Halloween Sangria

Sure, you could serve a bottle of wine at your next Halloween party. But transforming it into sangria not only serves more people, but also gives you the opportunity to make it more festive! This recipe is spookier than your average sangria: Blood oranges, pomegranate seeds, and blackberries all work together to make a Halloween-approved brew. And as if it weren’t festive enough, we added some adorable ghost-shaped apple slices.

Just like with any sangria, this recipe is super-customizable. We recommend using a light-bodied red wine here—think a Gamay, Grenache, Pinot Noir, or even a bubbly Lambrusco if you can find it—to keep the sangria nice and refreshing. But since every bottle is different, you can adjust the ratios of the other ingredients as needed until you’re happy with the end result.

The wine is supplemented with Italian soda, which is made with real fruit and often less sweet than American versions. Blood orange is our favorite flavor, but regular orange or even pomegranate will work well here. Your local Whole Foods or even World Market will have lots of flavors to choose from.

This sangria recipe also calls for simple syrup (which you can easily make at home by dissolving equal amounts of water and sugar) and créme de cassis. This French liqueur is made with blackcurrants and has the perfect balance of sweet and tart. Pro tip: Use some leftover Creme de Cassis in your next glass of Champagne for an Emily In Paris-approved cocktail.

You can also make elements of this sangria ahead of time. The wine, liqueur, and simple syrup can be mixed up to 1 day ahead, while you can slice the fruit up to 3 hours before serving. When it’s time to party, just add it all to an ice-filled punch bowl and top with Italian soda.

Did you try making this? Let us know how it went in the comments!