Looking for a special cocktail for your Thanksgiving holiday meal? My Thanksgiving sangria is the perfect choice! With red wine, apple cider, mulled spices, and seasonal harvest fruit, each glass of sangria provides a taste of holiday cheer. Indeed, this recipe is the best sangria for Thanksgiving, and it’s so easy to make.
I’ve always felt a special connection to autumn and the Thanksgiving holiday. I love this annual celebration of family, food, and gratitude. In fact, I was born on Thanksgiving, so perhaps I was destined to feel a connection to this autumn harvest celebration. When the leaves begin to turn and the air gets chilly, I start dreaming of my Thanksgiving meal, complete with a batch of my “famous” Thanksgiving Sangria.
For years, my family has raved about the recipe, calling it the best sangria for Thanksgiving. Of course, it’s become popular here on the website, too – and why shouldn’t it be? It’s delicious and very simple to whip up on a busy day of cooking.
What is Thanksgiving Sangria?
Thanksgiving Sangria is a seasonal holiday twist on the concept of sangria. A sangria is a sweet mixed drink made with wine. This alcoholic drink, typically mixed in large batches in a pitcher, originated in Spain in the Middle Ages.
Of course, there are many different variations on Spanish sangria. Indeed, the sangria concept has broadened to include a variety of pitcher-style cocktails, with wine being the unifying element. Sangrias can be made with either red or white wine, fruit, simple syrup, sweet flavored liqueurs, and even sparkling water – like my summery Peach Sangria, or my Vanilla Berry Sparkling Sangria. For this holiday recipe, I use red wine, apple cider, and warming mulled spices. The flavors meld together to make this a truly seasonal treat.
What Makes This the Best Sangria for Thanksgiving?
My Thanksgiving Sangria is so easy to make, and can be made ahead for the holiday. In fact, the flavor improves with time in the refrigerator. On a busy cooking holiday like Thanksgiving, simple and elegant touches are always appreciated. Seasonal autumn fruits and warming spices like cinnamon and cloves create a delicious flavor that really complements a multi-course holiday meal. Additionally, the vibrant jewel-toned color of the drink looks just lovely on the table.
Do yourself (and your guests) a favor, and toast the fall season with a delicious batch of this Thanksgiving Sangria recipe. Or, if you’re looking for alcohol-free ways to celebrate, check out my Mocktail Recipes section. It includes recipes that are naturally alcohol-free, as well as cocktail recipes with easy alcohol-free substitutions.
Ingredients and Notes
Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the complete details!
- Apple Cider – This forms the base of the drink, enhancing the sweet, fruity flavor profile.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar enhances the natural sweetness of the fruit. Maple syrup will also work, if preferred.
- Fresh Fruit – Apples, pears, and grapes enhance the fruitiness. I prefer red apples like Honeycrisp apples, Fuji, or Gala apples, and red Bartlett pears.
- Spices – Whole cloves, cinnamon sticks, and allspice berries add warm fall flavors and incredible depth, making this cocktail cozy and delicious.
- Alcohol – I use a combination of red wine, Cointreau or triple sec, and brandy. For the best taste, I recommend using Shiraz or Syrah wine.
- Vanilla Extract – This infuses the drink with a delicious vanilla taste and enhances the sweetness even further.
Possible Variations
- White wine – Swap red wine for dry white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc for a crisp white wine sangria.
- Add a little fizz – Include a splash of ginger beer or sparkling water for a bubbly cocktail.
- Cranberry – Include cranberry juice or fresh cranberries for a slightly tart flavor that pairs well with the sweet seasonal fruit.
- Mocktail – Omit the wine and alcohol, and pair the fruits and spices with club soda or ginger ale and apple cider, or apple juice.
How to Make the Best Thanksgiving Apple Cider Sangria Recipe
- Dissolve the sugar. Whisk the apple cider and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, dissolving the sugar completely.
- Simmer. Add the spices, and bring the mixture to a boil. Then, reduce the heat, simmer, and then set aside to cool. Strain the liquid.
- Combine. Place sliced fruit pieces and grapes in the bottom of a large pitcher or punch bowl. Pour in the strained cider, alcohol, and vanilla, and stir to combine.
- Serve. Chill the cocktail in the fridge. Then, stir and pour the sangria into glasses, and enjoy! I like to add fruit pieces such as apple slices, orange slices, fresh cranberries, or pomegranate seeds for garnishes. You can never go wrong with a rosemary sprig or cinnamon sugar rim, either.
