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Cozy Blood Orange Halloween Sangria – Easy Party Punch

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A warm, fruity, and sophisticated Halloween sangria made with blood oranges, red wine, brandy, and warm spices. It’s the perfect make-ahead party punch that’s cozy, not gimmicky.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 bottle (750 ml) dry red wine (Spanish Tempranillo or medium-bodied Merlot)
  • 1/2 cup brandy
  • 1/4 cup orange liqueur (triple sec or Cointreau)
  • 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
  • 4 blood oranges
  • 2 navel oranges
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 crisp apple (Honeycrisp or Fuji)
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 3 star anise pods
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 1 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups sparkling water or ginger ale
  • Ice cubes
  • Fresh rosemary sprigs for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Wash all fruit thoroughly. Slice two blood oranges and one navel orange into thin rounds (about 1/4 inch thick). Juice the remaining blood oranges and navel orange to get about 1/2 cup of juice. Slice the lemon into thin rounds and remove seeds. Core the apple and cut into thin wedges, leaving the skin on.
  2. In a large pitcher, combine the red wine, brandy, orange liqueur, fresh orange juice, and honey or maple syrup. Stir until the sweetener dissolves.
  3. Add the sliced fruit (blood orange rounds, navel orange rounds, lemon slices, and apple wedges) to the pitcher. Tuck in the cinnamon sticks, star anise pods, and whole cloves so they are submerged. If using a vanilla bean, split it lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the mixture; if using vanilla extract, add it now.
  4. Stir gently and taste. Adjust sweetness with more honey if too tart, or add a squeeze of lemon if too sweet.
  5. Cover the pitcher and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, preferably 24 hours, to allow flavors to meld.
  6. About 10 minutes before serving, remove the pitcher from the fridge and gently stir in the sparkling water or ginger ale. Taste and adjust sweetness if needed.
  7. Serve over ice in glasses, making sure each glass gets some fruit. Garnish with a fresh rosemary sprig if desired.

Notes

For best results, let the sangria rest overnight. Remove whole cloves and star anise before serving to avoid bitter bites. Freeze blood orange slices to use as ice cubes that won’t dilute the drink. Adjust sweetness to taste after chilling, as fruit releases natural sugars.

Nutrition

Keywords: Halloween sangria, blood orange sangria, party punch, fall cocktail, easy sangria recipe, make-ahead cocktail

Find it online: https://freshforkful.com/cozy-blood-orange-halloween-sangria-easy-party-punch/