This cold weather-inspired apple and pear white sangria is spiced with a touch of cinnamon to bring on the season. With only a handful of ingredients, it's easy to make, and you can double or triple the recipe for the ultimate crowd cocktail.
I love seasonal cocktails that use fresh ingredients. This spiced apple and pear white sangria is made with sweet apples and pears and mixed with white wine, pear liqueur, fresh apple cider, and a touch of ginger beer. It's a great choice for Fall and Winter.
Ingredients
Here is what you will need to make this apple and pear sangria.
- White wine- Choose a dry wine or crisp white such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc.
- Apples- Use a good sweet apple. I use honeycrisp and gala varieties, but any apple you enjoy eating would make a great choice.
- Pears- Bosc or Bartlett varieties are the sweetest and hold up well to the wine.
- Pear liqueur- I highly recommend this one from St. George. It smells like Fall in a bottle.
- Apple cider- Apple cider enhances the apple flavor and adds sweetness.
- Ginger beer- Ginger beer has an intense ginger flavor. You can sub in ginger ale as well.
- Cinnamon sticks- Adds a touch of festive and slowly infuses the drink with warm spice.
See the recipe card for full ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
This sangria is easily adaptable to ingredients that you may already have on hand. Try experimenting or adding a little more or less to suit your taste.
- Instead of white wine, opt for sparkling wine such as Prosecco or a dry cider wine.
- Try apple juice instead of apple cider. It will have a less intense flavor.
- If you can't get the spiced pear liqueur, you could use a good-quality triple sec, orange liqueur (such as Grand Marnier) or a good quality apple or pear brandy.
Equipment
You don't need any fancy equipment for this sangria. Got a pitcher and something to help with stirring? If so, you are all set! Make sure your pitcher is at least 1-liter capacity.
Storage
This sangria can be made in advance and stored in the fridge until ready to serve. It gets even better as it sits since the fruit starts to flavor the wine. I like to prepare it 4-6 hours in advance. If you have any left, you can store it in a covered pitcher for up to 2 days in the fridge.
Top Tip
Want to impress your guests? Take a pear, (leaving the stem intact) and slice it thin lengthwise Line the glasses with a pear slice (like in the photo). It makes a great presentation.
FAQ
Absolutely! This is one cocktail you can prep in advance. The sangria gets better with time since it absorbs the sweet flavor of the fruit. This is why it's the perfect cocktail for all your holiday gatherings that serve a large crowd.
Give the sangria a good 4-6 hours to let the fruit marinate, however you can make this sangria 24 hours in advance.
It's totally up to you. I prefer to leave the skins on for the apples (I love seeing the pretty reds), while I tend to peel the pears for a cleaner look. If you choose to leave the skins on, make sure your fruit is washed well.
📖Recipe
Spiced Apple and Pear White Sangria
Equipment
- 1 glass pitcher (1-liter capacity)
Ingredients
- ½ pear, peeled and chopped Bosc or Bartlett varieties
- ½ apple; cored, chopped, and skin left on Honeycrisp, Gala, Pink Lady
- 1 bottle white wine (standard 750 ml bottle) i.e. Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio
- ¼ cup pear liqueur
- ¼ cup apple cider
- ¼ cup ginger beer
- 2 whole cinnamon sticks
Instructions
- Add chopped fruit and cinnamon to the bottom of a clean pitcher.
- Add wine, pear liqueur, apple cider and ginger beer. Stir gently to combine.
- Let the sangria rest in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours before serving. Cheers!
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!