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This CHRISTMAS SANGRIA is so simple to make with fresh cranberries, sprigs of rosemary, Moscato, and vodka. Christmas Sangria is a festive and fruity drink that my guests always rave about! Made with a bottle of Moscato, a little vodka, some cranberry juice, and lots of sparkling apple cider!
I hosted Thanksgiving for the first time ever this year and it actually went really well.
I was super chill all day long, I was on top of my game, things were great. I think it went so smoothly because I purchased a smoked turkey from a local turkey farm rather than trying to manage a turkey myself.
Focusing on just the side dishes made life a little easier.
Also, I was super chill about it all because I started drinking my caramel apple sangria (you guys want me to share the recipe some day?) about an hour before guests arrived. #sorrynotsorry
What Readers are Saying!
“This sounds so yummy. I love to have one signature cocktail at Christmas and this cranberry sangria is perfect.” -Patti
I plan to handle Christmas the same way, but with Christmas sangria, obviously.
This drink is SO festive. Can you even handle the little sprigs of rosemary in there? Like pretty little Christmas trees dressing up your drink.
How to make Christmas sangria:
You’ll need a bottle of moscato, a bit of vodka (cranberry vodka is great here, if you can find but plain is totally fine too!), plenty of sparkling apple cider, and a little bit of cranberry juice.
You just add those guys into your pitcher along with some fresh cranberries and a few sprigs of rosemary.
There are two ways to make this Christmas sangria:
Start with cold ingredients and mix everything together. Serve immediately.
Mix everything but the sparkling cider together in a pitcher, place in the fridge, and let chill for a few hours. This will help the flavors develop together and get nice and cold if you started with room temperature liquor. Add cold sparkling cider just before serving.
I slightly prefer option 2 for a better flavor, but oftentimes I make this at the last minute and it’s totally delicious then too!
Sangria FAQ:
Swap the Moscato with grape juice and the vodka with either sparkling apple juice or extra cranberry juice. A splash of orange juice would be tasty too.
This will have the best flavor and freshness if drank within 3 days.
More cocktails you may want to try:
- Margarita on the rocks
- Raspberry vodka lemonade
- Mojito Pitcher
- Vodka Collins
- New York sour cocktail
Christmas Sangria
Ingredients
- 1 750 ml bottle moscato
- ½ cup vodka
- ½ cup cranberry juice
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- 1 1/2 cups sparkling apple cider
- fresh rosemary for garnish
Instructions
- Add the moscato, vodka, cranberry juice, and cranberries to a pitcher. Stir to combine.
- Refrigerate for 3 or more hours until ready to serve.
- Add sparkling cider and rosemary sprigs just before serving.
Nicole says
Could I use rose instead of moscato?
Karly says
Sure!
Sabrina says
love sangria and great idea to make a Christmas version, love it, nicely photographed too, thank you for sharing this wonderful Christmas cocktail
Patti says
This sounds so yummy. I love to have one signature cocktail at Christmas and this cranberry sangria is perfect.