This sweet, simple, and deliciously economical Christmas Sangria is the perfect addition to any holiday gathering. All you need are 6 basic ingredients—red wine, a few fruits, and some fizzy water—and about 10 minutes of effort to make this show stopping party punch!

clear glass pitcher and two rocks glasses filled with fruit-filled red Christmas sangria on top of a white doily on a wooden table with cranberries scattered around and a bowl with multicolored christmas lights to the side.

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The winter holidays are filled with reasons to gather—from hosting my annual tamalada (tamal-making party) to various Christmas cookie exchanges and cocktail parties, not to mention Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas, and NYE, to name just a few. 

But, as much as I love hosting, the cost of keeping everyone merry and bright is rather steep! That’s why I love turning to batch cocktails, particularly wine punches like this red Christmas sangria. Rather than splurge on a fully-stocked bar, you can stretch a box or two of inexpensive wine to keep your whole group’s cups overflowing with the holiday spirit.

What is Sangria?

Sangria is a classic Spanish and Portuguese mixed drink that is traditionally made from red wine and fruit, and may be flavored with sweeteners, spices, extra booze like brandy or triple sec, and/or some sort of effervescence from club soda, tonic water, or sparkling wine. The word itself derives from the Spanish word for “blood,” a nod to the dark hue of red wine.

While the first mentions of a sangria-like beverage date back over 2,000 years to Roman times, the drink started to become more popular in the 18th century with regional variations exploding across Spain and Portugal. It was propelled to the world stage at the 1964 World’s Fair in NYC, and has only grown in recognition since! do not over-muddle the cranberries or you will have a tart and cloudy sangria. 

Why You’ll Love This Christmas Sangria Recipe

  • This cocktail recipe is budget-friendly. No need to buy top-of-the-line wine, or add brandy or orange liqueur—the sweet-tart fruit, inexpensive red wine, and sparkling club soda are plenty flavorful and visually appealing.
  • My Christmas holiday sangria is also a snap to throw together. Just muddle some fruit, add the wine, refrigerate overnight, and freshen with fizziness right before serving! All in, it’ll take less than 10 minutes of active prep time.
  • All my fellow planners out there, rejoice! This cocktail recipe is designed to be made in advance so you can actually enjoy your party, not just throw it.

Ingredients & Substitutions 

The complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.

  • Cranberries – These cheerful ruby orbs look and taste particularly seasonal. If you can’t get your hands on them, feel free to swap with pomegranate arils, but do not muddle.
  • Orange – Winter is when citrus season is at its peak, so you should have quite a range of options to choose from. I recommend going for the sweetest varieties like Navel, Cara Cara, Valencia, or blood oranges.
  • Apple – While you’re welcome to use any variety of apple you like, I recommend reaching for a crisp, sweet-tart option like Pink Lady or Honeycrisp rather than more porous, mealy options like Red Delicious.
  • Pear – Bosc and Anjou are firmer options that hold up better for longer soaks. If you use softer varieties like Bartlett or Comice, wait to add them until right before serving to prevent a mealy, overly soft consistency.
  • Red Wine – I prefer using earthy-sweet Spanish Tempranillo, but any jammy, fruit-forward, relatively low-tannin options like Grenache or Pinot Noir are also excellent.
  • Club Soda – Adding a splash of chilled club soda lightens the pitcher and gives it a lovely effervescence. Feel free to use tonic water for another layer of bittersweet flavor.
empty clear glass pitcher with a wooden spoon, 2 bottles of red wine, sliced oranges, pears, and apples, and whole cranberries in earthenware bowls in preparation for making christmas red sangria.

How to Make Christmas Sangria

This delightfully simple batch cocktail is as easy as 1-2-3!

Step 1: Muddle the cranberries in a large pitcher. Use the back of a spoon to crush and smash them against the sides of the pitcher. Add the orange, apple and pear slices and muddle them, too.

wooden kitchen spoon muddling cranberries in the base of a clear glass pitcher.
wooden spoon muddling orange slices on top of the cranberries.
overhead shot looking down into the pitcher with fully muddled fruit for making Christmas sangria.

