You're going to love this doctored up Trader Joe's sangria recipe that's super simple to make. No one will guess that this festive cocktail started with pre-mixed sangria. And, since this drink is best the next day, after it's had some time to infuse, it's the perfect make-ahead recipe for the holidays. Serve it for Thanksgiving dinner or as a Christmas sangria, and you'll have some really happy dinner guests!
Between class parties, work get-togethers, and hosting family and friends, I'll be honest: The holidays can be stressful. That's why this is the best sangria recipe. It's impressive and crowd-pleasing while being a snap to make. And, I can adjust the recipe as I want. For the winter holidays, I use fresh fruit like cranberries or pomegranate seeds and citrus, but this recipe is the perfect drink any time of year.
Just add your favorite fruits that are in season. In the warmer months, I pick fresh seasonal fruit like peaches and strawberries for the perfect summer version of sangria. This sangria also happens to be amazing as a frozen slushie--just freeze in ice cube trays and add a couple to a blender. Voila! The perfect beach or poolside bevvy for a hot summer day.
Looking for other make-ahead holiday recipes? My sausage balls without Bisquick are always a favorite recipe as is my spicy pimento cheese. Or, if you're looking for more of my favorite cocktails, be sure to check out my bourbon rickey recipe as well as my prickly pear Moscow mule. Now, let's get to what you're here for: the best almost homemade sangria!
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Ingredients
Before we get started, let's gather the ingredients we need for this perfect sangria recipe:
- Trader Joe's Marie Jola sangria
- brandy
- fresh or frozen cranberries
- oranges
- green apple
- cinnamon sticks
- rosemary sprigs
(See recipe card for quantities and the full recipe.)
Instructions
Now that we've got our ingredients, let's make this festive cocktail!
- First, cut the oranges and apples and place in a large pitcher with the cranberries and cinnamon sticks.
- Then, add the sangria and brandy. Refrigerate overnight. Pour into ice-filled glasses and garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs.
Hint: Keep a bottle or two of this sangria on hand--you never know when you'll need it. For a summer version, add your favorite sliced stone fruits like peaches or nectarines and berries like strawberries and raspberries.
Substitutions
Need some ideas for ingredient substitutions? Here are a few:
- Sangria - Use another brand of pre-mixed sangria if you'd like.
- Brandy - Instead of brandy, you can use orange liqueur like triple sec or Grand Marnier. Or, omit it completely.
- Fruit - Change up the types of fruit to whatever you have on hand. Change up the fruit to whatever you have on hand. Halved grapes, pears, and red apples are all a great choice.
Variations
Here are some other ways to adjust this winter sangria recipe:
- Sangria with Fruity Ice Cubes - Buy an extra bottle of sangria or some sweetened cranberry juice. Add the fruit to ice cube trays and pour the liquid over the top and freeze. The fruity ice cubes can be added to individual glasses to use instead of regular ice. Or create a sangria wine punch and serve the fruity ice cubes and sangria in a punch bowl.
- Sangria Fizz - Add some sparkle to this cocktail. Add sparkling wine (sparkling white wine or rose) or club soda to give it some fizz.
- Sangria Slush - Strain the sangria (reserving the fruit for garnish, if desired) and freeze until firm. Just before serving, whizz in a blender to make it slushy.
Equipment
Here's the equipment you'll need for this recipe:
- chef's knife
- large pitcher
- wooden spoon
- dry measuring cups
- liquid measuring cup
Storage
Refrigerate the sangria for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
You can also freeze leftover sangria. I like to strain out the fruit and pour the sangria into ice cube trays and then freeze. Then, I transfer the sangria cubes to a large zip-top freezer bag and freeze for up to 6 months.
Tasty Tip
For ultra-chilly sangria, freeze the fruit ahead of time. You can also use frozen fresh cranberries.
Frequently asked questions
An opened bottle of sangria will last about 2 to 3 days at room temperature and up to 1 week in the fridge. An unopened bottle will last around 2 years if stored properly at room temperature (no large temperature increases or decreases.)
Bottled sangria is best served chilled and over ice.
You can leave out the brandy entirely or use your favorite orange liqueur instead.
Generally, yes. While you don't need (and shouldn't use) the most expensive bottle of wine for sangria, use a good wine you'd enjoy drinking by itself. Opt for a light, fruit-forward wine like pinot noir or slightly sweet red wine. I don't recommend a heavy, dry red wine like cabernet sauvignon--it's too heavy to pair with the citrus fruits. Trader Joe's pre-mixed sangria is great because it's cheap and delicious on its own.
It does! The fruit and aromatics you add to the wine have longer to infuse.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this sangria recipe:
🍽Get the recipe
Leveled Up Trader Joe's Sangria
Equipment
- chef's knife
- large pitcher
- wooden spoon
- dry measuring cups
- liquid measuring cup
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- 2 navel oranges, halved and sliced
- 1 green apple, cut into small chunks
- 2 cinnamon sticks, plus more for garnish
- 1 (1.5-liter) bottle Maria Jola sangria
- 1 cup brandy
- Rosemary sprigs for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Add the cranberries, orange slices, apples, and cinnamon sticks to a large pitcher.
- Pour the sangria and brandy into the pitcher and stir to combine. Refrigerate at least overnight and up to 2 days.
- To serve, pour the sangria into ice-filled glasses and garnish as desired.
Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips
When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:
- Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
- When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
- I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
- When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
Food safety
Finally, don't forget to keep these food safety tips in mind when making this recipe.
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
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