Holiday Apple Cider Sangria Recipe

Did you know the food and beverage cartons found in your pantry and fridge are recyclable? I like to consider myself a gal with a low waste lifestyle, but I admit, I had been throwing my cartons in the trash. I just didn’t know until the Carton Council reached out to me. So many products come in cartons like dairy and plant-based milk, creamers, and broths– all holiday staples.

By making the simple choice to recycle my cartons, I can help reduce household waste and provide manufacturers with the fiber they need to make new paper products like toilet paper, tissue and paper towels. Remember how wild we all went for toilet paper in March?

One of my favorite holiday traditions is going to a local hotel, ordering a cider and sitting by their giant fireplaces. Unfortunately I won’t be doing that this year, so I decided to whip up my own apple cider sangria recipe to get in the holiday spirit. This recipe uses wine in a carton, which is found at most grocery stores and is a more sustainable packaging option.

APPLE CIDER SANGRIA RECIPE

Crock-Pot Apple Cider 

*You don’t have to make your own cider, store bought works too. So feel free to skip down below, if you’ve bought your own.

Ingredients

  • 3.5 Quart Crock-Pot (I used a small model, it’s ok to use a large model. You can either double the recipe, or don’t fill to the brim with water.)
  • 8 medium size tart apples
  • 2 oranges
  • 3 cinnamon sticks
  • ½ tbsp whole cloves
  • 1 tbsp dried ginger
  • ½ cup of maple syrup
  • Cheesecloth

Cut apples and oranges, leaving the skin on. Add everything to the slow cooker and fill with water to the brim. Turn on low and let brew for at least overnight. (I let mine brew for about 14 hours.) Then, take apples and mash with a wooden spoon to incorporate the flavor. Strain through a cheesecloth. Refrigerate until cold.

Apple Cider Sangria

Ingredients

  • 12 cups of cold apple cider 
  • 1 carton of chilled Pinot Grigio (the carton I used was 1 bottle and 1 glass of wine or a little over 3 cups)
  • Ginger beer
  • Optional: Cinnamon sticks, orange slices and star anise for garnish

Mix apple cider and wine, stir and store in the fridge for 30 minutes to bring it together. To serve, top with a splash of ginger beer and garnish with cinnamon sticks, an orange slice and star anise.

Be sure to recycle your carton when you’re done by emptying your carton and tossing it in the recycle bin. Don’t crush your carton and keep the cap on.

Enjoy!

To find out what’s recyclable in your area, you can use the Carton Council of North America’s  zip code locator and/or check your city’s recycling website.

Please note: If recycling services are not provided or suspended in your area due to COVID-19, you can still mail in your recycled cartons to the addresses listed here.

This is a sponsored post, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.