The Cheesecake Factory's Sangria Recipe Is Perfect For Your Next Virtual Happy Hour

If you’re looking to take your next socially-distanced happy hour to the next level, you’re in luck because the Cheesecake Factory just shared its red sangria recipe. It’s sweet! It’s summery! It’s an excuse for you to buy a fancy pitcher!

For those who aren’t familiar with the sangria, my sincerest apologies. It’s like jungle juice’s more sophisticated cousin. She pays her bills. Her inbox is zero. Sangria exudes the energy we all strive for. The Cheesecake Factory’s version of the drink is boozy, sweet, and has a few twists on the classic sangria. Here’s what you’ll need to make The Cheesecake Factory’s red sangria.

• Sliced orange
• Cut pineapple
• Cut apple
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Riesling
• Spiced rum
• Soda Water
• Simple syrup (Helpful tip: you can infuse simple syrup with just about anything. A lemon simple syrup would help cut through some of the sweetness with its acidity.)
• Cranberry juice
• Mango juice or guava juice
• Passion fruit juice (You can also use any frozen tropical juice concentrate)
• Cinnamon

The Cheesecake Factory even has tips on how to cut and properly prepare the fruit. Does that seem a little excessive for the orange and apply? Maybe, but instructions on how to cut fresh pineapple are a necessity. (Basically, you’ll need a sharp knife and some finesse.) From there it’s just a matter of assembly and some patience. After you combine all the ingredients (except the soda water) into a pitcher, The Cheesecake Factory recipe recommends you store the sangria base in your refrigerator for about 12 hours. Plan ahead. While you’re cutting up fruit for breakfast, dice up some more for your sangria. Once it’s chilled and set, add your sangria base to your glass/vat of choice, top it off with a splash of soda water and add a spoonful of fruit for health/decoration.

This red sangria recipe is far from the first menu item The Cheesecake Factory has shared a recipe for. In April, during peak pandemic quarantining, they shared their Chinese chicken salad recipe, their lemon-ricotta pancake recipe, and their warm crab and artichoke dip. Essentially, they gave you the makings of a sweet and savory brunch extravaganza. (Yes, artichoke dip can be a brunch food. If White Claw is brunch appropriate, anything is.)

There is really no wrong way to sangria. Sip on it while you follow The Cheesecake Factory’s recipe for Tuscan chicken. Pair it with the two new Cheesecake Factory flavors, Cherry Chocolate Cheesecake and Cinnamon Swirl Cheesecake. Buff out your brunch menu by serving the sangria alongside the Cheesecake Factory’s breakfast tacos. Plop some of the alcohol-soaked fruit on your yogurt of choice and call it a parfait. To each their own sangria.