Non-Alcoholic Holiday Punch
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A bright combination of seasonal flavors & fizz, this classic non-alcoholic holiday punch recipe is a fun drink everyone can enjoy!
In my opinion, there are two great times for fun drinks: summer & the holidays!
Whether it’s Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve or any of the many celebrations and parties in between, I love having something special to sip for a special occasion! This festive holiday punch recipe is a perfect example!
Nostalgic, beautiful, and festive to boot, this non-alcoholic Christmas punch is a great way to add a little extra holiday spirit to your next holiday celebration. A bright combination of seasonal flavors with just enough bubbles, it’s easy to make and fun to drink! We love it for parties & meals with kids, since it’s a drink everyone can enjoy.
And the best part is, this fun drink starts with a simple, straightforward ingredient list…
Start With Simple Ingredients
So what is Christmas punch made of? My version of this family-friendly drink starts with 4 simple ingredients…
- Cranberry Juice. I prefer using a 100% juice Cranberry juice blend with no added sugar (which often includes other fruit juices like apple, pear, or white grape juice), or even 100% Cranberry Juice. Pure cranberry juice is TART, while a cranberry juice blend runs sweeter, so keep that in mind as you’re blending your drink! (If you want a sweeter drink, you can also use cranberry juice cocktail, which a sweetened cranberry juice blend.)
- Orange Juice. Choose the best quality pulp-free orange juice that fits your budget for the best flavor. We usually grab Simply Orange at the grocery store or use fresh orange juice when we can.
- Sparkling Apple Juice or Sparkling Apple Cider. Think Martinelli’s, or something similar. We want it clear and full of bubbles!
- Ginger Ale (or Sprite). I love to make my holiday punch with ginger ale! Ginger ale adds that subtle little “something” that keeps people coming back for more. We prefer to make this holiday punch with diet ginger ale, to keep the sugar down a bit, but regular works great, too! If you prefer, you can absolutely use a lemon lime soda like Sprite instead.
Variations To Try
- Switch Up The Sparkle! Swap the sparkling apple cider out for pear juice or sparkling pear juice instead!
- Try Pomegranate Juice instead of the cranberry juice for a more robust flavor & color. (You can add pomegranate arils too, for a pretty touch!)
- Add Pineapple Juice! Another common variation is to add some pineapple juice along with the orange juice for a brighter tropical flavor.
- Turn Up The Ginger! Swap the ginger ale for spicy ginger beer instead. (Despite the name, it’s non-alcoholic like root beer, and it’s less sweet, with a much more pronounced ginger flavor than ginger ale.)
- Add Spice. Infuse this delicious punch with a cinnamon stick, star anise, or some whole cloves, if desired for a touch of Christmas spice!
How To Make Non-Alcoholic Holiday Punch, Step By Step
As always, you can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below!
For Individual Servings
- Start With Ice. Fill a 10-12 ounce cup with ice.
- Combine. Add cranberry juice, orange juice, sparkling cider, and ginger ale. Gently stir with a straw or cocktail stirrer.
- Garnish with fresh orange slices, cranberries, apples, fresh rosemary, etc., as desired.
For a Pitcher or Punch Bowl
- Combine. In your pitcher or a large punch bowl, combine cranberry juice, orange juice, sparkling apple cider, and ginger ale. Gently stir with a spoon to combine. (Try not to stir a lot so you don’t pop the bubbles!)
- Add Ice. Then, add several cups of ice to fill the pitcher or punch bowl.
- Garnish with fresh orange slices, cranberries, apples, fresh rosemary, etc., as desired.
How Much Does Each Size Make?
This festive Christmas punch is a GREAT recipe to entertain with! Not sure if you should make a pitcher or a punch bowl for your next holiday party? Here’s a quick guide:
- PITCHER = 8 cups liquid + ice = 8-10 servings
- PUNCH BOWL = 16-24 cups liquid + ice = 16-24 servings at least
For Christmas parties, potlucks, & large family gatherings, I recommend the punch bowl recipe for a nice, big batch. For smaller gatherings or a simple family Christmas dinner, you’re probably great with just the pitcher.
Make It Pretty!
When it comes to holiday mocktail recipes, I’m ALL about the garnishes! It’s an easy way to add a touch of elegance to your drink, and can easily highlight the flavors you’re about to enjoy. Some of my favorite garnishes for this easy holiday punch recipe are:
- Fresh Orange Slices. My favorite! Thin slices of fresh orange look gorgeous in a punch bowl, pitcher, or glass, and they instantly play up the flavors in this beautiful punch.
- Fresh or Frozen Cranberries. If you have them, fresh cranberries make a beautiful addition to this festive punch. If you can only find frozen cranberries, they’ll work beautifully here, too, AND they’ll help keep the drink cold!
- Apple Slices. Another way to highlight the flavors of this punch is to add apple slices. I recommend Honeycrisp apples or Granny Smith apples, but really any will work here.
- Fresh Rosemary. It might seem strange to add sprigs of rosemary to punch, but it’s a DELICIOUS addition. Not only does it look festive (all that green!), the subtle flavor pairs beautifully with the seasonal flavors of this Christmas punch recipe.
