This easy Christmas sangria is filled with citrus, pomegranate, pear, and cinnamon for one irresistible holiday cocktail! You’ll be the star of the holiday party with this easy cocktail recipe!

Love sangria? Then you’ll love my White Wine Sangria and my classic Red Wine Sangria!

the ultimate holiday sangria recipe in a glass with ice and garnishes

Table of Contents

The Ultimate Holiday Sangria
Why You’ll Love This Christmas Sangria Recipe
What is Sangria?
What You’ll Need for Christmas Sangria
How to Make Christmas Sangria
How Long Should I Let the Fruit Soak?
More Sangria Recipes to Try
More Holiday Cocktail Recipes
Get the Recipe

The Ultimate Holiday Sangria

No holiday is complete without a delicious sangria, in my humble opinion. I made this recipe last year for a Women’s Christmas Event and y’all, I literally tripled the recipe and it was gone in 30 minutes! No joke! So needless to say, everyone will love it!

With the holidays just around the corner and lots of fun parties to attend I thought I’d give you a recipe you can be proud of so let’s say cheers, clink our glasses, and get started!

Why You’ll Love This Christmas Sangria Recipe

Easy. One of the best things about sangrias is how easy they are to make. Just add everything to a pitcher, stir and chill.
Flavorful. All of the fresh fruit in this sangria adds tons of flavor! When combined with red wine, brandy and Grand Marnier the end result is totally delicious.
Festive. This simple cocktail is ultra festive thanks to all the colors.

overhead photo of the fruit in a pitcher for a holiday sangria recipe

What is Sangria?

Sangria is an alcoholic wine drink that is originally from Spain. It is traditionally made with red wine, chopped up fruits, fresh citrus and brandy or sometimes orange juice. Some versions are made with sparkling water, ginger ale and/or sweeteners.

What You’ll Need for Christmas Sangria

Here’s a quick overview of the ingredients you’ll need to make this holiday sangria. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for specific amounts.

Red Wine: Use a dry red wine, like a Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Tempranillo. You don’t need to splurge because this wine will be infused with other flavors.
Brandy: This is the most common liquor added to Sangria.
Grand Marnier: I like to add grand marnier, it’s a combination of brandy and triple sec which gives it an orange flavor. Perfect for sangria.
Agave: Adds a little bit of sweetness to the sangria, can be omitted if you like.
Fresh Chopped Fruit: Typically you will see oranges and limes in sangria, in this recipe I used oranges, limes, fresh pear and pomegranate seeds for a holiday twist.
Cinnamon Sticks: What’s a holiday sangria without a little cinnamon, these cinnamon sticks will give the sangria a spiced tummy warming flavor that everyone will love.
Ginger Ale or Sparkling Water: A little bit of effervescence never hurt any one. The addition of ginger ale or sparkling water will give your sangria that edge on all the rest to make it stand out! Make sure you add this right before serving, not overnight!

The Best Red Wine for Sangria

Cabernet Sauvignon is the bigger better wine to use with Sangria. It has notes of black currant, blackberry, and sometimes cocoa or coffee. If you light a lighter more fruit-forward sangria I’d use Pinot Noir. Or if you really want to go for it and change it up you could use Rosé or a Sauvignon Blanc.

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step-by-step photos of how to make the ultimate holiday sangria recipe

How to Make Christmas Sangria

This easy holiday sangria comes together in a few simple steps. Here’s how to make it:

Combine fruit, agave, liquor, and spices. To a large pitcher add agave nectar, Grand Marnier, Brandy, orange slices, lime slices, pear slices, pomegranate seeds and cinnamon sticks.
Add wine. Next, pour one bottle of red wine into the pitcher. Stir to combine.
Chill. Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 1-2 hours. (the longer it sits the better it will taste) I highly recommend overnight for maximum flavor.
Add some fizz. Right before you are about to serve sangria, top it with ginger ale and give a quick stir.
Pour over ice or serve chilled. Garnish with fresh limes and oranges.

the ultimate holiday sangria recipe in a glass with ice

How Long Should I Let the Fruit Soak?

Honestly, the longer the better. I’d say the least amount of time would be 1 to 2 hours. However, for a sangria recipe with maximum flavor, I’d highly recommend soaking your fruit for 8 to 10 hours or overnight!

full pitcher of the ultimate holiday sangria

All the flavors get nice and cozy together when this Holiday Sangria sits overnight. You can taste all the flavors – the hint of cinnamon, the citrus, and sweetness from the pear. They truly become one! Topping it with the bubbles from ginger ale is the cherry on top!

I can’t wait to see what you guys think of this one. Honestly, it’s my best cocktail yet! Hope you enjoy! Bon Appetite my friends, or should I say Cheers!

the ultimate holiday sangria recipe in a glass with garnishes

More Sangria Recipes to Try

More Holiday Cocktail Recipes