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    Recipes » Drinks » Non Alcoholic Drinks

    Non Alcoholic Sangria

    Published: Dec 9, 2022 · Modified: Dec 19, 2022 by Marissa Stevens · 31 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    It took several tries to come up with a Non Alcoholic Sangria recipe that I was excited to share with you. The problem with most virgin sangria recipes is that they just taste like sweet fruit juice and lack anything that resembles the boozy component of a classic sangria.

    Non Alcoholic Sangria served with fruit garnish

    I was after a Non-Alcoholic Sangria that was just as delicious and satisfying as the original Spanish alcoholic punch. And you know what, I discovered the secret. It came down to one unexpected ingredient that mimics the flavor of alcohol - can you guess what it is?

    Orange Bitters.

    Have you ever tasted them straight? They taste decidedly similar to Triple Sec, a common component in Sangria.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients You Need to Make Non Alcoholic Sangria
    • What is Sangria?
    • Recipe Options
    • How to Make Non-Alcoholic Sangria
    • How to Serve
    • More Delicious Mocktail Recipes
    • Non Alcoholic Sangria
    • 💬 Comments

    Ingredients You Need to Make Non Alcoholic Sangria

    • Hibiscus Tea: I used Tazo brand 'Passion' 
    • Honey: or maple syrup or agave nectar
    • Lemon: for lemon juice and zest
    • Orange Juice: fresh orange juice is best!
    • Alcohol Free Orange Bitters: I used Fee Brothers brand
    • Orange: fresh orange wedges
    • Apple: your favorite apple variety
    • Grapes: red or green or a mix
    Non-Alcoholic-Sangria served with pitcher in background

    What is Sangria?

    With roots in Spain and Portugal (traced back to the 18th century), sangria is a refreshing punch made traditionally with red wine, chopped fresh fruit, and often sparkling water and brandy or a flavored liqueur. There are endless variations both with the classic and this non-alcoholic version.

    Recipe Options

    • Add some sparkle with flavored or plain sparkling water, club soda or sparkling apple cider.
    • Bump up your citrus with fresh lime juice and/or fresh grapefruit juice.
    • Instead of or in addition to honey, add sweetness with white grape juice or apple cider.
    • Splash in some pomegranate juice or cranberry juice (sweetened or unsweetened).
    • Experiment with different kinds of fresh fruit: mangoes, pears, or even fresh cranberries are good options.

    How to Make Non-Alcoholic Sangria

    For the fruit base, I loaded a pitcher with grapes and slices of apples and oranges. For the liquid portion, I started with a base of hibiscus tea, fresh orange juice and a honey lemon simple syrup then added a generous amount of orange bitters - the perfect way to achieve an alcohol-free sangria to get excited about!

    How to Serve

    If you're serving this sangria mocktail at a casual get-together, people may not mind sipping around large slices of fruit and fishing them out with their fingers. But for more formal holiday parties, consider straining the sangria into ice filled glasses and garnishing each with a cocktail pick strung with bite size pieces of fruit. You can always munch on the sangria soaked fruit after everyone has gone home. 😉

    More Delicious Mocktail Recipes

    • Virgin Margarita
    • Cucumber Lemon Mint Water

    Non Alcoholic Sangria

    Marissa Stevens
    Finally! A non-alcoholic Sangria to get excited about - all because of an unexpected ingredient that mimics the missing alcohol! 
    5 from 6 votes
    Save Recipe Saved! Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Resting Time 1 hr
    Total Time 15 mins
    Course Drinks
    Cuisine Mediterranean
    Servings 6 people
    Calories 131 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 6 tea bags hibiscus tea I used Tazo brand 'Passion,' see recipe notes
    • 1 ½ cups boiling water
    • 1 ½ cups ice cubes
    • ¼ cup honey
    • 2 tablespoons water
    • ½ lemon juice and zest
    • 1 cup fresh orange juice
    • 2 tablespoons alcohol free orange bitters I used this brand
    • 1 orange sliced into thin rounds
    • 1 apple halved, cored and thinly sliced
    • 1 cup grapes red or green or a mix

    Instructions
     

    • Place tea bags in a 4 cup measuring pitcher (or larger). Pour boiling water over and let steep 5 minutes. Remove tea bags, pressing bags against pitcher side with the back of a spoon for maximum flavor. Add ice cubes and stir.
    • Meanwhile, add honey and water to a small saucepan over low heat. Heat just until honey liquifies and can easily be stirred into the water. Remove from heat and add lemon juice and zest. Set aside to cool.
    • Transfer tea and any remaining ice cubes to a large pitcher (64-ounces or larger). Stir in honey simple syrup, fresh orange juice and bitters. Stir to combine.
    • Add orange and apple slices and grapes; gently stir to combine. Refrigerate for at least an hour and up to overnight. Serve.

