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Christmas Sangria is a delightful way to celebrate the holidays, all in one gorgeous chilled glass. This festive sangria is just the right balance of crisp and fruity, with a slight touch of sweetness!
For the past two days, I keep having to remind myself that Christmas is just around the corner. Can you believe it’s only two days away?! It feels unreal. Although I suppose that’s the case every year…
I spend over a month preparing for it, and it comes as such a surprise when it finally arrives.
I am all about packing Christmas Eve and Christmas day with as much food as I possibly can. The cooking and baking marathon will continue until my feet are sore and my stomach is rumbling (yes, I always forget to eat when I am cooking/baking!).
There’s something about the holidays that brings out the true inner chef within me. Sharing homemade food with all my loved ones is the best gift in the world in my book.
This Christmas Sangria is a delicious, simple recipe to accompany any meal and make your holiday merry and bright. It’s honestly the one recipe that my entire family demands that I make for our Christmas Eve celebration every single year!
The addition of rosemary adds the true taste of the holidays that I cherish so much. As soon as you take that first sip you’ll realize that this sangria is the drink you won’t want to live without when Christmas rolls around every year.
This Recipe’s Must Haves
Get the look in the video below with stemless wine glasses and pitcher. The pitcher is one that I so so love, because it’s gorgeous and just the right size!
Stir it up with a wooden spoon, a must-have for my utensil jar.
I just have to say, thank you all so much for your support over the past two years. It’s been so much fun to watch Cake ’n’ Knife grow and to have you all right here with me, well, it’s been such an honor.
You all fill my heart and soul with so much joy and I can only hope the recipes and stories I share with you all do the same.
Thank you for an incredible 2014 and I am simply brimming with excitement for 2015! It’s going to be a HUGE year!
Do you love allllll the Christmas cocktails? Check out a few of my other favorite holiday-themed drinks!
Red Christmas Single Serve Sangria – for when you just need a sangria for yourself and your boo.
Cranberry Boulevardier – fancy, tart, and oh-so tasty.
Gingerbread Bourbon Punch – perfect for a party and it goes well with this sangria as a complement.
Cranberry Pomegranate Champagne Mule – because your favorite ginger drink needs a holiday twist!
Gingerbread White Russian – it’s creamy, dreamy, and oh-so holiday.
Big Batch Holiday Sangria – do you have a ton of people coming over? This recipe makes a HUGE batch of sangria. It’s also red so if you want a red and white option for guests, make this one in addition to Christmas Sangria!
Pin this Christmas Sangria recipe for later!
Christmas Sangria
Rosemary, cranberries, and apple make this sangria the perfect Christmas drink that goes with any holiday meal!
Ingredients
- 2 750ml bottles Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay (I used Soverain Chardonnay!)
- 3/4 cup sparkling apple cider
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup cranberries, halved
- 3/4 cup cranberries, whole
- 1 Granny Smith apple, chopped
- 3 rosemary sprigs
- Garnish: rosemary sprigs
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a large pitcher.
- Stir together with a large wooden spoon to help the sugar dissolve.
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.
- Serve chilled with a garnish of rosemary sprigs. Make sure to get some of the fruit in every glass!
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Susannah // Feast + West says
Do I want this? Yes, yes I do. Very much. Please send me one so I can cheers you, BFF.
pragati says
This is so pretty and colorful! Love the fruit combination and rosemary..so fragrant!
Stacy Farber says
Can I use Chardonnay with this recipe or only Pinot? Thanks so much!:)
Melissa says
Yummy! Take a look at our VQA Pinot Grigio wine from Niagara, Ontario
Eden Passante says
The colors!! Beautiful recipe, will have to try it out sometime!
Meghan B. says
Thank you so much Eden! It’s my absolute favorite festive drink for the holidays!
Jennifer May says
Can you please send me the Christmas sangria recipe. Thanks so much God Bless you for your recipes please feel free to share with me anything you’d like.
Sincerely,
Jen May
Carrie says
Has anyone ever tried this recipe with a chardonnay?? Looks yummy but hoping to use the wine I have on hand!
Meghan B. says
Yes! I actually do that when I want a deeper, buttery flavor to my sangria 😉 I would make it then taste it and adjust with more sugar if you want it a little sweeter.
Kim grethel says
Look delish! Have you made it with a sauvignon bland??
Meghan B. says
I haven’t made it with Sauvignon Blanc just yet, but that would be a great sub for Pinot Grigio. Riesling would be another good option!
Moz says
We don’t have cranberries in Australia – is there another fruit I can substitute?
