While most people think of sangria as a summer thing, I think it’s fun to try different kinds all year round. I’ve had some good fall sangrias with apple cider as a base, as well as some winter cranberry ones. I think this Moroccan sangria recipe from Epcot is perfect for this time of year in the early fall. It still has some tastes of summer, but it also adds some spices that make it feel like a more like autumn – things like cardamom and pomegranate.

The sangria in Epcot’s Morocco pavilion is available in numerous places, including the drink stand, Tangierine Cafe, and Spice Road Table. I wasn’t able to find an actual recipe for their sangria anywhere, so I invented my own. I thought it was quite delicious and I hope you do too!

One of the key components to make this sangria something different is the cardamom simple syrup. I’ve found simple syrup is pretty easy to make and it’s not hard to do flavored ones. A basic simple syrup is just half water and half sugar (for this recipe I used half a cup of each). You mix them together and then bring them to a boil over medium heat and stir well until the sugar is involved. For this one I added in cardamom seeds as well while it was boiling. Once all the sugar dissolved I strained the mixture to remove the seeds and it still left a really nice flavor of spices.

You can use almost any red wine in sangria like this, though of course I recommend a cheaper wine because you mix it with juice so the quality of a good wine would get lost. Something fruity, like a sweet red, will of course make it sweeter. I think I just used a generic red blend.

Like all good sangrias, this Moroccan sangria recipe is also best if you add the chopped fruit and let it soak for awhile – at least 4 hours, though it will be good up to 48 hours (I personally let mine sit in the refrigerator for about 24 hours). We enjoyed it our Epcot in the Backyard party and I think it was a pretty big hit!

Here’s how to make the Moroccan sangria recipe:

Moroccan sangria recipe

Print

Cook Time 4 hours

Additional Time 4 hours

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 8 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 bottle of fruity red wine
• 1 cup pomegranate juice
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup Grand Marnier
• 1/2 cup triple sec
• 1/4 cup cardamom simple syrup
• 1 orange, halved and sliced
• 1 green apple, halved and sliced
• 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a pitcher and mix well.
2. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, up to 48 hours.
3. Serve over ice.

Thinking about a trip to Disney World to try some sangria yourself? Check out my Ultimate List of Disney World planning resources to get you started. If you’d like the assistance of a travel agent at no extra cost to you, email me at beckyg@castledreamstravel.com and we can start planning and booking your trip!