    Notes

    1. If you use loose tea in place of tea bags, use ½ ounce for this recipe.
    2. Soak the sangria for at least an hour or as long as overnight before serving. Stir just before serving.
    3. I prefer sangria that's lightly sweet. If you like yours sweeter, double the honey simple syrup. For a vegan version, swap in maple syrup or agave nectar for honey in the syrup. Or sweeten with apple cider, apple juice or white grape juice.
    4. Many bitters start with base of alcohol, if you prefer to use bitters made without alcohol, these bitters are a good option.
    5. If you like sparkly sangria, add club soda or even flavored sparkling water: orange, lime, lemon or berry would be delicious!
    6. Feel free to add more or less fresh fruit or even different fruits to suit your taste. And don't hesitate to experiment with different fruit juices, unsweetened pomegranate juice or cranberry juice would be great.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 131kcalCarbohydrates: 30gSodium: 5mgPotassium: 222mgFiber: 1gSugar: 25gVitamin A: 165IUVitamin C: 39.3mgCalcium: 22mgIron: 0.3mg
    Keyword brunch, Christmas, copycat, guilt free
    Tried this recipe?I'd love to see it! Tag me on Instagram at @pinchandswirl or leave me a comment and rating below.

    More Non Alcoholic Drinks

    • Virgin Margarita Recipe
    • Cucumber Lemon Mint Water
    • Homemade Drinking Vinegars - Basil & Marionberry
    • Lavender Chamomile Mint Tea with Lemon and Honey

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Jen says

      April 02, 2022 at 3:40 pm

      5 stars
      I found this recipe to make a few years ago for the family matriarchs 85th birthday fiesta and nobody could believe it was not "real" alcoholic sangria! I also made it for a game night with friends so everybody could embibe with no fear when it came time to drive home. Now I am in the middle of a no alcohol 30 day weightloss challenge and feeling the urge for a bit of wine so I just made it again for myself to sip - I LOVE THIS RECIPE- other non alcoholic sangria recipes are basically a lot of sugary juice, THIS recipe is amazeballs and I will turn to it everytime - it is DELICIOUS and best of all, satisfying!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        April 06, 2022 at 9:12 am

        aww...I love to hear this, Jen! Thank you for coming back to let me know.

        Reply
    2. Tonya Coty says

      February 12, 2020 at 4:46 pm

      Recipe looks amazing! Love the addition of tea! If going to serve chilled, I recommend freezing the grapes. They won't water drink down like regular ice, look pretty and they taste amazing frozen, if you happen to eat one (or two) before they melt! With this treat, non drinkers and designated drivers will never feel like they are missing out! 😋

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        February 12, 2020 at 5:22 pm

        Love the idea of frozen grapes! Thanks, Tonya. 🙂

        Reply
    3. Jen says

      October 30, 2019 at 11:38 am

      I'm looking to make this recipe tonight but could find orange bitters. If I substitute this with sparkling water do I use the same amount as the orange bitters called for?

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        October 30, 2019 at 12:24 pm

        Hi there, Jen. 🙂 I'm thinking you mean orange flavored sparkling water? Orange bitters are very concentrated, so you don't need much to go along way. If you're using flavored sparkling water, I would just add it to taste. Hope that helps!

        Reply
    4. Nancy says

      November 15, 2018 at 11:02 am

      Thank you! I just found this recipe and it does sound really, really good....BUT I am wondering if you could make it in a slow cooker and serve warm for winter parties??? more like mulled wine? I'm looking for something more unique than mulled cider for an open house type event.

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        November 15, 2018 at 12:50 pm

        Hi Nancy! Sure, I think that would be great. You might toss in a cinnamon stick for part of the time too!

