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Caramel Apple Sangria

Caramel apple sangria is a chilled golden wine punch loaded with thin-sliced apple and pear and warm cinnamon sticks. Combine the wine with apple cider and caramel vodka, chill to let the fruit soak, then finish with ginger ale right before serving.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Drink
Cuisine: American
Calories: 210
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Wine base
  • 1 bottle (750 ml) pinot grigio Chilled
  • 2 cup apple cider
  • 0.5 cup caramel vodka Or substitute caramel sauce
  • 1 cup ginger ale Or club soda, chilled
Fruit & flavor
  • 2 apples Thinly sliced
  • 1 pear Thinly sliced
  • 3 cinnamon sticks
For serving
  • 0.25 caramel sauce For rimming glasses
  • 0.25 coarse sugar For rimming glasses

Method
 

Build the sangria
  1. Combine pinot grigio, apple cider, and caramel vodka in a large pitcher and whisk well if using caramel sauce.
  2. Add apples, pear, and cinnamon sticks to the pitcher and stir gently to distribute the fruit and spices.
Chill
  1. Chill the sangria for at least 2 hours so the fruit soaks up the flavor, keeping it refrigerated until serving.
Rim and serve
  1. Dip the glass rims in caramel sauce, then in coarse sugar to create a caramel-sugar edge.
  2. Top the pitcher with ginger ale just before serving, then pour over ice into glasses with some fruit in each.

Notes

Pro tip: for the best fruit texture and flavor, slice the apples and pear thin and keep everything chilled before mixing; the colder base helps the flavors bloom during the 2+ hour rest. Refrigerate any leftovers in a sealed pitcher up to 2 days, but add ginger ale only when serving. Freezing isn’t recommended because the fruit and wine mixture won’t re-texture well. Dietary swap: for a lighter option, replace caramel vodka with caramel syrup in a smaller amount and reduce the added caramel sauce for the rim.