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Cozy Cinnamon Cranberry Sangria – Easy Fall Drink

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This Cozy Cinnamon Cranberry Sangria is a warm hug in a glass, perfect for sweater weather and quiet evenings with friends. It’s quick, easy, and made with simple ingredients for a delicious fall drink.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 (750 ml) bottle red wine (Merlot, Zinfandel, or Pinot Noir)
  • 1 cup apple cider (unfiltered preferred)
  • 1 cup fresh cranberries (frozen works too)
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark)
  • 2 whole cinnamon sticks
  • 1 large orange (juiced and sliced)
  • 1 medium apple (Honeycrisp or Fuji, sliced)
  • Ice or sparkling water (optional, for serving)

Instructions

  1. In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup fresh cranberries, 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, 2 cinnamon sticks, and 1 cup apple cider. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cranberries have softened and started to pop. Remove from heat and let cool completely (about 20 minutes).
  2. While the cranberry mixture cools, wash and slice the apple into thin wedges or small cubes. Slice the orange into thin rounds, then cut into quarters. Juice the remaining orange pieces into a small bowl (about 2-3 tablespoons juice). Set aside.
  3. Once the cranberry mixture is completely cool, pour it through a fine-mesh strainer into a large pitcher (or leave cranberries in for a rustic look).
  4. Pour the entire bottle of red wine into the pitcher. Add the remaining apple cider (about 1 cup) and the orange juice. Stir gently with a wooden spoon.
  5. Add the apple slices and orange quarters. Stir once more.
  6. Cover the pitcher and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably 4-6 hours or overnight.
  7. To serve, fill glasses with ice if desired (or skip to avoid dilution). Pour sangria, making sure each glass gets some fruit and cranberries. Garnish with an extra cinnamon stick if desired. Serve cold.

Notes

Don’t skip the simmer step—raw cranberries are too tart. Cool the cranberry mixture completely before adding to wine to avoid cooking the wine. This sangria tastes even better the next day. For a non-alcoholic version, replace wine with non-alcoholic red wine or pomegranate juice.

Nutrition

Keywords: sangria, fall drink, cranberry sangria, cinnamon sangria, easy sangria, holiday drink, party punch

Find it online: https://cheerycrisp.com/cozy-cinnamon-cranberry-sangria-easy-fall-drink/