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Thanksgiving Punch

Thanksgiving punch made with chilled cranberry juice cocktail, apple cider, orange, and fresh lime juice for a bright, ruby base. It’s finished with ginger ale at serving time so the punch stays lightly sparkling with fruit and rosemary garnish.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Drink
Cuisine: American
Calories: 140
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

cranberry juice cocktail, chilled
  • 4 cup cranberry juice cocktail Chilled
apple cider, chilled
  • 2 cup apple cider Chilled
orange juice
  • 1 cup orange juice
fresh lime juice
  • 0.25 cup fresh lime juice
ginger ale or sparkling water, chilled
  • 1 liter ginger ale or sparkling water Chilled; pour in just before serving
orange, thinly sliced
  • 1 orange Thinly sliced
fresh cranberries
  • 1 cup fresh cranberries
fresh rosemary
  • 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
ice
  • 1 ice For serving

Equipment

  • 1 punch bowl

Method
 

Mix the base
  1. Combine cranberry juice cocktail, apple cider, orange juice, and fresh lime juice in a punch bowl. Stir until evenly mixed.
  2. Chill the punch bowl until ready to serve. Keep it cold so the flavors stay crisp.
Garnish and finish
  1. Add the thinly sliced orange, fresh cranberries, and rosemary sprigs to the bowl. Arrange them so they float on top for a festive look.
  2. Pour in the ginger ale (or sparkling water) just before serving. Stop pouring once the surface is bubbly.
  3. Add ice to the punch and ladle into glasses. Serve immediately for the best sparkle.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the ginger ale (or sparkling water) chilled and add it right before serving so the punch stays lively. Store any leftover base (without ginger ale) covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; add ginger ale and fresh garnishes on the day you serve. Freezing is not recommended because citrus and fruit texture can soften. For a lighter option, swap ginger ale for sparkling water and add 1–2 tsp honey or maple syrup to taste.