Festive Sangria Mocktail
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How to make a simple sangria cocktail for the holidays! My sangria mocktail has fresh fruit, two different kinds of juices, and ginger ale to add a fizzy taste to the whole thing! Kids and adults alike will enjoy this simple, festive mocktail!
Festive and so not boozy!
This is the festive sangria mocktail that I served at my Friendsgiving party this year, and can I just toot my own horn for a second and say that everyone that tried it not only enjoyed it, but we had quite a few people that even went back for refills! I take that as a total win.
And what’s not to love? It’s fruity, a little fizzy, and makes you feel like you can celebrate with everyone else that is having a boozy cocktail! You can serve this on Christmas Eve, but it also works well as a mocktail if you’re throwing a New Year’s Eve party!
Making non-boozy drinks is my thing in the summertime! Just earlier this year, I shared a Maui-inspired strawberry basil lemonade that we make at least once every summer, and it is so good. I’ll even blend up leftover fruit from the week and make peach agua frescas, or a mixed berry agua fresca when the berries are at their best. In the winter, I’ll focus more on warm drinks like the hot chocolate for two, which is a staple recipe in the wintertime for us. And if you’re thinking about Christmas Eve or a low key New Years, there’s also my hot chocolate bar for a crowd!
But all of this got me thinking; I haven’t shared a mocktail for the holidays – something that kids, pregnant women, and those that prefer to not indulge in alcohol can all enjoy and feel like they’re also part of the festivities! My husband and I don’t drink, and we always appreciate it when the host keeps those of us that don’t in mind and serves a mocktail!
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO MAKE A SANGRIA MOCKTAIL?
- Pomegranate juice
- Apple juice
- Thinly sliced oranges
- Thinly sliced lemons
- Small apple pieces
- Pomegranate arils
- Ginger ale
WHAT IF I DON’T LIKE POMEGRANATES, CAN I USE SOMETHING ELSE FOR THIS SANGRIA MOCKAIL?
You can easily swap out the pomegranate juice and arils for cranberry juice and fresh cranberries!
I DON’T LIKE GINGER ALE/ GINGER BEER, CAN I USE SOMETHING ELSE TO MAKE THIS SANGRIA MOCKTAIL FIZZY?
Sure thing, you can swap the ginger ale for a lemon-lime soda or even use sparkling water if you want to cut back on the sugar a bit!
HOW TO MAKE A SANGRIA MOCKTAIL:
- Cut up your fruit: I like to quarter and slice the citrus and dice the apples into small pieces. If I’m using pomegranate juice, I like to add pomegranate arils, but if I use cranberry juice, I use fresh cranberries!
- Combine the juices: Combine the pomegranate and apple juice in a large pitcher. Again, if you’d like, you can swap the pomegranate juice for cranberry juice. I suggest using a fruit juice that isn’t very high in sugar unless you prefer your drinks on the super sweet side. Stir in orange slices, lemons, apples, and pomegranate arils (or cranberries.)
- Refrigerate: I like to place the pitcher of sangria mocktail in the refrigerator for at least 30-45 minutes before serving. Ideally, you want to let it sit for 3-4 hours, so the flavors meld together.
- When you’re ready to serve: remove the pitcher from the refrigerator and add ice to each serving cup if desired; I usually don’t. Top off the sangria cocktail pitcher with ginger ale (or ginger beer) right before serving.
VARIATIONS FOR THIS SANGRIA MOCKTAIL:
- Add a cinnamon stick! When you’re stirring in the fruit, you can add a cinnamon stick into the mix to give it a little more flavor
- Use fresh herbs: You could also add a sprig or two of rosemary when you add the fruit to give this sangria mocktail woodsy depth. Or you could even serve it with a sprig of rosemary for a little added color!
- Leave out the citrus: You could omit the citrus completely. Add a couple of varieties of apples (try Granny Smith with Pink Lady.) Then, add cinnamon sticks to the mix to make this more of a fall sangria mocktail!
- Use fresh berries instead of pomegranate arils: in the summertime, I’d use cranberry juice or even no-sugar-added grape juice and swap out the pomegranates arils for fresh blueberries and raspberries!
- Swap the apple juice: Use mulled apple cider instead of apple juice to give this sangria mocktail a spicer twist!
Festive Sangria Mocktail
How to make a simple sangria cocktail for the holidays! My sangria mocktail has fresh fruit, two different kinds of juices, and ginger ale to add a fizzy taste to the whole thing! Kids and adults alike will enjoy this simple, festive mocktail!
Ingredients
- 2 cups no-sugar-added pomegranate juice (or cranberry)
- 3 ½ cups apple juice
- 1 small orange cut into thin pieces
- 1 lemon cut into pieces
- 1 Granny Smith apple, cut into small pieces
- ¼ cup pomegranate arils (or a handful of fresh cranberries)
- 4 cups cold ginger ale (or ginger beer, sprite, sparkling water)
Instructions
- Add the pomegranate juice and apple juice into a large pitcher. Add the cut-up orange slices, lemon slices, apple pies, and the pomegranate arils. Stir it together and refrigerate the sangria mocktail to refrigerate for 45 minutes - 4 hours. The longer you let it sit the more the flavors meld together.
- Once chilled, top the sangria pitcher off with ginger ale and gently to combine. Serve in glasses with ice, if desired. Top with fresh fruit slices, rosemary stems, or a cinnamon stick!
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