Halloween Blood Red Sangria Cocktail

By GadgetGirl

Here’s a recipe for the grown ups and prefect timing for the Spooky Halloween season! Citron vodka, orange liqueur, and sangria simple syrup.

Ingredients

• SANGRIA SIMPLE SYRUP:
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup red wine, such as Merlot or Zinfandel
• 1 cup dark sweet cherries, stemmed, pitted and halved
• 1 stick cinnamon
• Strips of orange peel from 1 medium orange (orange part only)
• SANGRIA COCKTAIL:
• Ice cubes
• 1 1/2 ounces citron vodka
• 1 ounce clear orange-flavored liqueur
• 1 ounce sangria simple syrup, chilled
• 1 dark sweet cherry on a cocktail pick

Preparation

Step 1

SIMPLE SYRUP:
In 1 1/2-quart saucepan, mix sangria simple syrup ingredients. Heat to boiling over medium heat. Simmer 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; let cool 30 minutes. Strain mixture through fine mesh strainer; discard solids. Cover and chill sangria syrup until ready to use. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

COCKTAIL:
Fill cocktail shaker with ice. Add vodka and orange liqueur to cocktail shaker; cover and shake. Strain into martini glass. Drizzle sangria syrup into cocktail in glass. Garnish with cherry.

EXPERT TIPS:
Use a vegetable peeler to remove strips of orange peel. Be sure to remove only the orange part of the peel; the white part, called pith, is bitter.