        Reply
    5. Aleina says

      August 04, 2018 at 7:07 pm

      This sounds really great! Great ideas! The only issue is that for someone who is wanting a completely non-alcoholic drink, for personal or religious reasons, it wouldn't work because bitters are made with an alcohol base.... Awesome recipe, though!!! thank you so much for sharing!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        August 05, 2018 at 10:50 am

        Hi Aleina, thanks for your kind words! Many bitters are made with a base of alcohol, but there are good options that are completely alcohol free. Stirrings brand makes great Blood Orange Bitters that are made without alcohol.

        Reply
      • Tonya Coty says

        February 12, 2020 at 4:39 pm

        You must have missed it. She provided an alternative to bitters made with alcohol in #4 of the instructions, as there are some options for ones without it. 😊

        Reply
    6. Katherine | Love In My Oven says

      July 02, 2018 at 10:25 am

      I think it's so great that you've done a non-alcoholic sangria recipe! Pregnant women all over will celebrate! 😉 I would have loved this when I was pregnant in the summers, and I will love it now since I'm nursing and can't go tooo crazy with the alcohol. Wonderful work, Marissa!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        July 06, 2018 at 3:15 pm

        Aww, thank you so much, Katherine!

        Reply
    7. Liz says

      July 01, 2018 at 2:44 am

      5 stars
      What a great tip about using orange bitters---that's genius! And it's always lovely to provide a festive non-alcoholic drink when entertaining! Pinning this one 🙂

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        July 01, 2018 at 5:33 pm

        Thanks so much, Liz!

        Reply
    8. Kevin O'Leary says

      June 29, 2018 at 10:47 am

      I am definitely making this one! It looks amazing!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        June 29, 2018 at 11:26 am

        Yay! You know that makes me happy! 🙂

        Reply
    9. Ben|Havocinthekitchen says

      June 29, 2018 at 9:49 am

      5 stars
      I don't mind having some fruit in my glass. Perhaps, that's the best part of any similar coctail. Love this non alcoholic version, Marissa!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        July 01, 2018 at 9:21 pm

        I like to munch on the fruit too, Ben! Thanks so much...

        Reply
    10. sherry says

      June 29, 2018 at 3:08 am

      how interesting. i don't think i've ever heard of orange bitters before. sounds like a great drink.

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        July 01, 2018 at 9:22 pm

        The bitters really make it, Sherry! I hope you'll give it a try. 🙂

        Reply
    11. Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says

      June 28, 2018 at 12:58 pm

      5 stars
      Great idea to add the orange bitters Marissa! I love that hibiscus tea too. I'll need to get this on our cocktail menu this summer!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        July 01, 2018 at 9:22 pm

        Love to hear that, Mary Ann! 🙂

        Reply
    12. David @ Spiced says

      June 28, 2018 at 4:23 am

      Interesting tip about the orange bitters...I would never have guessed! But as soon as you said it, I was like "yeah, that makes perfect sense actually." We made a batch (actually two) of sangria for a picnic last weekend, and it was tasty. We didn't make a non-alcoholic version, though. Now I'm wishing we had made one for the kids. Next time I'm using this recipe! Thanks for the idea!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        June 28, 2018 at 10:49 am

        Such a fun cocktail to share with friends! And always good to have a non-alcoholic version around for kids and drivers. 🙂 Thank you, David!

        Reply
    13. Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen says

      June 27, 2018 at 1:25 pm

      Adding orange bitters is genius! I can't drink much alcohol, especially wine, without getting a migraine so I'll definitely be trying this one!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        June 27, 2018 at 4:30 pm

        A migraine would definitely take the fun out of drinking wine! I'm excited for you to try this, Kelsie!

        Reply
    14. Dawn - Girl Heart Food says

      June 27, 2018 at 11:48 am

      5 stars
      Riiiiiight?! So brilliant, Marissa!! This is one beauty of a drink! Like Annie I didn't guess, but now that I know, totally makes sense!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        June 27, 2018 at 12:34 pm

        aww, thank you, Dawn!

        Reply
    15. annie@ciaochowbambina says

      June 27, 2018 at 11:34 am

      5 stars
      This looks so tasty and refreshing! Sadly I did not guess the secret ingredient.... So happy you did!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        June 27, 2018 at 12:34 pm

        haha, thanks so much, Annie!

        Reply

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