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Celebrate the holidays with this Cranberry Punch! It’s the perfect complement to your big meal.
If you’re not a fan of cranberry jelly or tart cranberry sauce, there’s another way to get the traditional fruit on the table this year. I made this Cranberry Punch for a family birthday last week as a test run for Thanksgiving. It was popular with both the kids and the adults!
Isn’t it just gorgeous? The color is so pretty and looks great for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s a deeper red at first and then changes to a lighter red as you add more sparkling cider or soda.
There’s something about punch-it just make a meal more “special.” Cranberry punch is a great combination of tart and sweet with a pleasant amount of fizzy-ness.
The fresh cranberries on top are not totally necessary, but they are so pretty. Freeze the berries and then add them instead of using ice to keep the punch cool!
Or, you can use a beverage dispenser like this one that has an ice core. Plus, when the punch is gone, you can always use them for something else like Cranberry Salsa. (I know it sounds weird, but cranberries and jalapenos really do go together in an amazing way.)
Garnish with a sprig of rosemary for a festive look and punch of aromatics. You can also cut the recipe down and serve it in a regular sized pitcher. Cranberry Punch is a very easy recipe to adjust to your needs and tastes.
Cranberry Punch
Ingredients
- 2 25.4oz bottles sparkling cider I used the apple cranberry flavor
- 1 2 liter lemon/lime soda
- 1 11.5 can frozen cranberry juice concentrate thawed (but still cold)
- 1 12 oz bag of fresh cranberries
Instructions
- Mix together the cider, soda and juice, then top with cranberries. Serve cold!
Notes
- Freeze the cranberries and use them instead of ice so the punch doesn't get watered down
- Garnish with a sprig of rosemary for a festive touch
- Makes 1 gallon as written-cut in half to serve in a large pitcher instead of a punch bowl or drink dispenser
- Use different flavored sparkling ciders for a new twist
Nutrition
We had about 25 people at the party and added another 2 liter of soda to help stretch it a bit as the punch was getting low. It still tasted great, just a little less tart and cranberry-ish. 🙂 I’m looking forward to having it again next week!
For more great drink options like this Cranberry Punch, check these out:
Originally posted November 2016; Updated November 2020
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Wendy says
Yes I loved it and plan to make it at a Christmas party!