let it hang overnight, but keep in mind the cinnamon sticks will infuse the liquid quickly with its potent warming scent. I usually add the cinnamon sticks a few hours before I plan to serve if I prep the drink further ahead of time.
I like to pour out each cup and include a few sliced apples and a cinnamon stick for garnish. If you want to get fancy, a cinnamon sugar rim would look lovely, too. Just toss a few tablespoons of sugar with a teaspoon of cinnamon, run a lemon or orange wedge around the rim of each glass, and dip into the sugar to coat.
Feel the need to say the rimming should be achieved before you pour any sangria into the cup. Just in case that wasn’t clear.
That’s all, folks. Bottoms up and cheers!
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Seasonal sips to savor:
Smoky Apple Cider Bourbon Sour
spiced cider sangria
Ingredients
- 4 cups apple cider
- 1/2 cup bourbon
- 1/3 cup Cointreau
- 1 bottle white wine (I like pinot griogio or sauvignon blanc)
- 2 honeycrisp apples, sliced
- 4 cinnamon sticks
Instructions
- In a pitcher, stir together the cider, bourbon, Cointreau, and wine. Drop in the apple slices and stir once more. Cover and chill at least 2 hours in the fridge, or up to overnight.
- When ready to serve, divide the sangria into cute glasses and top with a cinnamon stick.
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