This red wine Apple Sangria has tasty fall spices like cinnamon and cloves. It's easy to make and makes a great party drink for a crowd. You won't believe how delicious your home smells while you make this on the stovetop.
In a saucepan, combine the chopped apples, apple juice, whole cloves, and cinnamon over low heat. If using the vanilla bean, scrape the middle into the saucepan and add the pod to steep.
Cook, stirring fairly constantly, until apples just begin to caramelize about 15-20 minutes.
Remove from heat and set aside. If using vanilla extract, add it now and stir to combine.
Let cool.
Combine the wine and cognac in a large ceramic or glass container.
Add the apple-spice mixture and stir well.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Serve over ice and garnish with cinnamon sticks.
Notes
Add pears, persimmons, figs, or other fall fruits to the apples in this recipe to create a unique version of this sangria.
If you wanted to make a non-alcoholic version you could remove the red wine and play around with grape and cranberry juices.
If you want to try to get out a few more servings for a party, you could top each glass with a bit of club soda. It will add fizz, make it extra refreshing and sneak out an extra serving or two.
If you end up with leftover sangria, separate the soaked fruit from the liquid. You can freeze the fruit and use it for wine smoothies or other cocktail recipes. You can keep the sangria liquid in the fridge and drink for a few more days.