Name: Sparkling Fall Sangria
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 2 min
Total time: 12 min
Ingredients: 1 bottle sparkling wine or prosecco (750ml bottle); 1 cup bourbon; 4 cups apple cider; 3 ½ cup soda water; 1 cup sugar; 1 cup water; 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice; ½ teaspoon cinnamon; ½ cup lemon juice; caramel and cinnamon sugar for garnish; 1 large carving pumpkin; 1 beverage tap

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Flavors of cinnamon and nutmeg swirled with apple cider, warming bourbon, and crisp prosecco make for fall cocktail perfection! Sparkling fall sangria is simple to prepare and easy to drink. Take your autumn cocktail to the next level by serving it out of a pumpkin!

(To the tune of ‘Do You Want to Build a Snowman’) Do you want to tap a pumpkin??? And fill it with sparkling sangriaaaaaaa.

Now that’s the version of Frozen I’d like to watch for 5,872nd time. How about you?

Seriously, this fall sangria is both super delish and easy to make. And if you really want to make it festive, you can carve a pumpkin and stick a tap on it for a fun and cheeky way to pour those cocktails.

Here’s why this sangria is a crowd-pleaser:

fun bubbles
not too sweet
fall spices
sneakily boozy
crisp, dry prosecco
juicy apple cider

All those flavors together really knock it out of the park. Plus, a little caramel and cinnamon sugar around the rim gives this cocktail a caramel apple/cider doughnut vibe that is just epically enjoyable.

How to Make Sparkling Fall Sangria

This fall sangria is very similar to our spiced winter sangria but we’re bringing in the dry white bubbles instead of cabernet and it’ll be just a smidge less sweet. Making this sangria is going to be just as simple. Hooray!

All you need to do is make the spiced simple syrup and then combine all the ingredients. Honestly, that’s it.

The simple syrup should be brought to just a simmer while stirring, then shut the heat off. You want all the sugar to be melted, but it doesn’t have to cook for a long time since the spices are going into the batch of the cocktail.

If you’re here for just the recipe, go ahead and scroll on down. But if you’re here for a little beverage serving flair, let’s discuss this whole ‘tap a pumpkin’ thing, shall we?

How to tap a pumpkin

If only pumpkins really were filled with delectable, bubbly sangria. I mean the seeds are tasty when roasted and spiced, but the work of scraping out all the guts…well, wouldn’t sangria just be so much better?

The mechanics of how to install this tap on a pumpkin is very simple. Just mark off on the pumpkin where you want your tap to be placed, then carving the pumpkin like you normally would. Cut the hole in the top and scoop out the ‘guts.’ Here are a few tips to make it successful.

tips for tapping a pumpkin

scrape the inside of the pumpkin really well
wash out the inside of the pumpkin to get rid of any bits that might clog the tap
make the hole for the tap slightly smaller so you won’t get leaks
place the tap low enough so you won’t have to tip the pumpkin to get a good dispense of liquid
use some elbow grease to get the tap through
place a washer on the inside side of the tap to secure it
serve it on an inverted bowl, cake stand, or something so the pumpkin is a little elevated for easy dispensing

That’s pretty much it! Are we ready to bring on all the tasty fall vibes? I think so.

what to serve with sparkling fall sangria

We’ve got the cocktail, now let’s grab some snacks! Here are some ideas for sweet and savory treats to nibble on while you sip.

What are your go to fall snacks? Tell me below! If you made this recipe, please leave a rating and comment below! Don’t forget to tag @hungerthirstplay on your tapped pumpkin pics!