Apple Cider Sangria with Oranges, Lemons, and Cinnamon
My apple cider sangria is the perfect drink to enjoy on a colorful fall evening. It mixes citrus fruits with apple cider, wine, and orange liqueur, with every sip laced with a little sweetness and spice. Serve it chilled and with a hearty fall supper or charcuterie board in good company.
Apple Cider Sangria Recipe with Oranges, Lemons, and Cinnamon
Ingredients
To make my apple cider sangria, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Orange – 1 orange
- Lemon – 1 lemon
- Apple – 1 Granny Smith apple (or any other apple – see ingredient notes)
- Apple Cider – 2 cups apple cider (or cloudy/pressed apple juice – see ingredient notes)
- Wine – 1 bottle of white wine (750ml) (see ingredient notes)
- Cinnamon Sticks – 2 cinnamon sticks
- Orange Liqueur – 1/3 cup (or to taste) orange liqueur
- Sugar – 2 tbsp (or to taste) sugar
Ingredient Notes
Apples – I used Granny Smith apples. But you can ultimately use any apple in this recipe, and you’ll just have your own personalized flavor profile! This is one of the great things about Sangria – no two Sangrias will taste alike, as everything can change its flavor profile (even the choice of apples)! And they’ll pretty much always be delicious.
Apple Cider – For my non-U.S. and non-Canadian readers, I’m referring to non-alcoholic apple cider from the U.S. and Canada. In the rest of the world, look for high-quality cloudy pressed apple juice (with no added sugar).
Wine – I used a Spanish white Rioja (Rioja Blanco) for my sangria recipe. You can use any white wine you prefer. Generally, in Spain, they’ll use cheaper/inexpensive wine for Sangrias. But, of course, most wines in Spain (and most of Europe) are really nice, even at low price points. So, if you’re in the U.S./North America, get a less expensive but still nice/drinkable bottle of wine (‘drinkable’ as in you would still enjoy drinking it on its own without any additions like fruit and brandy).
Orange Liqueur – You can also use brandy instead.
How to Make this Fall-Themed Sangria (in Just 3 Easy Steps)
Step 1 – Thinly slice the apple, orange, and lemon.
Step 2 – Add the apples, orange, and lemon slices to a pitcher alongside the sugar, and then press the orange and lemon slices lightly with a wooden spoon to get some the juices out.
Step 3 – Add the cinnamon sticks, orange liqueur, apple cider, and white wine, and mix everything lightly. Then, refrigerate for at least 2-4 hours.
The optimal time would be about 4-12 hours to really let the flavors infuse without risking the sangria going bitter from the citrus pith (the white part of the orange and lemon).
Serving Suggestions
Serve the sangria in deep wine glasses, optionally with ice. I also added the cinnamon sticks from the sangria (one in each of the two glasses). You can break the cinnamon sticks in halves or thirds if serving more people.
Let those sweet and spiced fall flavors serenade you, and enjoy a glass or two for holiday celebrations or with close friends.
Recipe Card
Apple Cider Sangria with Orange, Lemon, and Cinnamon
Ingredients
- 1 orange
- 1 lemon
- 1 apple
- 2 cups apple cider (or cloudy/pressed apple juice – see ingredient notes)
- 1 bottle of white wine (750ml) (see ingredient notes)
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1/3 cup orange liqueur (or more to taste)
- 2 tbsp sugar (or more to taste)
Instructions
- Thinly slice the apple, orange, and lemon.
- Add the apples, orange, and lemon slices to a pitcher alongside the sugar, and then press the orange and lemon slices lightly to get some the juices out.
- Add the cinnamon sticks, orange liqueur, apple cider, and white wine, and mix everything lightly. Then, refrigerate for at least 2-4 hours.
Notes
Apples – I used Granny Smith apples. But you can ultimately use any apple in this recipe, and you’ll just have your own personalized flavor profile! This is one of the great things about Sangria – no two Sangrias will taste alike, as everything can change its flavor profile (even the choice of apples)! And they’ll pretty much always be delicious.
Apple Cider – For my non-U.S. and non-Canadian readers, I’m referring to non-alcoholic apple cider from the U.S. and Canada. In the rest of the world, look for high-quality cloudy pressed apple juice (with no added sugar).
Wine – I used a Spanish white Rioja (Rioja Blanco) for my sangria recipe. You can use any white wine you prefer. Generally, in Spain, they'll use cheaper/inexpensive wine for Sangrias. But, of course, most wines in Spain (and most of Europe) are really nice even at low price points. So, if you're in the U.S./North America, get a less expensive but still nice/drinkable bottle of wine ('drinkable' as in you would still enjoy drinking it on its own without any additions like fruit and brandy).
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Pin this recipe to your ‘Fall Recipes’ or ‘Drinks’ boards so that you can prepare it once the leaves start falling from the trees.
