Fall Sangria Recipe (perfect for Thanksgiving)

This Fall Sangria Recipe with red wine, bourbon and cranberry is a rich, full bodied and spiced sip perfect for Thanksgiving, or any get together for the holiday season! A welcome addition to any Thanksgiving table!

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Easy Fall Sangria Recipe!

The perfect thanksgiving cocktail, this Fall Sangria is easy to make, and perfect for your holiday table! With full bodied red wine, bourbon, cranberry juice, cinnamon, star anise, and apple- this festive cocktail is always a hit with guests! Serve in a large pitcher and let guest help themselves, or double the recipe and serve in a punch bowl or drink dispenser! It's the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving dinner! 

In my humble opinion, no Thanksgiving holiday meal is complete without the ultimate Thanksgiving Sangria- and this red wine sangria recipe doesn't disappoint. 

Ingredients

• Red wine. I use Malbec, since it's a full bodied wine with plenty of depth and hints of coffee and vanilla. It pairs very well with the spicy ingredients in the sangria. Some other great options would be a Pinot Noir, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, or Zinfandel. 
• Unsweetened cranberry juice. I use natural, unsweetened juice for this recipe, since we will be adding plenty of sugar in the form of pure maple syrup. If you prefer a sweeter sangria, you could use sweetened- just taste as you go, and adjust the amount of maple syrup to your tastes! Pomegranate juice is another great option as well. 
• Pure maple syrup. This adds a touch of natural sweetness and spice to the sangria, and gives its a real "fall" vibe. If you don't have maple syrup, you could also use simple syrup or agave. I prefer natural sweeteners for my sangria. 
• Bourbon whiskey. The oak and spice pairs perfectly with the rich, full bodied red wine.
• Frozen or fresh cranberries. These are for garnish, so you can use the frozen one right from the freezer, and they'll help keep everyone's glasses cold, too!
• Cinnamon sticks and star anise (optional). These look so pretty in the glasses, pitcher or carafe, and also impart a spiced flavor to the sangria as it sits!
• Lemons. You'll add a bit of fresh lemon juice to the sangria to balance the flavors with a touch of fresh citrus, as well as add thinly sliced wheels of lemon to the sangria and glasses for serving. Orange juice and orange slices would work, too! If you can get your hands on them, blood oranges are a wonderful addition, too!
• Sliced apples. I use gala apples, honeycrisp apples or pink lady apples cut into small wedges. The seasonal fruit adds a crisp bite to the sangria. You can add a mix of fresh fruit, such as grapes, oranges and pomegranate seeds, too!

How to make the Thanksgiving sangria recipe

This fall-inspired red sangria is ready in minutes! Here's how to make it:

1. Add wine, bourbon, cranberry juice, maple syrup and lemon juice to a large pitcher. 
2. Whisk to combine.
3. Add apple slices, cranberries, lemon slices, cinnamon sticks and star anise. 
4. Give the sangria a good stir to combine and serve over ice with additional garnishes. 

Serving the sangria

This sangria serves about 8 people, so if you plan to imbibe, or serve more guests, I would suggest doubling the recipe, or keeping the ingredients on hand to whip up a new batch.

Pour sangria on ice with plenty of extra garnishes for a festive look your guests will love!

Pour sangria on ice with plenty of extra garnishes for a festive look your guests will love! You could also top the finished sangria with a bit of ginger beer, club soda or sparkling water when serving! If you want to get extra fancy, you could also do a cinnamon sugar rim for the glasses! 

Make Ahead

If you want to make this sangria in advance, I would suggest leaving the cinnamon and star anise out until an hour or so before you serve so it doesn't infuse too heavily into the finished cocktail.

More festive cocktails

If you love this Thanksgiving sangria recipe, you'll love these festive fall cocktails, too!

• Berry Blood Orange Rum Punch
• Merry Moscow Mules
• Pumpkin Spice Martinis
• Apple Cider Margaritas
• If you prefer a white wine sangria with a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio, try my White Wine Sangria! 

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