Camping Sangria
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This Camping Sangria isn’t your average campfire drink. It’s fruity, refreshing, and ridiculously easy to mix up with just a few ingredients. Whether you’re sipping by the fire or kicking back under the stars, this make-ahead sangria is the secret weapon you didn’t know your cooler needed.
This post includes a recipe for alcohol. Drink responsibly. One Sweet Appetite and it’s authors are not responsible for the actions of our readers should they choose to make this recipe and consume it. Please drink responsibly.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Make Ahead Cocktails for Camping: Prep it before your trip and it’s ready to go when you are.
- Drink for a Crowd: It’s easy to scale up and make a full cooler’s worth for friends.
- Difficulty Level: EASY
This sangria is everything you want in easy camping cocktails. Refreshing, fruity, and totally fuss-free. With just a handful of ingredients and zero fancy tools, it’s a grab-and-go drink that feels like a little luxury at the campsite.
Prepped in mason jars and chilled in your cooler, these camping mixed drinks are perfect for sipping by the fire or after a long day outdoors. They’re sweet, customizable, and guaranteed to level up your next outdoor getaway.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You don’t need a full bar setup to make great sangria, just a few key ingredients that pack a punch. This version was made for the outdoors: easy to mix, easy to sip, and totally camp-cooler friendly.
- Fruit – Fresh or frozen both work! Think berries, orange slices, grapes, or peaches. Frozen fruit doubles as ice.
- Vodka – A splash adds just the right kick. Flavored vodka (like citrus or peach) levels up the fruity vibe.
- Peach nectar – Sweet and smooth, it gives the sangria a juicy twist. You’ll usually find it in cans near the juices.
- Lemonade concentrate – Skip the water and use it straight. It adds a bold citrusy pop that wakes everything up.
- Sugar – Just a bit helps balance the tart lemonade and boost those fruit flavors. Adjust to taste!
- Moscato wine – Light, sweet, and super sangria-friendly. Rosé or a fruit-forward white works too.
- Club soda – For a fizzy finish. Add it right before serving to keep those bubbles fresh.
- Mason jars – Pint-sized jars make this easy to portion and transport. Plus, no spills in the cooler.
Once you’ve got everything prepped, it’s just mix, chill, and sip. Sangria has never been so campsite-ready. I’d even venture out as far to say this is the perfect easy cocktails for camping.
Jesseca’s Recipe Review
This is hands-down one of my favorite make-ahead camping drinks for a weekend outdoors. It’s fruity, refreshing, and just fancy enough to feel fun without being fussy. The mason jar setup makes it a breeze to transport and serve, and let’s be honest, there’s something satisfying about cracking open a chilled jar after a long hike.
Tip from Jesseca:
Freeze the jars overnight before your trip. They’ll double as ice packs in your cooler and be perfectly chilled by the time you’re ready to sip!
Variations and Substitutions
One of the best parts about this camping cocktail? It’s easy to make your own. Whether you’re missing an ingredient or just want to switch things up, here are a few fun ways to customize your sangria.
- Swap the wine: Not a Moscato fan? Use a dry white wine for a less sweet version, or go bold with rosé or red wine.
- Change the booze: Skip the vodka and use rum or peach schnapps for a different twist. Want to keep it lighter? Leave out the spirits altogether.
- Try different fruit: Use whatever’s in season or already in your cooler—melons, apples, citrus, or even frozen mango chunks are all fair game.
- Bubbles optional: Club soda gives a refreshing fizz, but lemon-lime soda or flavored sparkling water adds a fun twist.
No two camping trips are the same, and your sangria doesn’t have to be either. This camping sangria is meant to flex with whatever you’ve got on hand!
How To Make Sangria In A Mason Jar:
This camping cocktail is all about low effort, big flavor, and easy cleanup—just the way we like it when we’re outdoors. Here’s a quick overview of how to make it ahead in individual jars so it’s ready whenever you are.
- Add the fruit: Divide your fresh or frozen fruit evenly between four pint-sized mason jars.
- Pour in the mixers: To each jar, add 1.5 ounces of vodka, 1.5 ounces of peach nectar, and 1.5 ounces of lemonade concentrate (straight from the freezer, no water added).
- Sweeten it: Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of sugar into each jar. Give it a little stir to help it dissolve.
- Add the wine: Top each jar with ½ cup of Moscato wine. Seal with lids and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Serve and sip: When you’re ready to enjoy, pop open a jar and top it off with chilled club soda for that fizzy finish.