Thanksgiving Cider Sangria
Ingredients
- 4 1/2 cups apple cider (non alcoholic)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 6 whole cloves
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 4 allspice berries
- 1 apple, cored and sliced thin
- 1 red bartlett pear, cored and sliced thin
- 12 ounces seedless grapes (I like the round Holiday Seedless Grapes from Melissa's Produce)
- 750 milliliters red wine – Shiraz and Syrah work well (1 bottle)
- 1/2 cup Cointreau or triple sec
- 1/4 cup brandy
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, whisk together the apple cider and sugar over medium heat till the sugar is dissolved.
- Add the whole cloves, cinnamon sticks, and allspice berries. Bring the mixture to a boil. Let it simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Strain the cider.
- Place the sliced fruit and grapes into the bottom of a sangria pitcher. Pour in the strained cider, red wine, Cointreau or triple sec, brandy, and vanilla. Stir.
- Chill the sangria for at least 3 hours, up to overnight. Stir again before serving. Pour sangria and a few pieces of fruit into each glass. Keep in mind that this sangria is sweet. Cut the added sugar if you prefer.
Nutrition
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FAQs
Yes, in fact, this recipe tastes better when made ahead of time. Allow for at least 3 hours of chilling in the fridge. OR, store the drink up to overnight.
Enjoy this drink throughout the holiday season. It’s the perfect Thanksgiving cocktail alongside roasted turkey, pumpkin Challah bread, and all your holiday dishes. However, it’s also a crowd-pleasing option for cocktail hour alongside snacks and appetizers.
I have made your sangria on several occasions and it’s always a hit. I double batch it every time ? Thanks for the new holiday tradition!
Dear Tori,
I wish you a Happy and Blessed Thansksgiving to you and all your Family
Love,
Coco Galvez
Thank you Coco! Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. 🙂
It is my favorite Sangria! I first made it for Thanksgiving & now I am preparing it for Christmas Eve!
I have apricot brandy how do you think that would work or should I go get plain brandy?
Apricot would be lovely, I think!
Thanksfor the quick reply. I’m going for it!
Is there a substitute for brandy or can I leave it out? I don’t care for brandy.
Just found this website. Your sangria looks amazing and sound delish! This will definitely be on my table this Thanksgiving!!
I’m so excited to make this for THanksgiving this year. Quick question – I already have ground cloves, is there any reason I shouldn’t use those rather than the whole cloves?
Thanks!
Hi Marissa, ground cloves will leave a grainy texture in the beverage, while whole cloves will infuse the liquid with flavor without the grains. I recommend the whole cloves if possible. Enjoy!
Hi Tori! This recipe looks absolutely incredible. I saw that you specifically noted not to use alcoholic cider in the recipe, is there a particular reason for that? Or simply for moderation? 😉
Hi Autumn– there is plenty of alcohol from the wine and triple sec here, and non-alcoholic cider adds some needed sweetness to the drink. Using alcoholic would make this drink almost pure alcohol, and I’m not sure how the flavor would balance.
Todays ciders are processed more. Pasteurization is required by law. Now cider is available in filtered (clear like pictured) and unfiltered (the cloudy type us old-timers are accustomed to). This Sangria will be at out table this Thanksgiving. Thanks for this!
What is allspice berries
Hi Elina, allspice berries are the dried whole berries that are ground into a powder to make allspice. They can be found in the spice section of most supermarkets, sometimes under the name “whole allspice.”
Just a question because in the pics the apple cider looks like apple juice…….. Apple cider is much darker and more cloudy Is it just the photograph or did you use apple juice?
Hi Karen, I used cider. Enjoy!
Hi. In your recipe, did you use a liquid vanilla or the powder one?
Liquid vanilla. You can also steep a split vanilla bean if you prefer – they are pricey, but oh so flavorful!
I am so making this drink for the holidays!
Holy cow this is good! We decided to make it at the last minute on Thanksgiving day and the only problem was that we didn’t double the recipe. I’ve never tasted sangria this good. Thanks Tori, this now a new family tradition.
My oldest son was born in Thanksgiving, I guess your parents and I have a common reason to give thanks that day, one of many, Happy Birthday Tori I wish you, everything you wish for, and more. xoxo
That’s so cool Coco! 🙂 Thank you so much! And happy birthday to your son, too. xoxo
What a cute picture Tori, you haven’t changed at all! xoxo
Are Cointreau and and Triple Sec kosher?
Hi Benno, yes– Cointreau is kosher, and there are also kosher certified brands of triple sec (look for a hechsher).
From the Cointreau site: Cointreau has a rabbinical guarantee: the “Consistoire” of Paris has allowed its consumption. You can check this information on http://www.consistoire.org. This website is in French, but please follow the link on the homepage: “Nouveautés Kacherout” (New Kacherout), and then “liste complète des produits sélectionnés hors Pessah” (complete list of selected products out of Pessah).