Step 2: Pour in the wine and stir. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

christmas sangria pitcher with the muddled fruit has been filled 2/3 of the way with two bottles of wine to soak overnight; a bottle of red wine is in the background, fresh cranberries in the foreground.

Step 3: Add Bubbles. Right before serving, stir in club soda or tonic water. Serve cold & enjoy!

completed red holiday sangria after adding the club soda; with the 45 degree angle, you can see all the cranberries have floated to the top.

Watch this video showing how to make Christmas sangria—it’s so easy!

Optional Variations 

This recipe has not been tested with all of these substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!

  • Swap Fruits – Feel free to use any mix and match of sangria fruit you like. I recommend sweet citrus (avoid super tart lime, lemon, and grapefruit), apples and pears, berries of all kinds, pomegranate arils, stone fruits, and even tropical fruit like pineapple or mango. Just remember to make a true “Christmas” sangria, you should stick to wintry fruit options that are in-season in December.
  • Extra Boozy – While I kept this recipe relatively light by only using wine and sparkling water, you’re welcome to amp up the buzz and add orange-flavored Cointreau.
  • Non-Alcoholic Sangria – Don’t forget the DD’s and kids at the party! Make a spectacularly delicious punch either with NA red wine or cranberry juice cocktail, plenty of fruit, and a splash of sparkling soda.
clear rocks glass filled with red christmas sangria and fruit on a white cloth doily on a wooden table with the sangria pitcher in the background.

Serving Suggestions 

Whenever I host a party, I like to set out both a food buffet and a serve-yourself bar so I can spend time enjoying the company of my favorite people. To set up a holiday cocktail station, I recommend setting out a bowl or pitcher of this Christmas sangria punch, an ice bucket, plenty of cocktail glasses and a few bowls of extra fruit with tongs for guests to garnish at will.

If you’d like to add more dramatic flair add edible flower ice cubes for added color. 

wooden table topped with a white cloth doily on which a pitcher and 2 rocks glasses are filled with Christmas sangria with sangria fruits scattered around.

Expert Tips & Tricks

  • Muddling helps release the flavors of the fresh fruit by pressing the ingredients against the side of the glass to smoosh them a bit. However, do not over-muddle the cranberries—too much of their tannic juices will make your sangria tart and cloudy. Professional muddlers come in either wood, plastic, or metal, but a wooden spoon also works perfectly. 
  • Prepare extras! I like to keep a few batches of this pitcher cocktail on hand in the fridge for when it inevitably runs out. I’ve learned to expect about 1-2 drinks per guest per hour.
  • Make sure to get some fruit chunks in every glass for the full, delicious effect. Crunching on the wine-soaked nibbles is half the fun of sangria!m in the wine overnight.

Storage Instructions

  • Room Temperature – While it is safe to leave this easy Christmas sangria out for several hours at room temperature, it is best served chilled. As such, I recommend nestling your punch bowl inside a larger ice bath to keep it perfectly frosty throughout your party. You’re also welcome to add frozen orange slices and cranberries to the bowl to act as edible ice cubes.
  • Refrigerated – Sangria will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. For longer storage, I recommend removing the fruit—doing so will help it keep for closer to 5 days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I make Christmas sangria the night before?

Yes, you should definitely make this sangria recipe the night before. The longer the fruits and wine get to know each other the better!

Why is it called “sangria?”

It comes from the Spanish word sangre, which means blood. While there are many white sangria recipes available these days, the original drink was traditionally made with red wine, so the name is in reference to its rich red hue.

What desserts pair well with Christmas sangria?

In my opinion, there aren’t many desserts that DON’T pair well with this yummy wine punch. It goes beautifully with fruity treats like orange biscochos, baked pineapple empanadas, and fresh persimmon cookies, chocolate-y treats like chocoflan, Mexican chocolate fudge, and double chocolate banana bread, as well as more “vanilla” treats like cuernitos de nuez and arroz con leche. What I’m trying to say is it’s tough to go wrong!

What are the best cocktails to make for a Christmas party?

