Christmas Punch Cocktail Recipe

Now that the Christmas season is in full force, it is time to celebrate and toast with a Christmas punch cocktail. Whether you prefer a glass with or without alcohol you can definitely enjoy a drink or two throughout the holiday season.

With just 4 simple ingredients you will have this drink made in a matter of minutes. The red color of the cranberry juice mixed in with sparkling apple cider, orange juice and ginger ale is the perfect festive drink.

Make a single drink, a drink for two, or make enough to share with your friends at your next holiday party. Pour the drink in a 12 ounce glass, add a little garnish, then sit back, sip and enjoy!

Ingredients Required

Cranberry juice – Because this is a special occasion use cranberry juice cocktail, not 100% cranberry juice. We are aiming for sweetness, not tartness in this Christmas Punch recipe. If you would like to keep the sugar content a little lower, use Ocean Spray Diet Cranberry Juice.

Orange juice – It is best to purchase no pulp orange juice when making any type of mixed cocktail. You definitely want the drink smooth and free of small bits of pulp floating throughout.

Sparkling apple cider – During the holidays it is easy to find a bottle of sparkling apple cider. Look for it both in the juice aisle of the grocery store and the holiday speciality section. It is sold as a non-alcoholic drink most often to celebrate the new year.

Ginger ale, club soda or ginger beer – You can use any one of these products to top off your punch. If you are keeping your Christmas punch alcohol free be sure to use ginger ale or club soda. Although most commercially produced ginger beers do not contain alcohol, there are some brands of traditionally brewed ginger beer that do.

How To Mix Christmas Punch

The best way to mix your holiday cocktail is with a cocktail shaker. However, you could also use a closed mason jar or glass jar to mix the ingredients as well.

You want to shake, not stir the drink whenever possible because shaking incorporates air into the drink, resulting in a lighter, frothier texture. Once the ingredients are added, shake vigorous for 12-15 seconds.

However, if you are making this drink for a larger gathering, and want to serve it in a punch bowl, then stirring is your only option. Just be sure to mix everything well so that the punch is uniform in color.

How To Layer Christmas Punch

1. When making individual cocktails you create an impressive layered look by skipping the shaking process. This will create a cocktail where each color is noticeable.
2. In order to great this visual pleasing cocktail you will pour each ingredient in a glass over ice to create the stacked appearance. In this order pour the cranberry juice, orange juice, cold sparkling apple cider, ginger ale (or club soda or ginger beer) and vodka (if using).
3. Garnish and serve immediately with a holiday stirring stick.

Make For A Larger Crowd

Although this recipe is designed to make 2 individual drinks, there are times when you will want to make more to share with family or friends. Therefore I have included the instructions below to make a pitcher of Christmas punch cocktail.

To make for a party, add the following ingredients in a pitcher that has a capacity of at least 9 cups:

• 2 cups cranberry juice
• 2 cups orange juice
• 2 cups sparkling apple cider
• 2 cups ginger ale, club soda or ginger beer
• 1 cup vodka (optional)

Stir well and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve. It is best to serve the cocktail within 1 hour of making it to preserve the carbonation.

How To Garnish

• Although not absolutely necessary if you want to make an impressive presentation (it is a special occasion after all) you can add a few garnishes to your Christmas punch.
• Classic Sugar Rim: Dip the rim of your glass in simple syrup (made by dissolving equal parts sugar and water) and then roll it in granulated sugar. You can use white sugar, colored sanding sugar, or even flavored sugars like cinnamon or vanilla.
• Orange Slices: Cut small wedges of an orange and place one on the rim of each glass.
• Cranberries: Use those leftover cranberries from making Cranberry Apple Crumble and place a few in each glass. The simple addition of the little round berries is impressive and doesn’t require much effort.
• Rosemary Sprigs: Place a sprig of rosemary on a skewer with cranberries for a festive garnish.

How To Store

If you decide to make a large batch of Christmas punch and have some leftover you can store it for 24 hours. However, before serving it again, add a little ginger ale, ginger beer or club soda to the liquid.

This will help remove that flat taste and give the punch come carbonation. It is not recommended to keep it longer than 24 hours.

Christmas Punch Recipe

*A printable recipe card is located at the bottom of this article which contains the specific measurements, temperatures and cook times. However, continue reading below to learn about more helpful tips about this specific recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• cranberry juice (4 ounces)
• orange juice (4 ounces)
• cold sparkling apple cider (4 ounces)
• ginger ale, ginger beer, or club soda (4-6 ounces)
• vodka (optional – 2 ounces)
• Ice

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a cocktail shaker or closed jar add the cranberry juice, orange juice, apple cider and ginger ale (or club soda or ginger beer). Shake well.
2. Strain over ice then stir in the vodka (optional).

For A Layered Appearance:

1. Pour each ingredient in a glass over ice to create a layered appearance.
2. In each glass pour (in this order) 2 ounces cranberry juice, 2 ounces fresh orange juice, 2 ounces cold sparkling apple cider, 2 to 4 ounces ginger ale (or club soda or ginger beer) and then 1 ounce vodka (optional).
3. Garnish and serve immediately with a holiday stirring stick and with your favorite Christmas appetizer or a Sheet Pan Ham Steak Dinner.

Enjoy! Mary

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