Winter White Sangria (Festive and Light)
This Winter White Sangria recipe is a light, refreshing, and festive drink spruced up with winter fruit and cozy spices. Don’t be fooled by the color; this white wine punch gets its pink hue from cranberry juice and spiced apple cider. Like other sangria recipes, this winter version contains just the right amount of fruit, plus crisp white wine, fruit juices, citrus, cinnamon, and some fizzy ginger beer for added sparkle. We highly recommend making a pitcher of this for your next gathering, whether it’s over the winter holidays or whenever you feel a craving for a crisp drink with comforting flavors.
Why This Recipe Works
- Festive winter drink without much effort. We love sangria because it’s super easy to make and very drinkable. The added cranberry juice, apple cider, and cinnamon give this drink extra winter holiday vibes and make it a great white sangria for Christmas or whatever you celebrate.
- Make-ahead friendly. This white sangria gets even better the longer it sits. If you’re having people over this winter, make a pitcher of this white sangria and let it chill in your fridge until you’re ready to serve it.
- Customizable fruit and spice options. Sangria is super easy to customize to your liking. You can add different fruits, like pomegranate, pears, grapes, or plums, and different spices, like cloves.
- Great for entertaining. This recipe is for a whole pitcher so it’s perfect for holiday parties and events!
Ingredients in This White Sangria Recipe
Traditional sangria usually has some variation of red wine, orange or other citrus juices, fresh fruit, additional liquors like brandy, rum, or something else, and sweetener, such as simple syrup.
This recipe for white sangria is slightly different. Here’s what we use:
- White wine – white wine gives this winter punch a crisp flavor that’s super refreshing.
- Cointreau – we add this orange-flavored liqueur for a mild boozy bite.
- Fruit juices – cranberry juice and spiced apple cider give this drink festive winter flavors.
- Fresh fruit – we like to add fresh apples, oranges, cranberries, and lemons for fruity undertones.
- Spices – cinnamon sticks give this drink warm, winter notes, and optional star anise pods add a mild licorice flavor.
- Ginger beer – topping this sangria with non-alcoholic ginger beer gives the drink a light, sparkly finish.
How to Make White Sangria
This winter sangria is incredibly easy to make and you can put it all together in a matter of minutes.
- Add all of the fruit to the bottom of a juice pitcher.
- Add the cranberry juice, apple cider, white wine, and Cointreau to the pitcher.
- Top with the ginger beer, cinnamon sticks, and star anise and gently stir.
- Pour the sangria into glasses and garnish each with an orange slice and some apple slices. Optional: garnish with another cinnamon stick and more star anise.
How to Make This Into a Winter White Mocktail
We know that not everyone drinks alcohol these days, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy this winter punch! Here are our tips for making this into a non-alcoholic mocktail:
- Swap the white wine for grape juice and add a squeeze of lemon or a tiny splash of apple cider vinegar for wine-like acidity.
- If you want something less sweet than grape juice, use tea instead. White tea, hibiscus, chai, or even ginger tea could all work. Just be sure to chill them after brewing.
- Skip the Cointreau and add a touch of freshly squeezed orange juice for extra citrusy notes.
Our Tips for Making White Sangria
Serving and Storage Suggestions
We like to serve this white sangria chilled and crisp, in clear glasses to show off the pretty drink color and the fresh fruit. If you’re making ahead of time, add the bubbles right before serving for maximum fizziness. Serve this white sangria with your favorite appetizers and cheese platters.
To store this sangria, you can place the pitcher in your fridge for a day or two, or you can transfer it to a large jar or lidded container to make sure it stays as fresh as possible.
Winter White Sangria
Ingredients
- ½ orange sliced
- ½ lemon sliced
- ½ green apple cored and sliced
- Handful of fresh cranberries
- ¼ cup cranberry juice chilled
- 1 cup spiced apple cider non-alcoholic, chilled
- ½ cup Cointreau
- 1 bottle Sauvignon Blanc or other white wine chilled
- 12 oz can ginger beer non-alcoholic, chilled
- 3-4 cinnamon sticks plus more for glasses, if desired
- 3-5 star anise pods optional
Instructions
- Add all of the fruit to the bottom of a juice pitcher.½ orange, ½ lemon, ½ green apple, Handful of fresh cranberries
- Add the cranberry juice, apple cider, white wine, and cointreau to the pitcher.¼ cup cranberry juice, 1 cup spiced apple cider, 1 bottle Sauvignon Blanc or other white wine, ½ cup Cointreau
- Top with ginger beer, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and stir.12 oz can ginger beer, 3-4 cinnamon sticks, 3-5 star anise pods
- Pour into glasses and garnish each with an orange slice, some apple slices, another cinnamon stick, and more star anise.
Final Thoughts
If you’re trying to get into the holiday spirit, we highly recommend making a pitcher of this winter white sangria. It’s incredibly festive and refreshing and a breeze to make. If you love this recipe, let us know in the comments!
More Drink Recipes
If you’re looking for more great drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), check out these recipes:
