Description
Apple cider sangria infused with fresh fruit and ginger root is a fun drink for fall. This versatile recipe is mouthwatering with either red or white wine. The fresh ginger root lends an enticing and unexpected zing. But you can splash in ginger beer, ginger ale, or ginger-infused sparkling water if you prefer.
Ingredients
- 1 bottle (750 mL) of red or white wine, Spanish varietals such as Tempranillo or Verdejo recommended
- 1 cup of spiced apple cider
- ½ cup of orange liqueur such as Cointreau
- 2 apples, diced small
- 1 navel orange, halved then sliced thin
- 1 2-inch piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and sliced thin
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 1 teaspoon of allspice berries
- 1 teaspoon of whole cloves
- ¼ cup of simple syrup, optional
For Simple Syrup
- ½ cup of granulated sugar
- ½ cup of water
Instructions
- Chop the apples. Chop the apples into pieces small enough to take with a sip, around a quarter of an inch cube. Or much larger if you don't want fruit that can escape the glass when you drink.
- Slice the orange. Slice the orange in half, then place the cut sides down and slice each half into thin half-moons. Slice the halves in half again into tiny triangles, if you like. Save a few slices for garnishing the glasses.
- Peel and slice the ginger. To prepare fresh ginger, peel the thin skin off with the edge of a small spoon. You can also use a vegetable peeler, but I find a spoon easier given ginger's funky footprint. Then slice the peeled root into thin slices. For a stronger ginger flavor, you can grate the ginger with a microplane grater. But use half as much if you do this.
- Mix and age the sangria. Add the ginger root, cut apples, orange slices, wine, orange liqueur, and whole spices to a pitcher. Mix it well, especially if you added simple syrup or granulated sugar.
- Chill for four hours. Chill the sangria for at least four hours to let the flavors marry. Sangria mixed the night before serving is even more delicious and nuanced.
- Serve chilled. Serve sangria chilled, especially white wine sangria. Garnish with slices of apple or orange, or both. To create a garnish with the apples that sit on the rim of a glass, slice the apple somewhat thin, then carve a tiny triangle out of the middle of the straight side.
To Make Simple Syrup
- Combine the sugar and water in a small pot and bring it just to a boil. Stir to be sure all the sugar dissolves in the water.
- If you like, add a few whole spices like cinnamon sticks and whole cloves to the boiled syrup.
- Once cool, store any leftover simple syrup chilled for up to a few weeks.
Notes
Apple Cider Sangria Mocktail
The easiest mocktail version is to ditch the wine and liqueur and serve non-alcoholic apple cider brimming with fruit and whole spices. And you can top the drink with sparkling apple cider (beware of the added sugar!). For a more contrived mocktail, replace the amount of orange liqueur in the recipe with fresh-squeezed or cold-pressed orange juice. You can also splash ginger beer, ginger ale, or for no added sugar, ginger-flavored sparkling water.
On the Liquor
I often switch up the liquor and liqueur depending on what I have on hand. Brandy is traditional, and sometimes I substitute it in for half of the amount of the orange liqueur. Vodka, or even caramel vodka, makes for a fun, festive, and more potent cocktail. Whiskey and Bourbon are equally aromatic and play well with the spices and especially the orange. Apple brandy and cinnamon whiskey pack an incredible punch from all angles!
On the Nutrition Information
The nutrient amounts below include the wine, orange liqueur, and apple cider as listed in the recipe. It doesn't include any of the fruit or simple syrup, since consumption will vary. If you add a quarter cup of simple syrup to your sangria, that will work out to about 10 grams of sugar added to each 7-ounce serving.
Keywords: apple cider sangria, spiced apple cider sangria, apple cider sangria with ginger, apple cider sangria mocktail