Fall Sangria with Apple Cider

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This delicious Fall Sangria with Apple Cider will have you wishing it were fall all year round! With fresh pears, apples and maple syrup, the flavors go together perfectly and complement the white wine in the sangria. Add in a little pear flavored vodka and fresh apple cider, and it's like fall in a glass!

two glasses with fall sangria using white wine, pears and apples

This is a great seasonal recipe for fall. The autumn season is definitely the time to get the best pears. They don't travel as well as apples, so they're just not as good when they're not in season locally.

Fresh apple cider is another fall favorite around here! Although you can use boiled cider (aka apple cider concentrate) as a substitute when it's not in season, fresh is best in this particular drink since it will go well with the fresh fruit.

Try out this Apple Cider Mimosa for another easy and crowd-pleasing fall themed drink. Another delicious apple cider based drink to try is this Apple Cinnamon Bourbon Cocktail. You can also use fresh cider in this Hot Apple Cider Cocktail with Rum, although boiled cider works even better for that one!

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Ingredients
Substitutions
Variations
Equipment
Instructions
Frequently Asked Questions about Sangria
Top Tip
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💬 Comments

Ingredients

The ingredients you'll need to have to make this sangria are:

bottle of dry white wine - a Pinot Grigio works well in this sangria.
fresh apple cider
pear-flavored vodka - I used Grey Goose La Poire - Pear Vodka. This vodka is also delicious in a Pear Martini!
maple syrup - I used Runamok Maple Syrup.
fresh apple - honeycrisp apples are great, or any apple on the sweet side with a little tanginess. Macintosh or Macoun work well too.
fresh pear - I used Bartlett pears, but keep in mind that the pear ripeness is more important than the variety.
fresh lemon
cinnamon sticks

ingredients for fall sangria on a countertop

Substitutions

Although this recipe really shines as it's written, if you don't have one of the ingredients on hand, here are some substitution ideas:

White wine - you can use a dry rosé wine instead of white. I wouldn't suggest using a red wine, as the delicate pears will be completely overpowered.
Fresh apple cider - you can use regular apple juice instead, or water and boiled cider.
Pear-flavored vodka - you can infuse vodka with fresh pears for a few days to make your own pear vodka, or just use unflavored vodka. You could also use apple brandy instead.
Maple syrup - you can use honey instead of the maple syrup, or add some plain or flavored simple syrup instead.
Fruit - if you are missing any of the fruit, you can try out different varieties of fruits to use instead. Quince, persimmon, grapefruit and orange would all go well in this drink.

fall sangria with apple cider in a pitcher with serving glasses next to it

Variations

Sangria is such a fun drink, and just by changing some things around you can make it into something new! Try out these variations on this Fall Sangria:

Spiced Autumn Sangria - add in a bunch of mulling spices with the fruit, and allow it to steep for several hours at least to soak up the spice flavors.
Mint Sangria - add fresh mint along with the fruit. Don't muddle it, but just clap it between your hands before adding it in.
Ginger Sangria - add about a quarter ounce of fresh ginger juice, and add some fresh ginger slices along with the fruit.

Equipment

You'll need a large pitcher that will hold around 6 cups, or 1.5 liters. You'll also need a cutting board and sharp knife to cut the fruit into slices, along with a cutting board.

Also, you'll want to have a jigger or a measuring cup, and serving glasses. Wine glasses or old fashioned glasses both work well. I used these beautiful Godinger Dublin Old Fashioned Glasses.

Instructions

To make this Fall Sangria with Apple Cider, start out by cutting your fruit into slices. Set a few slices aside to put in the serving glasses, and use the cut lemon pieces to rub some lemon juice on the cut parts of the apple and pear. This will prevent the apple and pear pieces from browning.

Add the rest of the fruit slices into your pitcher. Then, add the pear vodka, maple syrup and apple cider. Stir with a long bar spoon to dissolve the maple syrup.

Add in the entire bottle of white wine, and stir everything up again with a long bar spoon. You can optionally add a cinnamon stick or two to amp up the flavor. Then let the sangria rest and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour, or up to 24 hours.

Add the fruit slices you had set aside to your serving glasses, and pour in the sangria. Or, if you prefer, you can just pour in the sangria and add some of the fruit that's already been soaking in the serving glass. You can also add a cinnamon stick as an extra garnish.

pouring the sangria into the serving glass

top view of fall sangria with pear in the glass

Frequently Asked Questions about Sangria

How long do you let the fruit sit in sangria?

You can let the fruit sit in for up to 24 hours, but it is perfectly fine to let it rest for just an hour or so before drinking. The longer it sits, the more the fruit flavors will infuse the drink. If you need to keep it longer than 24 hours, the fruit might get a little unappealing, so you might want to strain it out and serve it with fresher fruit.

What kind of wine do you use for white sangria?

You can use any kind of white wine, but Pinot Grigio is a popular one because it has more of a mild flavor. It'll take a backseat to the fruit flavors, but still complement them nicely. Other good choices are Sauvignon Blanc or Albariño. Look for a dry white wine, since the fruit and other ingredients will add sweetness.

Should I peel fruit for sangria?

As long as you are washing your fruit well, it is perfectly fine to use the peel in sangria. In citrus especially, it adds even more depth of flavor to the drink. However, if you know you will be letting it sit for a long time, you might want to consider taking the peel off of any citrus. The longer it sits, the more likely it is to cause some bitter notes from the white pith between the fruit and the outer peel.

Top Tip

If you get a bulk pack of cinnamon sticks, they last a really long time -- even years! -- and keep their flavor much better than ground cinnamon. (You can find them here on Amazon: McCormick Cinnamon Sticks.) Also, the sticks themselves are usually much longer and tend to look better then getting a small pack at the grocery store!

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