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Caramel Apple Sangria

Caramel Apple Sangria is a golden, chilled sangria made with pinot grigio, apple cider, and caramel vodka, studded with thin apple and pear slices. Rest it for at least 2 hours so the fruit soaks up warm cinnamon flavor, then finish with ginger ale for a light, bubbly sip.
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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: 320
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chilled pinot grigio
  • 1 bottle (750 ml) pinot grigio Use chilled wine for a cold, ready-to-pour sangria.
Apple cider and caramel
  • 2 cup apple cider Adds apple flavor and depth.
  • 0.5 cup caramel vodka or caramel sauce Choose caramel vodka for an alcoholic sangria or caramel sauce for a non-alcoholic option.
Fruit and cinnamon
  • 2 apples Thinly sliced for quick flavor infusion.
  • 1 pear Thinly sliced to match the apples.
  • 3 cinnamon sticks Warm spice flavor throughout the pitcher.
Ginger soda
  • 1 cup ginger ale or club soda Keep chilled and add right before serving for fizz.
Glass finishing
  • Caramel sauce For dipping rims.
  • coarse sugar For coating caramel-dipped rims.

Method
 

Make the sangria base
  1. In a large pitcher, combine the chilled pinot grigio, apple cider, and caramel vodka or caramel sauce, then whisk well if using caramel sauce.
  2. Add the thinly sliced apples, pear slices, and cinnamon sticks to the pitcher.
Chill
  1. Chill the sangria at least 2 hours so the fruit soaks up the flavor.
Rim and serve
  1. Dip the glass rims in caramel, then in coarse sugar.
  2. Top the pitcher with the chilled ginger ale or club soda just before serving, then pour over ice with some fruit in each glass.

Notes

For best flavor and texture, chill the wine and ginger soda first, then add the ginger just before serving so it stays lightly fizzy. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 24 hours (best within 12); don’t freeze because the fruit and soda quality will suffer. For a non-alcoholic version, use caramel sauce instead of caramel vodka while keeping the rest the same.