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This effervescent Christmas sangria brings the wintry flavors of cranberry and orange straight into your glass of red wine—festive, refreshing, and exactly what the holidays call for.
Fair warning: this might be my booziest sangria yet. Oops! But the holidays are close, and between the things worth celebrating and the relatives we must tolerate, going a little heavier on the pour feels justified. This Christmas sangria brings cranberries and orange into the mix, along with a solid dose of brandy and a generous splash—pour, really—of triple sec. It’s fragrant, bright, and dangerously easy to drink, so pace yourself. And if you’d rather ease off, cutting back the brandy and triple sec works just fine.
If you’re looking for more cozy and festive cocktails, you’ve got to try my caramel apple cider sangria, and this incredibly cozy mulled wine recipe.
A Few Good Reasons to Make This
- Big batch, low effort: mix it in a pitcher and you’re set for the whole party.
- Festive color, zero fuss: that deep red hue does all the holiday decorating for you.
- Make-ahead friendly: it actually tastes better after the flavors meld, so it’s easy to prep in advance.
- A refreshing break from heavy holiday drinks: bright and fruity instead of rich or overly sweet.
- Easy to scale for a crowd: doubles or triples without any extra effort.
Ingredients at a Glance
A quick look at some of the essentials before we dive into the recipe:
- Red wine: reach for something fruity and easy to chill, like Garnacha (aka Grenache) or Tempranillo—low tannins, no bitterness, just good vibes. Spanish blends and Pinot Noir work well too.
- Cranberry juice: a 100% juice blend, like Ocean Spray, delivers crisp fruit flavor with balanced natural sweetness. You’ll want to avoid “real” cranberry juice since it’s a 100% pure, unsweetened beverage made entirely from squeezed cranberries—zero added sugar, water, or other fruit juices. So it’s very tart, intensely sharp, sour, and astringent.
- Brandy: This recipe calls for regular brandy, but if you can find orange brandy, it would add awesome flavor.
- Orange juice: Freshly squeezed is best, but you can use a good non-pulpy orange juice as well.
- Orange seltzer water: This brings a nice bubbly effervescence to the drink.
- Garnishes: Full cranberries and orange slices make for really cute, festive servings. You could also add a sprig of rosemary!
How to Make Christmas Sangria
Step 1: Prep the Fruit
Dump whole cranberries and half of the orange slices into the bottom of a large sangria pitcher.
Step 2: Add the Liquids
Pour the orange juice, brandy, triple sec, red wine, and cranberry juice into the pitcher. Stir well to mix.
Step 3: Chill
Put the sangria in the fridge for at least an hour.
Step 4: Add Seltzer & Serve
Before serving, top it off with the orange seltzer and garnish the glasses with cut-up orange slices.
Make It Your Own
- Make it sweeter: Add simple syrup, honey, or maple syrup a few tablespoons at a time until it’s to your liking.
- Less boozy option: Scale the brandy back to 1/3 cup and triple sec to 2 tablespoons.
Serve It With…
- A charcuterie board always goes with a good wine cocktail. See my post on how to make a charcuterie board if you need a little inspiration.
- Greek Baked Feta
- Whipped Ricotta with garlic-roasted cherry tomatoes
- Anchovy Butter Baguette Slices
- Crispy fish croquettes
Storage
For best results, drink your homemade sangria within 2 days, keeping it chilled in a glass pitcher with a lid. After that, the fruit starts to turn mushy, and the flavors lose their spark.
Christmas Sangria Recipe
Ingredients
- 750 ml red Spanish wine, like Garnacha or Tempranillo
- 1 cup cranberry juice
- 1/2 cup brandy
- 1/4 cup triple sec
- Juice of two oranges, about 1/2 cup, Or use about 1/2 cup of pulp-free orange juice.
- 1/2 cup fresh cranberries
- 1 orange, sliced into thin slices, Half of the slices for the sangria pitcher, and the other half for glass garnishes.
- Orange seltzer water, To top off the pitcher or individual glasses
Instructions
- Prepare the fruit: Add whole cranberries and half the orange slices to the bottom of a large sangria pitcher.
- Add liquids: Pour the orange juice, brandy, triple sec, red wine, and cranberry juice into the pitcher. Stir well to mix.
- Chill in the fridge: Refrigerate the sangria for at least an hour.
- Add seltzer & serve: Before serving, top it off with the orange seltzer and garnish the glasses with cut-up orange slices.
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