Cranberry Orange Sangria Cocktail

This Cranberry Orange Sangria Cocktail is a delightful and refreshing drink that combines the vibrant flavors of cranberries, the citrusy zing of oranges, and the subtle sweetness of wine. This festive and colorful cocktail is perfect for entertaining guests or enjoying a relaxing evening.

I am a huge cranberry fan, especially around the holiday season. My favorite dish at Thanksgiving and Christmas is always the cranberry sauce. So making this cranberry orange vodka cocktail is a must for our Thanksgiving dinner.

This cranberry orange cocktail has bursts of tartness from fresh cranberries, bright notes of citrus from the oranges, and the mellow undertones of your favorite white wine. Whether you're hosting a holiday gathering, a summer picnic, or just craving a unique and flavorful beverage, this sangria cocktail is a fantastic choice!

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Step by step
• Substitutions
• Frequently asked questions
• What is the difference between cranberry juice and cranberry juice cocktail?
• Tips and notes
• Storing
• Recipe

Ingredients

Step by step

1. Pour your white wine, cranberry vodka, cranberry juice, and honey into a large glass pitcher.
2. Stir to combine.
3. Add fresh cranberries, orange slices, and apple slicer to the pitcher and stir.
4. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.
5. Serve with fresh rosemary sprigs and a slice of orange. You can also add in a cinnamon stick.

Substitutions

Wine- I like to use a dry white wine like pinot grigio but you can use whatever kind of white wine you like. You can also use red wine if you prefer a red wine sangria.

Cranberry juice- You can use regular cranberry juice or cranberry juice cocktail. I have also used light cranberry juice if you want a lower-calorie option.

Cranberry vodka- I prefer to use Deep Eddy's cranberry vodka but you can use plain vodka if you can't find cranberry vodka.

Orange juice- You could also use an orange juice blend like orange pineapple, orange grapefruit, tropical blend orange juice, orange peach juice, or orange strawberry banana juice. If you want to lower the calories of the cocktail you can use light orange juice.

Honey- You can use maple syrup or agave in place of honey. You can also make an easy, simple syrup to use.

Fruit- I love using fresh cranberries, orange slices, and green apples in this cocktail recipe.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between cranberry juice and cranberry juice cocktail?

Cranberry juice contains pure, undiluted juice extracted from cranberries. Cranberry juice cocktail is a blend of cranberry juice and other fruit juices, along with sweeteners like sugar or high fructose corn syrup.

Opt for pure cranberry juice if you prefer a more intense and tart flavor without added sugars or other juices. On the other hand, if you enjoy a sweeter and milder taste with a fruitier blend, cranberry juice cocktail might be more to your liking.

Tips and notes

• You can make this sangria cocktail a day before your holiday party to save you time the day of. Making this and letting it sit in the refrigerator helps all the flavors meld together and the fruit absorbs some of the juices, making it extra flavorful.
• If you use pure cranberry juice your cocktail will have that beautiful deep red color. If you use cranberry juice cocktail or light cranberry juice then your cocktail will have a lighter almost pink color.

Storing

You can store this sangria cocktail in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

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Recipe