And just like that you’ve got a refreshing, fruity sangria that’s campfire-approved and cooler-friendly. Minimal mess, maximum flavor.!
Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions
- Make it ahead: This camp sangria is best when it has time to chill and let the flavors mingle. Prep everything in mason jars up to 24 hours in advance, seal tightly, and store in the fridge or cooler with plenty of ice.
- Storage tips: Keep the jars sealed until you’re ready to serve. They’ll stay fresh for up to 3 days in the fridge or well-packed cooler. For the best taste and fizz, wait to add the club soda until just before serving.
- Bonus tip: If you’re camping without refrigeration, freeze the jars the night before and let them slowly thaw in the cooler. They’ll keep cold longer and be perfectly chilled by happy hour!
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! Swap the wine for sparkling white grape juice and skip the vodka. It’ll still be fruity, fizzy, and fun, just booze-free.
You can prep the jars up to 24 hours in advance. They actually taste better after chilling for a few hours so the flavors can meld. Just wait to add the club soda until serving.
Yep! Moscato is sweet and light, but rosé, white zinfandel, or a fruity red also work well. Just keep in mind the overall sweetness and adjust the sugar if needed.
Berries, citrus slices, peaches, and grapes are all great options. Frozen fruit is especially handy for camping since it helps keep everything cold.
Not at all, but they’re perfect for portioning, packing, and sipping at the campsite. Any sealable container will do if you’re short on jars.
Yes! The fruit soaks up all that sangria goodness and is totally edible. It’s sweet, boozy, and basically a built-in cocktail snack. Just keep in mind it will pack a punch, so snack responsibly!
The Best Way to Store Cocktails for Camping:
Ok, ya’ll. This is super important. While mason jars are so beautiful and fun, they aren’t super practical when camping. The last thing you want to do is drop that glass and have it shatter all over the place. Here are a few other options:
- Glass mason jars. If you can be careful, and don’t plan on getting too crazy, go with the classic glass mason jar.
- Plastic Mason Jars. Still adorable but less likely to break if dropped.
- Travel tumblers. Another adorable option that can be reused over and over!
Camping Sangria Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups fruit*
- 3/4 cup vodka
- 1/2 can peach nectar
- 1/2 cup lemonade concentrate
- 4 teaspoons sugar
- 1 bottle moscato wine
- 2 cups club soda
- 4 pint sized mason jars
Instructions
- Add about ¾ cup of fresh or frozen fruit into each of the four pint-sized mason jars.
- To each jar, pour in 1.5 ounces of vodka, 1.5 ounces of peach nectar, and 1.5 ounces of frozen lemonade concentrate (no need to dilute).
- Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of sugar into each jar. This helps balance the tartness of the lemonade.
- Add ½ cup of Moscato wine to each jar. Gently stir or swirl to mix the ingredients.
- Screw the lids on tight and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or up to 24 hours. This gives the flavors time to meld.
- Just before serving, open each jar and top with chilled club soda (about ¼ to ⅓ cup, depending on your taste). Serve cold and enjoy!
Notes
Equipment
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
Pin for later:
how long does it stay good for? does the fruit get mushy? how far in advance can you make it?
Sangria can last in a cooler for about 24-48 hours while camping, as long as it’s kept consistently cold with plenty of ice or ice packs. Be sure to store it in an airtight container to prevent spills and to keep it fresh. However, because coolers can vary in how well they maintain temperature, it’s best to consume the sangria within the first day or two for the best flavor and quality.
Have you tried to premix and put it in the freezer ahead of time and just add the club soda and moscato later? Trying to figure out how to tailor this better to being in a cooler for camping.
With the added vodka, this won’t freeze well. We put it in jars with tight lids and transport them in a cooler packed with ice. Becuase it has the added fruit it does need to stay cool. We’ve used mason jars- but we really love these reusable caprisun type containers (https://amzn.to/3wFgvWq) or a large plastic pitcher (https://amzn.to/3q6QSLN) with a sealable lid. If you go with the pitcher just make sure it’s upright in the cooler and tape the lid closed for transport.
Looks so pretty! Is the lemonade concentrate the frozen kind?
Yep! We get it in that tube.
Dear lord this is delicious! It makes a sweet sangria which can be dangerous. SO GOOD. We made a double batch which was perfect for a bridal shower.