Thanksgiving Sangria with Pumpkin Butter
Dry white wine, apple cider, brandy, pumpkin butter, lemon and maple with ginger beer added at serving. A festive pitcher for the holiday table.
Thanksgiving Sangria with Pumpkin Butter
Course: DrinksDifficulty: Easy10
servings15
minutes2
hoursDry white wine, apple cider, brandy, pumpkin butter, lemon and maple with ginger beer added at serving. A festive pitcher for the holiday table.
Ingredients
1 bottle (750 ml) dry white wine
4 ounces brandy
8 ounces apple cider
4 ounces pumpkin butter
2 ounces lemon juice
2 ounces maple syrup
12 ounces ginger beer, added at serving
2 apples, sliced, for garnish
2 blood oranges, sliced, for garnish
1/2 cup pomegranate arils, for garnish
6 cinnamon sticks, for garnish
1 star anise per glass, for garnish
4 cups ice, for the glasses
Directions
- Slice the apples and blood oranges into thin rounds.
- Whisk the pumpkin butter into the apple cider in a large pitcher until it is smooth.
- Add the white wine, brandy, lemon juice and maple syrup, and stir. Squeeze the lemon with a heavy-duty lemon squeezer.
- Add the sliced apples, blood oranges, pomegranate arils and cinnamon sticks.
- Stir well to incorporate all the ingredients.
- Place the pitcher in the fridge to chill until it is cold and the fruit has taken on color. For a crowd, pour it into a one-gallon drink dispenser.
- Taste and add a little more maple syrup if the lemon is sharp.
- Just before serving, add the ginger beer to the pitcher, stirring gently.
- Fill each glass with ice and pour the sangria over it.
- Top each glass with extra ginger beer if you like and garnish with a star anise.
Notes
- For a drink without alcohol, use white grape juice for the wine, extra cider for the brandy and keep the ginger beer. Covered in the fridge, the base keeps for about 3 days without the ginger beer. Stir before serving, because the pumpkin butter settles. Use pumpkin butter, not pumpkin puree, for the right sweetness.
Pumpkin butter does the work
Whisking pumpkin butter into the cider before the wine goes in prevents lumps and gives the drink a spiced, silky body. Lemon juice and maple keep it from tasting heavy. Ginger beer adds a spicy fizz at the table.
Blood orange slices look striking against the apples.
Swaps and a miss
Apple butter can replace pumpkin butter. Bourbon works in place of brandy. Pear cider is a good stand-in for apple cider.
Do not use pumpkin puree here. It lacks the sweet spice and gives the drink a flat, earthy taste.
Serve and keep
Stir before pouring, because the pumpkin butter settles. Serve with cheese, roast turkey and stuffing, or a sweet potato dish.
The base keeps in the fridge for a few days. Add the ginger beer to each glass.
A mistake to skip
Dropping the pumpkin butter into the wine without whisking it into the cider first. It clumps and sinks. Blend it with the cider until smooth, then add the rest. Squeeze the lemon fresh, because bottled juice tastes flat and makes the drink taste metallic against the ginger beer.
Thanksgiving Sangria with Pumpkin Butter at a glance
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Servings: 10 servings
- Ingredients: 13, led by bottle (750 ml) dry white wine, brandy, apple cider, pumpkin butter
Tips for Thanksgiving Sangria with Pumpkin Butter
For a drink without alcohol, use white grape juice for the wine, extra cider for the brandy and keep the ginger beer. Covered in the fridge, the base keeps for about 3 days without the ginger beer. Stir before serving, because the pumpkin butter settles. Use pumpkin butter, not pumpkin puree, for the right sweetness.
Thanksgiving Sangria with Pumpkin Butter FAQ
How many people does Thanksgiving Sangria with Pumpkin Butter serve?
This recipe makes 10 servings.
What do I need to make Thanksgiving Sangria with Pumpkin Butter?
13 ingredients, led by bottle (750 ml) dry white wine, brandy, apple cider, pumpkin butter. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
Part of: 25 Easy Fall Sangria Recipes for Thanksgiving and Cozy Nights
