Name: Apple Cider Sangria
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 370 min
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients: 1500 ml Pinot Grigio (2 bottles); 3 cups apple cider; 1 cup spiced rum; 1/4 cup Hot Damn! Cinnamon Schnapps (or Fireball Whiskey); 4 Honey Crisp or Granny Smith apples (, cored and sliced but not peeled); 4 cinnamon sticks; 2 teaspoons whole cloves; 1 Guijillo Chile; 1 liter Ginger Ale (I prefer a spicy ginger beer)

A sweet, white sangria with a spicy kick that is perfect for autumn parties and holiday gatherings. Be careful, this gentle beverage carries a big wallop!

Total time 6 hours 10 minutes

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Apple cider sangria is a tangy, white sangria with plenty of warm fall spices! Spicy ginger beer adds just the right amount of sweet sparkle. It’s perfect for autumn parties, holiday gatherings, or sipping in front of a crackling fire.

This recipe is meant for people over 21 years old. Please drink responsibly.

Two glasses of apple cider sangria garnished with rosemary - title text overlay

Ingredients

Be careful — this gentle adult beverage carries a big wallop! Make a lot — it disappears fast!

Pinot Grigio or Riesling depending on how sweet you like it. Riesling will make it quite sweet.
Apple cider adds the most flavor so be sure to get a good one.
Spiced rum works with the cinnamon and cloves in this recipe, adding that warm fall flavor.
Cinnamon Schnapps or Fireball intensifies the spicy cinnamon flavor.
Honeycrisp apples are my favorite for this but Granny Smith, McIntosh, and other tangy apples all work well.
Cinnamon sticks give the sangria flavor without making it cloudy.
Whole cloves add that apple pie flavor.
Guijillo Chile gives the sangria a little heat – but it’s completely optional.
Ginger Ale or Ginger Beer adds flavor, sweetness and sparkle. I prefer a spicy Jamaican ginger beer myself. If you prefer it not be so sweet use club soda.

White Sangria FAQs

Recipe rated: very easy

Here are the most commonly asked questions about this recipe. If you don’t find the answer to yours here leave a comment below or email me – I’ll get back to you as soon as I can!

What kind of apples are used in sangria?

Honeycrisp are my favorite but any tangy, flavorful apple will do – try Granny Smith, MacIntosh, or Jazz.

Find more information about the different flavors of apple varieties in this article from the University of Illinois

How do you make sangria with white wine?

It’s basically the same method that you use with red wine. Add your desired fruit and spirits then let it stand overnight in the refrigerator for the full flavor to develop. Be careful about adding berries and stone fruits – they tend to disintegrate and make the sangria look cloudy.

What kind of white wine is good for sangria?

Crisp wines are usually best since sugar and fruit are added. I used Pinot Grigio but other possibilities include Riesling and even a Chardonnay.

How do you make a good white wine sangria?

Choose your fruit carefully.

Apples and pears are good choices.
You can use pineapple or berries if you add the fruit in just before serving.
Then choose your spirits to go with the flavor of your sangria – peach schnapps, pineapple vodka, or a caramel vodka.
Give it time to mellow – overnight is best.
Finally, add some sparkle with club soda, ginger ale, or lemon lime soda just before serving and serve cold.

Cook’s Notes for Apple Cider Sangria

Not a lot of notes, really. This is a fairly straightforward recipe that you’ll

Tips

Be sure to let the sangria sit overnight in the refrigerator. This allows the flavors to “ripen” and the alcohol loses any harshness it might have had.
Use frozen cranberries instead of ice to keep it cold without diluting it.
If you’re having a party I’d suggest making this a day or so beforehand so you can taste it and decide if you need to adjust it. If you taste it when you first make it you’ll think you have too much booze in it. Trust me, it mellows out a lot!
If you have some left, and that’s a BIG if, it will keep quite awhile in the fridge… I think… I’ve never had any last very long, come to think of it. The stuff always disappears long before it’s gone bad.

Flavor Variations

This is delicious the way it is but there are some amazing variations, too.

Use caramel vodka to make it a caramel apple sangria
Substitute pears for apples
Add cinnamon candies
Add white cranberry juice and cranberries
Freeze sprigs of rosemary in ice – it makes it very pretty
Add some star anise if you like the flavor
Pomegranate seeds are pretty in this

You May Need

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I love a pretty sangria set to serve sangria with!

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