Meghan B. says
Great question! Do you have fresh cherries or pomegranates? Cherries you can use in the same way as the cranberries in the recipe. If you use pomegranate seeds, I would add them a little later to the recipe so they don’t overpower the drink (during the last hour of sitting in the fridge).
Moz says
Cherries a plenty! Thanks so much for replying. I’ve since found out that we have dried cranberries but they’re not nearly the same.
Nicole says
Love it! How festive! Do you think I would be able to prepare in mason jars & give away as gifts? If so, how long do you think it would be good for?
Meghan B. says
Thank you so much Nicole! I think it would be possible to do that, it would just need to stay refrigerated before you give it out. It lasts for a few days without any problem!
Shalla says
Trying this for my Christmas party tomorrow, wondering if I can make it the day before?
Meghan B. says
Yes you can totally make it the day before! Enjoy!
Kat says
Can you clarify what you mean by apple cider? Alcoholic or non? Any recommendations? I can’t find it in supermarkets, only sparkling apple juice… would that work? Thanks for a beautiful recipe!
Meghan B. says
Hello Kat! Yes of course! I mean non-alcoholic apple cider (I find mine by the apple juice at my local supermarket!) – but you could totally use sparkling apple juice 🙂
Brianna says
What size bottles of wine did you use? 750 no? Thanks!
Brianna says
That was supposed to say 750 ml.
Meghan B. says
Yes 750ml bottles are exactly it!
Mikayla Tencer says
Loved this recipe, sharing your page with my readers to check it out! Hope that is okay!
Meghan B. says
Thank you so much! I appreciate you sharing my page! 🙂
Tiffany says
Wow. I’ve made a few different similar sangrias in search of finding the perfect one and this is IT! I used 1 bottle of Riesling and 1 bottle of pinot grigio. I made it about 6 hrs ahead of time and added sugar covered rosemary sprigs to each glass. Can’t wait to make it again!
Meghan B. says
Thank you so much! I am so happy to hear you enjoyed it!
Lauren says
Can I substitute sparkling cider for regular?
Meghan B. says
You certainly can!
Kelly b says
I have all the ingredients can’t wait! How many would you say this serves? I saw 2 bottles of wine but then the other ingredients like the cider is such a small amount..i’m wondering if I should grab another bottle of wine! Thanks!
Meghan B. says
I’d plan for it to serve 4-6 (if you have big drinkers coming over, grab the extra bottle lol)!
Jessica says
Do you add the rosemary to the mixture and let sit? Or do or do you add just before serving like a garnish?
Meghan B. says
You add it to the mixture and let it sit! You can use additional rosemary to garnish each glass as desired 🙂
Alyce M. says
The sangria looks so festive but I’m wondering about the cranberries. Can you eat them raw from the glass. Of course you can eat the apple but wouldn’t the cranberries be bitter?
RockabillyClothing says
I love sangria!
Nidhi says
Hi I see that most people have been using Chardonnay. Will it taste as good and same if I use Pinot Grigio?
Meghan Y. says
Yes it will! I would just make sure it’s not a sweet Pinot Grigio. If it is, you’ll want to add less sugar (start with half the amount in the recipe and then add more as desired!).
Nidhi says
Thank you, also do you think 4 bottles of wine will be enough for a party of 10?
Meghan Y. says
Yes! That will definitely be enough!
Franca says
I am going to try this sangria! Just wondering about the wine…2 bottles at 750ml? Or 1 at 750?
Meghan Y. says
2 bottles at 750ml! 🙂
Shawna says
This looks perfect for the holidays. ?. If I add more than 2 bottles of wine- do the amounts of the other ingredients stay the same? Thanks and happy holidays!
Meghan Y. says
I would up the other ingredients as well!
Tracey says
I am struggling to find sparkling apple cider. How would sparkling white grape work as a substitute or should I keep looking ? Thanks!
Meghan Y. says
Sparkling white grape would work! You could also use Apple cider as a substitute 🙂
Suzanne says
This looks so good! The drink is a beautiful decoration in itself!
Meghan Y. says
Thank you so much!:)
Vanessa says
Thanks for sharing! How far ahead of time can I make it?
Meghan Y. says
You are so welcome! You can make it at least 4 hours ahead of time, up to overnight.
Bianca says
Made this for my Chris Eve brunch . I doubled the recipe. It was a hit!
It’s a strong drink but fruity and full of flavor. So happy I found this
Mags Hansen says
Amazing recipe! We had it for xmas eve to rave reviews. Thank you! Xxx
Meghan Y. says
Yay I’m so happy to hear that!!
Suzanne says
This looks so good! Those garnishes are so pretty during the winter months!
Vanessa says
Thanks for sharing! Does it last long?