- Cinnamon Sticks add a little elegance and subtle hint of flavor the longer they sit in the punch. So fun at the holidays!
- Sugared Cranberries. I only add these to individual drinks, RIGHT before serving, since the sugar will start to dissolve once they touch the drink. But, they’re GORGEOUS and easy to make. We add them to all kinds of desserts & drinks this time of year!
- Star Anise. This flavor is not for everyone, so use caution! This star-shaped spice looks beautiful in a Christmas punch or holiday drink, and adds a subtle, licorice/fennel flavor. But if you’re a fan, this can be a beautiful way to go!
FAQ + Tricks For The Best Non-Alcoholic Holiday Punch
Can I Add Alcohol to This Punch? Yep! I don’t drink, but the common addition to a punch like this is vodka. Similar recipes add about 1 oz. to an individual serving, 1 cup to a pitcher, or 1-2 cups for a punch bowl.
Can I Use Sprite Instead? Yes! It’s totally up to your personal preference. While I love the flavor that ginger ale adds to this delicious holiday punch, if you want to make this holiday punch with sprite or another lemon-lime soda, it will absolutely work here!
Stretch It Further. Adding a bit of club soda can help this punch stretch further!
Make a Punch Bowl Ice Cube! Rather than add a million tiny ice cubes, you can freeze water in a bundt pan with cranberries & fresh rosemary to make a large festive ice ring! It’s a great way to keep your punch chilled & pretty at the same time! (Set the frozen bundt pan in a large bowl of cool water for a few minutes to loosen the ice ring from the sides, then gently lower into your punch bowl!)
Make-Ahead Tips
Making this holly jolly Christmas punch ahead of time for a holiday party? It works great! For best results, we recommend combining the cranberry juice and orange juice in advance, then adding the sparkling cider and ginger ale right before serving to preserve the bubbles & fizz.
🌟 Did You Make This Recipe?
Tell me all about it! Leave a star rating below when you try our non-alcoholic holiday punch recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!
Non-Alcoholic Holiday Punch
Ingredients
Single Serving (~8 ounces)
- 2 ounces Cranberry Juice
- 2 ounces Orange Juice
- 2 ounces Sparkling Apple Juice
- 2 ounces Ginger Ale or Sprite
- Ice
Pitcher (8-10 cups)
- 2 cups Cranberry Juice
- 2 cups Orange Juice
- 2 cups Sparkling Apple Juice
- 2 cups Ginger Ale or Sprite
- Ice
Punch Bowl (1-2 gallons)
- 4-6 cups Cranberry Juice
- 4-6 cups Orange Juice
- 4-6 cups Sparkling Apple Juice
- 4-6 cups Ginger Ale or Sprite
- Ice
Optional Garnishes:
- Sliced Oranges
- Fresh or Frozen Cranberries
- Sugared Cranberries
- Fresh Rosemary
- Apple Slices
- Cinnamon Sticks or Star Anise
Instructions
For Single Serving:
- Start With Ice. Fill a 10-12 ounce cup with ice.
- Combine. Add cranberry juice, orange juice, sparkling cider, and ginger ale. Gently stir with a straw or cocktail stirrer.
- Garnish with fresh orange slices, cranberries, apples, fresh rosemary, etc., as desired.
For a Pitcher or Punch Bowl:
- Combine. In your pitcher or punch bowl, combine cranberry juice, orange juice, sparkling apple cider, and ginger ale. Gently stir with a spoon to combine. (Try not to stir a lot so you don’t pop the bubbles!)
- Add Ice. Then, add several cups of ice to fill the pitcher or punch bowl.
- Garnish with fresh orange slices, cranberries, apples, fresh rosemary, etc., as desired.
Notes
- MAKE-AHEAD TIPS. We recommend combining the cranberry juice and orange juice in advance, then adding the sparkling cider and ginger ale right before serving to preserve the bubbles & fizz.
- SODA. We prefer to make this holiday punch with diet ginger ale, to keep the sugar down a bit. If you prefer, you can absolutely use a lemon-lime soda like Sprite instead. For spicier flavor, you can substitute ginger beer in place of the ginger ale.
- MAKE A PUNCH BOWL ICE CUBE! Rather than add a million tiny ice cubes, you can freeze water in a bundt pan with cranberries & fresh rosemary to make a large festive ice ring! It’s a great way to keep your punch chilled & pretty at the same time! (Set the frozen bundt pan in a large bowl of cool water for a few minutes to loosen the ice ring from the sides, then gently lower into your punch bowl!)
Video
Find the recipe:
sweetsandthankyou.com/holiday-punch/
I love this drink! I’ve always been one to try mocktails and I like a good fizz, and this drink complements those cravings beautifully
This drink is so cozy! It is perfect for Thanksgiving dinner or a quiet night by the fire.
We had to fill the punch bowl twice last night at our holiday party! Teens and adults loved it! We used pure cranberry juice we had on hand (wonderfully tart!) and used sparkling apple juice as well as Starry which we also had on hand.
DELICIOUS! So glad it was a hit!!
It was wonderful! Everyone enjoyed it. Not too sweet, just right!