Holiday Spiced Sangria | What to make for Thanksgiving

I make about three batches of this sangria over the holiday season.  It is always a hit and couldn’t be easier to make. The best thing about this sangria is having leftovers. The more it sits the spicier it gets! When I have time I like to make the spiced apple cider a day or so in advance so that it really infuses with all the flavors.  I usually stack the carafe with slices of orange and apple, which not only look great, but I love eating them after the sangria is finished.

What you’ll need

Spiced Apple Cider

• 2 cups apple cider
• 1/3-cup sugar
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves or 3-4 whole cloves
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• zest of 1 orange

Sangria

• 1 bottle inexpensive Spanish red wine
• 2 cups spiced apple cider
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/2+ cup brandy

Bring all the spiced cider ingredients up to simmer. I leave it on the heat for about 5-10 minutes then take it off the heat and let it cool completely.

If you don’t want to sangria to continue to get spicier, strain out all the ingredients. I usually leave them in because I love the flavor.

Mixed the cider, oj, and 1 bottle of Spanish red wine into a carafe/pitcher.  Add in a healthy ½ cup of brandy.

Serve over ice and garnish with an apple slice.

If you have questions about what you should cook for any occasion let me know! Leave a comment below or shoot me an email.

Brownbelle’s Thanksgiving Menu

• Turkey Roulade
• Cast Iron Cornbread
• Holiday Spiced Sangria 
• Sage Sweet Mashed Potatoes

Slightly modified from this recipe.