Cranberry Orange Apple Cider Punch
A festive, crowd-pleasing punch recipe perfect for Thanksgiving gatherings, featuring cranberry, orange, and apple cider flavors. Includes options for both alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 0 min
- Total Time: 15 min
- Yield: 12 servings
- Category: Beverage
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 cups apple cider
- 3 cups cranberry juice cocktail
- 1 cup fresh orange juice
- 1/2 cup orange liqueur (optional for alcoholic version)
- 1 bottle (750 ml) chilled sparkling white wine or ginger ale (for non-alcoholic version)
- 1 orange, thinly sliced
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
- Ice ring or cubes for serving
Instructions
- Combine the apple cider, cranberry juice, and fresh orange juice in a large punch bowl or beverage dispenser.
- If making the alcoholic version, stir in the orange liqueur now.
- Chill the mixture for at least 2 hours, or prepare this base up to 24 hours ahead of time.
- Just before serving, gently pour in the chilled sparkling wine or ginger ale. Stir lightly to combine. Do not over-stir, as this will flatten the bubbles.
- Add the sliced orange and whole cranberries to the punch for garnish.
- Place a large ice ring or several cups of ice into the bowl to keep the punch cold while serving.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- For a beautiful presentation, freeze some cranberries and orange slices in water in a bundt pan to create an ice ring.
- If you prefer a spicier flavor, add 1/4 cup of cinnamon simple syrup to the base mixture.
- To make this a dedicated cocktail, substitute the sparkling wine with vodka or bourbon, adding 1.5 cups total to the base mixture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (approx)
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 35
- Sodium: 10
- Fat: 0
- Saturated Fat: 0
- Unsaturated Fat: 0
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 38
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 0
- Cholesterol: 0