Oh, gosh. There are just so many to choose from! This Christmas sangria is excellent, as are other batch cocktails like Winter White Sangria, Jamaica (Hibiscus) Sangria, Mexican Fruit Sangria, Coconut Water Bourbon Punch, and Ponche Navideño.

What are the best wines for sangria?

My favorite red wine for sangria is Tempranillo. It is Spain’s top red wine, made famous by Rioja. It is similar to Cabernet Sauvignon, but it also has fruity and cherry flavors. There’s also Merlot, which is generally fruity and mellow. Cabernet Sauvignon is complex and elegant with hints of berries. Pinot Noir is often on the jammier side, making it a great option too!

More Easy Holiday Cocktail Recipes 

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #muybuenocooking.

clear glass pitcher and two rocks glasses filled with fruit-filled red Christmas sangria on top of a white doily on a wooden table with cranberries scattered around and a bowl with multicolored christmas lights to the side.

Christmas Sangria

4.55 (33 ratings)
This sangria is simple to make and fizzy with your choice of club soda or tonic water and sweet from the natural fruit juices that are muddled and swim in the wine overnight. This drink is cheerful, economical, and delicious. What’s not to like? Make it the night before and your pitcher will be ready to display on your table for your guests.
Print Pin Rate
Yield: 8 to 12
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Chill: 6 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 6 ounces cranberries, rinsed
  • 1 orange, sliced
  • 1 apple, cored and cut into thin wedges
  • 1 pear, cored and cut into thin wedges
  • 2 bottles red wine, recommend Tempranillo
  • 1 liter club soda or tonic water, chilled

Want to save this recipe?

I’ll email this recipe to you, so that you can come back to it later!

Instructions 

  • Muddle the cranberries in a large pitcher. Use the back of a spoon to crush and smash them against the sides of the pitcher.
  • Add the orange, apple and pear slices and muddle.
  • Pour in the wine and stir. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
  • Before serving, stir in tonic water or club soda. Serve cold.

Video

Notes

Optional Variations
  • Swap Fruits – Feel free to use any mix and match of sangria fruit you like. I recommend sweet citrus (avoid super tart lime, lemon, and grapefruit), apples and pears, berries of all kinds, pomegranate arils, stone fruits, and even tropical fruit like pineapple or mango. Just remember to make a true “Christmas” sangria, you should stick to wintry fruit options that are in-season in December.
  • Extra Boozy – While I kept this recipe relatively light by only using wine and sparkling water, you’re welcome to amp up the buzz and add orange-flavored Cointreau.
  • Non-Alcoholic Sangria – Don’t forget the DD’s and kids at the party! Make a spectacularly delicious punch either with NA red wine or cranberry juice cocktail, plenty of fruit, and a splash of sparkling soda.
Expert Tips
  • Muddling helps release the flavors of the fresh fruit by pressing the ingredients against the side of the glass to smoosh them a bit. However, do not over-muddle the cranberries—too much of their tannic juices will make your sangria tart and cloudy. Professional muddlers come in either wood, plastic, or metal, but a wooden spoon also works perfectly. 
  • Prepare extras! I like to keep a few batches of this pitcher cocktail on hand in the fridge for when it inevitably runs out. I’ve learned to expect about 1-2 drinks per guest per hour.
  • Make sure to get some fruit chunks in every glass for the full, delicious effect. Crunching on the wine-soaked nibbles is half the fun of sangria!
Storage Instructions
  • Room Temperature – While it is safe to leave this easy Christmas sangria out for several hours at room temperature, it is best served chilled. As such, I recommend nestling your punch bowl inside a larger ice bath to keep it perfectly frosty throughout your party. You’re also welcome to add frozen orange slices and cranberries to the bowl to act as edible ice cubes.
  • Refrigerated – Sangria will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. For longer storage, I recommend removing the fruit—doing so will help it keep for closer to 5 days.
Calories: 198kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 37mg, Potassium: 283mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 62IU, Vitamin C: 14mg, Calcium: 33mg, Iron: 1mg
Author: Yvette Marquez
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: Spanish

Inspired by: Super Budget Thanksgiving Sangria from The Kitchn