Description
A simple, impressive, and crowd-pleasing autumn cocktail that combines crisp white wine, rich caramel sauce, fresh apples, and warming spices. This ‘dump and stir’ sangria requires minimal prep and delivers a cozy, festive flavor perfect for any gathering.
Ingredients
- 1 bottle (750 ml) crisp dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio)
- 1 cup (240 ml) high-quality caramel sauce (salted preferred)
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) apple brandy or bourbon
- 3 medium crisp apples (such as Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Gala), cored and chopped into 1/2-inch cubes
- 4–5 cinnamon sticks
- 1 cup (240 ml) sparkling water or club soda (optional, for fizz)
- Ice cubes
Instructions
- Wash the apples. Core them and chop into 1/2-inch cubes. You may peel them or leave the skin on for color.
- In a large glass pitcher, pour in the white wine.
- Add the caramel sauce and apple brandy (or bourbon) to the wine.
- Drop the cinnamon sticks into the pitcher.
- Stir gently but thoroughly until the caramel is fully incorporated into the wine.
- Add the chopped apples to the pitcher and stir to submerge them.
- Refrigerate the mixture for at least 30 minutes, ideally 2-4 hours, to allow flavors to infuse.
- When ready to serve, give the sangria a good stir.
- Add a large handful of ice cubes to the pitcher.
- Pour in the sparkling water or club soda if using.
- Serve immediately in wide-mouthed wine glasses or tumblers, garnished with apple slices or cinnamon sticks if desired.
Notes
Do not skip the chill time; it allows the cinnamon to infuse and the apples to absorb the flavors. If the sangria is too sweet, add more wine or a splash of lemon juice. For a non-alcoholic version, swap the wine for sparkling apple cider and the brandy for vanilla extract. To prevent watering down, use large ice cubes or freeze apple chunks to use as ice.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Beverage
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 glass
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 28
- Sodium: 10
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 0.5
Keywords: fall cocktail, caramel apple sangria, party punch, autumn drinks, white wine sangria, easy party drinks, cozy fall recipes, holiday punch