Cinnamon Spice Hard Apple Cider Sangria
If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that I love a good sangria. My traditional red sangria recipe is full of delicious, juicy fruit—plus a healthy dose of orange liqueur and brandy. My white sangria recipe is the yin to red sangria’s yang. I make it with my favorite Spanish white Rioja wine, then load it up with freshly sliced lemons, limes, Granny Smith apples, and even pears.
When the calendar turns to September, however, I swap out my summer favorites for this equally delicious and even more festive fall-inspired recipe: My Cinnamon Spice Hard Apple Cider Sangria.
Seriously, this apple cider cocktail is comfort food in a glass!
Have you ever tried mulled wine? This hard apple cider sangria recipe is kind of like mulled wine’s cooler, more refreshing cousin. It’s perfect for those late summer and early fall days when it’s cool in the morning and evening, but still hot during the day.
To me, this sangria just tastes like fall. I love using farm-fresh apple cider in mine—it’s pretty easy to find at most supermarkets as well as at your local farmers market. A splash of hard apple cider gives it an effervescent mouthfeel and a little extra flavor, making it a totally drinkable autumn comfort “food” that everyone is sure to enjoy.
As far as the hard cider goes, get a 750ml (about 25 ounces) bottle of cider or use a couple of 12-ounce bottles. One of my favorites is Island Orchard Cider from Door County, Wisconsin. They make a terrific apple ginger hard cider that works great with this recipe!
One final note before we get to the recipe: I have a beautiful glass pitcher that I love to use for all my sangria recipes, so all my guests can enjoy the beautiful fruit floating around. This recipe works great as a party-style punch or as a nice “cocktail” in individual, garnished glasses. Either way, it’s delicious!
Want more fall cocktail recipes? I’ve got you covered!
Here are a few more of my favorites that bring in the flavors of the season.
Cinnamon Spice Hard Apple Cider Sangria Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Honeycrisp or Pink Lady apple
- 1 Granny Smith apple
- 2 seedless navel oranges
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 3 cups fresh apple cider (look for this at your local farmers market or in the refrigerator section at your local grocery store)
- ½ cup spiced dark rum
- 1 bottle pinot grigio or dry Riesling white wine
- ¼ cup simple syrup, optional
- 1 bottle hard apple cider
- Apple sliced
- Pomegranate arils (seeds)
Instructions
- Core and thinly slice the two apples. Cut the orange into circles then cut each circle into 4 wedges. Place the apples, oranges, and cinnamon sticks into a large pitcher. I recommend using a glass pitcher because this drink looks so beautiful.
- Add the apple cider, dark rum, and white wine. Stir to combine.
- Taste the mixture. If you would like it a bit sweeter, just add simple syrup. Start with a little bit, then taste it before adding more. It all depends on your taste and how sweet the apple cider is.
- Cover the pitcher with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours to let the flavors infuse. I like to make mine a day in advance so the flavor of the fruit really comes out.
- Right before serving, remove the cinnamon sticks and add the hard apple cider. Stir to combine. I love to serve this with a garnish of apple slices on the side of the glass and a few pomegranate arils for a pop of color.