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Cozy Slow Cooker Apple Cider Sangria: Easy Fall Drink

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This cozy slow cooker apple cider sangria is a happy accident turned fall favorite. Warm, spiced, and just boozy enough, it’s the perfect drink for gatherings or quiet autumn evenings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 cups apple cider (unfiltered is best)
  • 1 bottle dry red wine (750 ml, Merlot or Zinfandel)
  • 1/2 cup brandy
  • 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup (optional)
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 2 star anise pods
  • 1 orange, thinly sliced
  • 1 apple, thinly sliced (Honeycrisp or Fuji)
  • 1 pear, thinly sliced (Bosc or Bartlett)
  • Fresh rosemary sprigs (for garnish, optional)
  • Additional cinnamon sticks (for garnish, optional)
  • Pomegranate seeds (for garnish, optional)

Instructions

  1. Wash and thinly slice the orange, apple, and pear. Leave the peels on and remove any seeds.
  2. Place the sliced fruit in the bottom of a 4-6 quart slow cooker. Add the cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and star anise pods.
  3. Pour in the apple cider, red wine, and brandy. If using honey or maple syrup, drizzle it in now.
  4. Stir gently with a wooden spoon to distribute the spices and fruit.
  5. Cover the slow cooker and set to LOW. Cook for 3 to 4 hours. (Alternatively, cook on HIGH for 1.5 to 2 hours, but flavors will be less deep.)
  6. After 3 hours, taste the sangria. Adjust sweetness with more honey if desired, or let cook another 30 minutes for more spice.
  7. Ladle the warm sangria into mugs, including some of the softened fruit. Garnish with a rosemary sprig, cinnamon stick, or pomegranate seeds if desired.
  8. Switch the slow cooker to the WARM setting if serving over a longer period. Do not cook for more than 4 hours on LOW.

Notes

Don’t let it cook for more than 4 hours on LOW, or the fruit will turn to mush and the spices may become bitter. For a non-alcoholic version, replace wine with more apple cider and add 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar. Toast spices in a dry skillet for 1 minute before adding for deeper flavor. Use a dry red wine to balance sweetness.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker apple cider sangria, fall drink, warm sangria, apple cider recipe, slow cooker drink, easy sangria, autumn beverage

Find it online: https://daintydine.com/cozy-slow-cooker-apple-cider-sangria-easy-fall-drink/