Standard sangria recipes, with lots of fresh fruit, are a summer favorite!

Swap a few ingredients, and you have the makings of a boozy, more complex Cranberry Sangria. Added to your autumn repertoire this cocktail will warm those chilly nights and is the PERFECT Friendsgiving, Thanksgiving or Christmas addition.

Each year our dear friends Shawn and Veronica, host a fabulous Friendsgiving celebration in their home. I’ve shared about it before - its an evening we look forward to all year long!

You might remember my favorite Corn Casserole recipe that I have prepared for the last 5+ years. I will be the first to admit, I am not a cook, which is why this easy and inexpensive casserole is still my go-to Friendsgiving recipe.

But this year, I wanted to contribute something new to the festivities, and decided to hone my truest skill: making drinks.

Girl can’t cook, BUT you better believe she can mix a cocktail!

There are two things to keep in mind while preparing for a Friendsgiving gatherings at someone else’s home: portability and quantity. You want to make sure you can transport your contribution (safely) and that all the guests can indulge.

And this cocktail is so delicious, everyone is going to have a glass or two (or four if they’re my friends)…

Check out my Cranberry Sangria which adds warmth, complexity and spice to a summer classic!

Cranberry Sangria

Ingredients

2 cup Fresh Cranberries (whole)

1 Lemon (sliced)

1 Apple (cubed)

1/4 cup Raw Sugar

1 750ml Bottle of Red Wine (any fruity, full bodied, dry red will work)

1/3 cup of Spiced Rum

1 shot Vanilla Liqueur

3 cups Cranberry Juice Cocktail

1/2 cup of Orange Juice

Garnish

Whole Cranberries

Seltzer

Cinnamon Stick

Star Anise

Skewer Sticks

Directions

1. In a large pitcher or dispenser, mix together wine, orange juice, seltzer, brandy/rum, cranberry juice and sugar. Mix until sugar is dissolved. Top mixture with cranberries, apple and lemon slices.

2. Allow mixture to rest for 2-3 hours.

3. Distribute mixture into glasses. Add splash of seltzer before serving and garnish with cranberry skewer, cinnamon stick and anise star.

* Images below represent a doubled recipe to fill a 1 gallon glass dispenser 3/4 full.

I hope this will become another crowd favorite! Will you give this recipe a try?