Make your next holiday cocktail an easy one with Cranberry Sangria made with red wine, cranberry juice, and oranges.


Make your next holiday cocktail an easy one with Cranberry Orange Sangria made with red wine, cranberry juice, and oranges.

We’re 3 days away from the biggest food holiday of the year – are you ready for it?

I’m ready for it. Probably because I serve the same menu every year, so it’s the same routine every year.

However, there is a little bit of creative room when it comes to adding new recipes to the table.

You have to do it in slow increments to not upset the strict traditionalists, but as long as everyone’s favorite dishes are there, you can easily add one more fun recipe.

Especially if it’s to be enjoyed pre-dinner while everyone is waiting to eat.

Cranberries are often synonymous with the holidays because cranberry season is September through November.

As a result, families often serve homemade cranberry sauce or cranberry baked brie for Thanksgiving.

If you’re making it from scratch, I can almost guarantee you’ll have plenty of fresh cranberries leftover.

What are you going to do with them? I’ll tell you what to do with them.

You can stick them in your wine glass with this Cranberry Orange Sangria recipe – a red wine cocktail with cranberry juice and orange slices.

You make a pitcher a few days ahead of time and have it ready in your fridge, making your Thanksgiving Dinner For Two and Christmas Dinner For Two a little less stressful.


Make your next holiday cocktail an easy one with Cranberry Orange Sangria made with red wine, cranberry juice, and oranges.

It’s no secret I make sangria a lot, like my Red Apple Cider Sangria or Strawberry Vanilla Sangria.

Probably because once you understand the formula, you can make almost any flavor you’d like.

First is the wine itself. You want to make sure it’s a little on the dry side to balance the other ingredients, which are often on the sweet side.

Next you pick a second liquid to balance out the alcohol level. I don’t like mine super boozy, so I usually go with fruit juice.

Third, you need fruit – one citrus, one non-citrus.

Because I wanted to make a holiday cocktail, naturally cranberry came to mind.

Applying my sangria formula I listed above, I used Pinot Noir, cranberry juice, fresh cranberries, and orange slices.


Make your next holiday cocktail an easy one with Cranberry Orange Sangria made with red wine, cranberry juice, and oranges.

The best thing about sangria (aside from actually drinking it) is you can make it a few days ahead of time and keep it in a pitcher in your fridge.

Sangria needs at least 24 hours to chill before serving to allow the flavors to blend.

With Thanksgiving being the biggest food holiday of the year, it’s much less stressful to make your recipes over a few days rather than in one long day.

Make the sangria on Tuesday or Wednesday then once the stuffed Cornish hen is in the oven, serve up a few glasses while everyone is waiting to dig in.

You can also serve it alongside a Charcuterie Board For Two.

Cranberry Orange Sangria

Cranberry Orange Sangria

Yield: 6-8 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Chill Time: 1 day
Total Time: 1 day 15 minutes

Make your next holiday cocktail an easy one with Cranberry Orange Sangria made with red wine, cranberry juice, and oranges.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 (750 ML) bottle Pinot Noir
  • 2 cups cranberry juice cocktail
  • 1 orange, sliced
  • 1 cup fresh cranberries
  • 2 cinnamon sticks

Instructions

  1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together water, and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking often. Boil until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat.
  2. In a large pitcher, mix together sugar syrup, wine, cranberry juice, orange slices, cranberries, and cinnamon sticks. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving.

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