Recipe: Black Magic Sangria

updated Jan 29, 2020
halloween
Post Image
Credit: Joe Lingeman
An easy recipe for a pitcher of Halloween-inspired sangria, made with red wine and fruits like blackberries and black plums.

Serves6 to 8

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Post Image
(Image credit: Joe Lingeman)

This is the Halloween cocktail you’ve been searching for. With no smoky special effects from dry ice or creepy eyeball garnishes, this deep, dark red wine sangria comes together without fuss yet feels just as celebratory as those other spooky drinks. It’s an understated take on the holiday — something that fits in at the big costume party but also feels right being sipped with friends from the neighborhood while the kids are out trick-or-treating.

(Image credit: Joe Lingeman)

A Super-Simple Pitcher Cocktail for Halloween

Like all sangria, this recipe is quick and easy. Toss all the ingredients into a pitcher, let them rest overnight to allow the flavors to meld, and finish things off with sparkling water before pouring into ice-filled glasses.

This holiday twist leans on full-bodied red wine that’s dark and inky in color, like Shiraz or Malbec, and Crème de Cassis (or blackcurrant liqueur) to add just the right amount of berry sweetness. To keep the black magic brewing, blackberries, black grapes, and black plums are the fruits of choice. It’s a crowd-pleasing drink that’s worthy of whatever you have planned this Halloween.

Black Magic Sangria

An easy recipe for a pitcher of Halloween-inspired sangria, made with red wine and fruits like blackberries and black plums.

Serves 6 to 8

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 1 cup

    fresh or frozen blackberries

  • 1 cup

    black grapes, halved lengthwise if large

  • 2

    black plums, pitted and thinly sliced

  • 1 (750-milliliter) bottle

    full-bodied red wine, such as shiraz, malbec, or cabernet sauvignon

  • 1/2 cup

    brandy

  • 1/4 cup

    crème de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur)

  • 2 cups

    seltzer or club soda, chilled, plus more if needed

  • Ice

Instructions

  1. Place the blackberries, grapes, and plums in a pitcher. Add the wine, brandy, and crème de cassis, and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.

  2. When ready to serve, add the club soda and stir gently to combine. Taste and add more club soda if desired. Scoop a few pieces of fruit into ice-filled glasses before pouring the sangria.