A delicious, easy pomegranate sangria recipe that is perfect for holiday gatherings. Learn how to make a holiday sangria that everyone will love.
Perfectly sweet with just the right fruit and wine combination, this sparkling pomegranate holiday sangria is the perfect drink to serve this Christmas. If you’re looking to set aside the apple cider this season, this is a great make-ahead pitcher cocktail that’s perfect for hosting a crowd of guests.
In times of celebration, there’s nothing better than a cold, bubbly drink. When serving a crowd of guests, having a cocktail recipe that can be made by the pitcher is the right way to go. Luckily, we have just the right cocktail recipe for you: pomegranate sangria.
This pomegranate sangria is perfectly sweet with just the right fruit and wine combination. It is everything a pitcher cocktail should be, and more!
This sangria features a few of my favorite things: fresh oranges, pomegranate juice and seeds, white wine, and my favorite sparkling moscato. Combined with some orange liqueur, they make an awesome sangria.
For more holiday drinks, be sure to try my Coquito and Tangerine Pomegranate Mimosas.
What Is Sangria?
Sangria is a mixed alcoholic drink with a base of a chosen wine and is known for its infusion of fresh fruits. Common fruits used in a sangria recipe are sliced oranges or chopped apples, peaches, pears, and pineapples.
Sangria is often enjoyed during special events like brunch with friends or the holidays. It’s also well accustomed in any climate, so whether you’re under a hot scorching sun or feeling a chill breeze, this drink will always be enjoyable.
Those who appreciate a more fruity drink during the holidays will definitely appreciate the delicious taste of sangria. Although be warned, you may get a little sleepy. Wine has that effect!
Ingredients
- Sparkling moscato wine – Adds a delicious and fresh bubbly taste to this amazing sangria.
- White wine – Any white wine of your preference, I often use Chardonnay but sauvignon blanc works well too.
- Pomegranate juice – This can be bought at a local grocery store.
- Orange liqueur – You can use brands like Grand Marnier or Bols Triple Sec.
- Pomegranate seeds – While sangria is an alcoholic drink, there are plenty of beneficial factors in this drink, especially with pomegranate seeds as they contain many antioxidants and polyphenols said to promote cardiovascular health and healthy blood pressure levels, among other benefits.
- Oranges – Citrus fruits are great for the perfect sangria recipe. Orange tends to pair well with other fruits and are often incorporated in sangria. However, if oranges aren’t your cup of tea, you can also opt for grapefruit.
- 10-12 Mint leaves – Add great flavor and freshness.
Other optional ingredients
- Cinnamon sticks, Rosemary – Cinnamon sticks or rosemary can be a nice addition for an extra spice to your recipe.
- Orange juice – Although this recipe is best made with freshly squeezed juice from an orange, you can also opt for orange juice to minimize time if needed.
- Simple syrup, Honey – If you’re looking to sweeten up your sangria, you can add simple syrup or honey as you’d like.
How to make Holiday Sangria?
- Stir the white wine, pomegranate juice, orange liqueur and juice from an orange together in a large pitcher.
- Add the pomegranate seeds, orange slices and mint. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- When ready to serve, add the sparkling moscato.
- Fill glasses with ice. Pour sangria and fruit into glasses, and serve. Garnish glasses with extra mint leaves.
Frequently Asked Questions
Any wine is possible! Whether you’d like your sangria to be made with red wine, white wine, rosè, or bubbly, it’s all up to you. You can even get a little crazy and create a mixture of your favorites to make the best sangria for your taste buds.
The base of sangria is mainly dependent on your wine of choice, although many recipes also include a kick of other alcohols like brandy, fruit liqueur, vodka, or flavored schnapps. If you’re also interested in a little bit of fizz, you can add some seltzer to your sangria.
As easy as this holiday sangria is to drink, be aware that it does have a fairly high alcohol content. This pitcher will serve 10 and is made with two bottles of wine as well as Grand Marnier. It will definitely get the party started!
Before serving, you want to aim for the fruit to sit in the sangria for at least 15 minutes to let the flavors begin settling. But otherwise, to really let the flavors kick in prior to serving, continue to let the mixture sit for at least four hours, especially in the refrigerator.
This pomegranate holiday sangria should be made at least 3 or 4 hours ahead of time. Although sangria can last in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, I’d recommend aiming for an overnight recipe if needed as opposed to leaving sangria in the refrigerator for longer. This is to avoid losing any of its freshness as the fruits may start to become ripe.
I like to let my sangria sit in the refrigerator for a minimum of four hours to really let the flavors develop, or up to 2 days.
Though sangria is often known for its red color, the tasty drink comes in many different colors depending on the choice of wine. Most people often choose red wine, which has a very strong dye. However, any sangria that is made with white wine may transform in color based upon the infusion of the fruits chosen. Check out my delicious sparkling berry sangria recipe as an example!
Recipe Tips and Notes
A recipe gone wrong is no fun. Here are a few tips to make sure you don’t miss a few key tips in making sure your sangria is on point.
- Have you ever been served sangria that was completely watered down? Me too. To avoid this, try not to add ice to the pitcher as this will dilute the drink. Instead, pour the sangria over ice while serving.
- The purpose of the sparkling white wine is to enjoy your sangria with a delicious and fresh bubbly taste. But this can also go wrong if your sangria is served improperly. Rather than putting in the sparkling wine right away, wait to pour when you’re ready to serve. This will ensure the sangria is nice and bubbly the moment you serve it.
- Let the sangria sit in the fridge for at least 4 hours to really let the flavors develop.
- Double the measurements if you need a bigger batch.
More Drinks Recipes
- Raspberry Lemon Wine Spritzer
- Cranberry Mojito
- Grapefruit Lime Margaritas
- Spicy Mango Micheladas
- Sparkling berry sangria
Pomegranate Holiday Sangria
Author:Ingredients
- 1 bottle sparkling moscato wine
- 1 bottle semi-sweet white wine
- 1 ½ cup pomegranate juice
- ¾ cup orange liqueur , such as Grand Marnier
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds
- 2 oranges , 1 thinly sliced into rounds, 1 juiced
- 10-12 mint leaves , more to decorate glasses
- Ice
Instructions
- In a large pitcher, mix together the white wine, pomegranate juice, orange liqueur and juice from an orange. Then, add the pomegranate seeds, orange slices and mint. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve. When ready to serve, add the sparkling moscato.
- Fill glasses with ice. Pour sangria and fruit into glasses, and serve. Decorate glasses with extra mint leaves.
Notes
- Don’t add ice to the pitcher as this will dilute the drink. Instead, pour the sangria over ice when you serve it.
- Wait to pour in the sparkling wine until you’re ready to serve. This will ensure the sangria is nice and bubbly the moment you serve it.
- Let the sangria sit in the fridge for at least 4 hours to really let the flavors develop.
Nutrition
The nutritional information of this recipe and all recipes on mydominicankitchen.com is only an estimate. The accuracy of any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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Karen says
Bright, festive and delicious! Perfect for brunch or happy hour.
Kitty says
Pomegranates are one of my favorite parts of the holiday season. Can’t wait to try them in the cocktail!