Spiced Apple Cider Sangria

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This post was sponsored by Libbey as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. I received complimentary products to facilitate my review.

The holiday season is in full gear and that means one thing. It’s time to celebrate! Each year, I host the annual Christmas Eve dinner for my family…all 18 of us. Each year, I love to serve a signature drink that we can all enjoy. This refreshing Spiced Apple Cider Sangria will be the highlight of this year’s celebration.

The holidays also mean it’s time to dust off and stock up on fancy stemware. I love Libbey’s Perfect Signature Collection. This exquisite collection of glassware is made in America. Libbey’s Perfect Signature Collection is available online at Bed Bath & Beyond as well as in select store locations.

You can also save 30% on Libbey products. To receive a discount, go in-store to Bed Bath & Beyond and purchase any glassware set from the Libbey Perfect Signature Collection. Take a photo of how you celebrated with the Perfect Signature Collection. Share your photo by January 30, 2016 on Twitter using hashtag #CelebrateThis and on Facebook and tagging @Libbey. Sit back, relax, and wait for your 30% discount to arrive!  The discount applies to future purchases at retail.Libbey.com; not Bed Bath & Beyond.

I plan on using these Auden Brandy Glasses to serve my Spiced Apple Cider Sangria in. They are the perfect size for this drink. This recipe makes a nice pitcher-full, so set out some glasses on a tray along side of the pitcher so your guests can help themselves.

The base of this drink is a delicious mulled cider. I added some cider, cinnamon sticks, cloves and orange slices to a saucepan and brought to a boil. Once the cider begins to boil, lower to simmer for a few minutes and the remove from the heat and let cool. The spiced cider in itself is perfect to serve for the holiday.

To make the sangria, I mixed a bottle of apple wine, the spiced cider, ginger ale together with a lot of chopped apples, orange slices and cinnamon sticks. The key to good sangria, you ask? Let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. The longer the better so the flavors meld together.

Before serving, I dip rub each of the glass rims with some corn syrup or honey and then dip in some cinnamon sugar. This festive garnish compliments the cinnamon in the drink.

This sangria is crisp and refreshing. It certainly speaks to the holiday spirit that’s in the air. Be sure to check out Libbey’s Perfect Signature Collection. It would make a perfect addition to your glassware collection, just as this Spiced Apple Cider Sangria would to your holiday celebrations.

Be sure to catch up with Libbey on Instagram and Facebook.

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Spiced Apple Cider Sangria

Servings: 6

Author: Melissa Russo / thefarmgirlgabs.com

Ingredients

• 4 cups apple cider
• 3 cinnamon sticks plus extra for garnish
• 1 star anise
• 2-3 whole cloves
• 2 allspice berries
• 1 orange sliced plus extra for garnish
• 3 apples roughly chopped
• 1 bottle apple wine
• 2/3 cup vanilla vodka
• 12 oz. club soda or ginger ale
• Cinnamon Sugar for garnish
• Honey or corn syrup for garnish

Instructions

1. Add 4 cups of apple cider to a large saucepan. Add the cinnamon sticks, allspice berries, cloves, anise and sliced oranges to the cider.
2. Bring to a low boil. Lower and simmer for 5 minutes so flavors meld together.
3. Remove from heat and cool.
4. In a large pitcher, add spiced cider, apple wine, vodka, club soda or ginger ale. Stir in apples and orange slices. Refrigerate for at least four hours.
5. One hour before serving, add 3-4 cinnamon stick to pitcher.
6. When ready to serve, rub the rims of the glasses with honey or corn syrup. Dip in cinnamon sugar.
7. Pour sangria in the glasses and garnish with a cinnamon stick and orange slice.