If you’re looking for an easy, make-ahead, Fall-inspired drink to serve at Thanksgiving, this Pomegranate Sangria will quickly become a favorite T-day drink you’ll look forward to enjoying with family and friends year after year.
The star of the show is, of course, the pomegranate, and not just the juice, we're going to use fresh pomegranate seeds. Now, if you’re worried about cutting open a fresh pomegranate and having red juice squirt everywhere, while you try to get the seeds out, don’t worry because I recently discovered a very helpful method that is easy and mess-free!
Sangria has always been a favorite of mine to serve when we’re hosting a gathering because it’s something I can prepare the day before or a few hours before our guests arrive. I also love that it’s a crowd pleaser and extremely adaptable so I can adjust my base sangria recipe to suit the changing seasons!
Here’s a quick rundown of what you’ll need (full recipe and measurements down below)
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Wine: You’ll need one bottle of white wine, I chose a bottle of Pinot Grigio, but a red or rosé will work too. Splurging on a fancy bottle of wine is not necessary here, just go with a nice medium-bodied bottle that you would drink on its own and you’ll be fine.
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Liqueur: You will also need cognac, which can be easily swapped out for brandy or orange liqueur.
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Juice: We’ll be using pomegranate juice to help us achieve a sweet, tangy flavor.
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Fruit: Chopped orange, apple, and pomegranate seeds. Now, I prefer to chop my apples and oranges into smaller chunks because I find it pours easier into glasses than long, thin slices, and it’s easier to eat.
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Sweetener: For this recipe, we’re going to make a simple syrup, but if you find that it’s sweet enough for you with the fruit and juice, you can totally skip this part.
Fall Pomegranate Sangria Recipe
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup water
1 bottle white wine
½ cup cognac
1 cup pomegranate juice
1 whole apple chopped into bite-sized chunks
1 whole orange chopped into bite-sized chunks
¼ cup pomegranate seeds
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To make the simple syrup, simply combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and gently bring to a boil until the sugar has completely dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to completely cool.
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To seed the pomegranate, fill a bowl with cool water. Cut the pomegranate in half and then place the halves into the bowl. Under the water’s surface, break apart the pomegranate and begin removing the seeds by gently rubbing the seeds with your thumbs. The seeds will sink to the bottom and the pomegranate membrane will float to the top. Drain out the membrane and that’s it! Now you have a bowl full of beautiful pomegranate seeds! No mess!!
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Combine and mix the simple syrup, white wine, cognac, and pomegranate juice.
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Add the apples, oranges, and pomegranate seeds to the Sangria mix.
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Refrigerate overnight or for at least two hours to allow the flavors to meld together.
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Serving chilled and enjoy! Cheers! Refrigerate up to 3-4 days
