Hard Apple Cider Sangria

White Wine Sangrias are fruity and lighter than their red counterparts but can still pack a potent punch. Try this Hard Apple Cider Sangria for your next event; with a variety of fruit options, it’s good year round.

For all of the combinations I’ve put together over the years, the one thing I’m not crazy about is a red wine sangria; they are too often heavily spiced and too heavy for me. I love red wine but in a glass by itself. White sangria is a totally different story and I make them year round with white or sparkling wine. This year I decided to make a Hard Apple Cider Sangria and we loved it!

It complements fruit so well, eliminates some of the more dry qualities I don’t love with whites and it can easily be changed up with different fruits and liqueurs. Don’t mistake this for a fall sangria; it’s really suitable all year round using a variety of season fruits in addition to the apple slices.

For Hard Apple Cider Sangria, I add vodka to the hard apple cider along with sparkling wine. Absolut is a favorite mixer of mine; it’s smooth, mixes well and has a great price point. I’m not as enamored of all of the available flavors, preferring to flavor my cocktails with real fruit and quite honestly not have to stock my bar with a dozen different flavors!

Hard Apple Cider Sangria is so variable. Spring can mean strawberries, blueberries, and other fresh berries, midsummer means the sky is unlimited with berries, peaches, plums, and more stone fruits. Head into fall with peaches and pears and of course the holidays don’t have to be forgotten either, with blood oranges, pomegranate and cranberry on the list.

When it comes to the Hard Apple Cider, use your favorite brand; my choice is Stella Artois Cidre. It’s a crisp and refreshing Belgian recipe cider made from handpicked apples. It’s sophisticated too with full flavors of red apple & peachy apricots complimented by spicy oranges & flowery almonds. Clean, crisp, refreshing and wonderful in this cocktail.

As mentioned, I think apples are a necessity to complement the cider but beyond that use whatever is seasonal. I had a couple of peaches that I had frozen last summer, some oranges, a pear and raspberries in the fridge…so in they all went. If there is one downfall to a sangria, it’s that it’s meant for a crowd; I would love to make one of these just for me!

Make a batch of these for your family and friends; I know they’ll love it…and Cheers!

PIN IT! ‘Hard Apple Cider Sangria’

Hard Apple Cider Sangria

Barbara Baker

A nice change from a typical red wine sangria, Hard Apple Cider Sangria combines white wine with Hard Apple Cider for a delicious and refreshing combination.

5 average from less than 50 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Cocktails

Cuisine American

Servings 6 Cocktails

Calories 251 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2-3 cups apples with assortment of seasonal fruits and berries including oranges, pears, apricots, peaches, pomegranate and cranberries
• ½ cup vodka
• 12 ounces hard apple cider add up to 16 ounces if you want it a bit stronger
• ½ cup Calvados or other apple liqueur/brandy
• ¼ cup honey
• 3-4 cinnamon sticks optional; I think best with fall and winter fruit combinations
• 1 bottle sparkling wine Prosecco, Cava, or American sparkling wine, chilled
• ¼ cup simple syrup optional depending on sweetness of fruits
• 12 ounces sparkling apple cider or sparkling apple juice, chilled

For Garnish, choose one or more

• Fruit slices, whole berries, or cinnamon sticks

Instructions

 

• Place the sliced fruit in a large pitcher. Add the vodka, hard apple cider, apple brandy, honey, and cinnamon sticks if using. Let the fruit, syrup and liqueur macerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Add the sparkling wine and mix gently. Taste and adjust the amount of sweetness, using the simple syrup as needed.
• Serve the sangria in individual glasses over ice and top with the sparkling apple soda. Garnish with fruit or cinnamon stick.

Notes

For a non-alcoholic version, omit the Calvados and replace the hard cider with sparkling apple cider. The sparkling wine can be replaced with sparkling lemonade or even a lemon-lime soda. Taste first before adding the simple syrup since those drinks are already quite sweet.

 

 

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Hard Apple Cider Sangria

Serving Size

 

1 Serving

Amount per Serving

Calories

251

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

0.2

g

0

%

Sodium

 

14

mg

1

%

Carbohydrates

 

42

g

14

%

Protein

 

0.3

g

1

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Calories

251

Keyword apples, hard apple cider, sangria, vodka

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!