Christmas Punch

There’s no better way to liven up a holiday party than with a big pitcher of punch. A lot of recipes use Kool-Aid, liters of soda, and even ice cream to build their cocktails for sweetness. But, if you’re like us, sometimes you just want a glass of punch—and not a punch of sugar.

This Christmas punch forgoes all the added sugar and instead derives its natural sweetness from apple cider. Add some spice from ginger beer and tartness from unsweetened cranberry juice, and you have a sophisticated, festive punch for your next Christmas party.

What People Are Saying:
"I doubled this recipe and there was nothing left! Everyone raved about it and wanted me to send them this recipe!" - apramik

How To Make Christmas Punch

INGREDIENTS

• Ice: This one is pretty clear. Adding plenty of ice to the punch will help keep it cooler for longer, while also keeping the ice from melting as quickly. Nobody wants a warm, watered down drink, so go ahead and fill your pitcher or serving bowl up with ice before adding in the liquids.
• Apple Cider: This is going to give the punch that seasonal feel. Apple cider, warm or cold, always makes me think of the holidays and cold weather. Here, it's going to add some much needed sweetness.
• Prosecco: Prosecco is going to add a little bit of sweetness, but more than anything, it is going to provide the carbonation that keeps this punch sparkling. You could sub this out for a higher dollar Champagne, but since we are mixing it in with several other ingredients here, Prosecco will do the job just fine.
• Ginger Beer: This will add some more carbonation to the punch, which is going to help lift it and keep the drink light. The ginger will also add a slight bite to the punch that would otherwise be missing.
• Cranberry Juice: While cranberry juice will do the majority of the heavy lifting in giving the Christmas punch its red Christmas color, it is also going to add some more sweetness and a pleasant bitterness to the drink. As I am including vodka in the recipe as well, cranberry juice is a great way to pack a little more booze in while covering the taste.
• Vodka: Two shots of vodka...just kidding, it’s a lot more than that. This is going to add more booziness to the punch without strongly impacting the flavor in the way another liquor may.
• Garnishes: For this punch I am going for a classic punch or sangria garnish of apple and blood orange rounds, as well as more festive additions of whole cranberries and cinnamon sticks. The fruits are going to add a touch more sweetness to the drink while also serving the almost equally important point in making the punch look more appealing. Similarly, the cinnamon sticks will add a hint of spice to the drink that will level out with the sweetness of the cider, slight bitterness of the cranberry juice, and bubbles of the Prosecco.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare your pitcher or punch bowl by filling it all the way with ice. This is going to keep the drink colder for longer, and help keep the punch from becoming watered down. Then measure out and add in the apple cider, Prosecco, ginger beer, cranberry juice, and vodka, and stir the punch to combine. Add in your apple, blood orange rounds, and cranberries and give another good mix to incorporate them fully.

Serve the punch in individual glasses garnished with a few more cranberries and a cinnamon stick. This is going to add a hint of cinnamon flavor and aroma that makes the punch even more perfect for the holidays.

The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• Have fun with the garnishes. While I’ve provided a good list of garnishes for this punch already, the good thing with making cocktails at home is that you can make them look however you want! Can’t find blood oranges? Regular oranges will do just fine. Pear slices would also be a welcome addition.

Make Ahead

You can make this punch ahead of time by combining the non-carbonated liquid up to 3 days in advance, then adding in the bubbles and fruit right before serving.