Apple Cider Sangria Recipe

Name: Apple Cider Sangria
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 370 min
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)

This irresistible apple cider sangria is bursting with fall flavors like cinnamon, cloves, apples, and ginger! Easy to make and perfect for sipping all season long!

Total time 6 hours 10 minutes

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Next time try the Cranberry Moscow Mule! It has enough holiday cheer to make Ebineezer Scrooge throw a party for the three Spirits of Christmas.

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

Close up of a glass of the sangria with apples floating in it. Title text overlay.

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❤️ Why you'll love it
🧾 Ingredients
🔪 Instructions
🥄 Equipment
🎥 Video
🥫 Storage
💭 Tips
👩‍🍳 FAQs
White Sangria FAQs
📖 Variations
📚 Related recipes
📞 The last word
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

❤️ Why you'll love it

make it by the pitcher for more relaxed entertaining
jam-packed with fall flavor
sparkly, nose tickling bubbles from the ginger beer

This apple cider sangria is the perfect fall cocktail because it is casual enough for football weekends but fancy enough for Thanksgiving dinner - in fact it will take you from September all the way through the holiday season!!

🧾 Ingredients

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

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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. Substitute caramel vodka to make apple pie sangria.
Honey crisp 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 or ancho 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.

🔪 Instructions

Step by step images for making apple cider sangria.

Add the wine, the rum, and the Fireball to a large container or pitcher.
Slice the apples - no need to peel.
Wrap the spices and pepper (if using) in a square of cheesecloth and tie into a package.
Drop the spice bundle down into the wine mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove spices and add ginger beer before serving.

🥄 Equipment

You'll need the following items to make this apple cider sangria recipe successfully.

cheesecloth
covered container or large pitcher

🎥 Video

Click on the image to watch me make this apple cider cocktail recipe from start to finish with extra tips! (Video opens in a new tab).

🥫 Storage

Strain leftover sangria to remove fruit and any remaining spices and store it, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for 4 or 5 days.

💭 Tips

Expert Tip: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.
This would make an awesome wine sorbet!

👩‍🍳 FAQs

Here are the questions I am most frequently asked about this recipe.

What kind of apples are used in apple cider sangria?

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

How long is apple sangria good for?

First of all, you want the flavors to blend at least overnight before serving. After your fabulous fall get-together you can sip on the leftovers for up to four days as long as you keep your sangria tightly covered in the refrigerator. I'd also remove the fruit before storing the leftovers.

Overhead view of a pitcher of apple sangria and two glasses.

White Sangria FAQs

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.

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.

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.

📖 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

I love a good cocktail! Here are some of my favorites!

Tropical Pineapple Sangria has flavors of pineapple, coconut, and juicy orange. You'll bring a splash of sparkly sunshine to any party!
Classic Red Sangria has lots of ripe fruit flavor and a subtle kick. This refreshing drink is perfect for casual summer parties.
Chocolate Peppermint Martini is a hedonistic cocktail that finishes with a cool, minty sensation reminiscent of an after dinner mint.
Spiked Mexican Hot Chocolate is the adult version of your favorite childhood apres sledding traditions. Milk and cream are scalded, infused with guijillo chile and Mexican chocolate, spiked with coconut vodka and rum, then frothed until a foamy layer appears on the top.

📞 The last word

Crisp apple sangria is perfect for one of those unusually warm late September afternoons when everything is golden. A friend, a porch swing, and a pitcher of this fall cocktail is absolute perfection!

If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!

If you love this recipe please give it a 5 star rating. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖 Recipe

First published November 2014. Last updated September 10, 2021 for better images and information.