Spiced Cranberry Punch

Try this delicious, festive, non-alcoholic holiday drink this holiday season. Spiced Cranberry Punch is made with a blend of cranberry juice, orange juice, and holiday spices like cinnamon and cloves.

This delicious cranberry punch not only looks beautiful but is also so tasty! It’s easy to make with festive ingredients like cranberry juice, orange juice, and whole cloves. It’s a punch that really packs a punch!

This recipe serves about eight people but can be doubled or tripled if you are entertaining a bigger crowd. Dust off that punch bowl and make this simple Christmas drink.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Easy to make with readily available ingredients.
• Looks beautiful in a Christmas spread of food.
• Option to add alcohol if that is your preference.
• Tastes delicious with the right amount of sweet spice.
• Can be easily doubled or tripled.

Ingredients

The full printable recipe card with measurements and instructions is found at the bottom of the post.

• Cranberry juice: Cranberry Cocktail will also work if you can’t find cranberry juice. 
• Orange juice: You can use fresh orange juice or orange juice from concentrate. I prefer pulp-free orange juice.
• Fresh cranberries: If you don’t have any fresh cranberries, you can make this punch without them. A great option is to add some frozen cranberries instead. I don’t recommend using dried cranberries, though.
• Dark brown sugar: Light brown sugar or granulated white sugar can be used instead. Try a cup of honey, agave nectar, or maple syrup if you prefer something more natural.
• Whole cloves: You can find these in the spice aisle at the grocery store, and bulk food stores also carry them.
• Cinnamon sticks
• Lemon lime soda: I used the store-brand lemon lime soda, but you could use Sprite or 7-Up. Even a grapefruit soda like Fresca would work. If you want to add carbonation, use club soda or sparkling water.

How to Make Spiced Cranberry Punch

• Step One: Add the cranberry juice, orange juice, 2 cups of fresh cranberries, dark brown sugar, whole cloves, and cinnamon sticks to a large saucepan or pot.
• Step Two: Turn the heat up to a simmer and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
• Step Three: Cover and let cook for 30 minutes. Don’t worry if the cranberries pop during the cooking process.

• Step Four: Remove the saucepan from the heat and strain the liquid through a tight-weave sieve into a large pitcher or punch bowl.
• Step Five: Let the liquid cool to room temperature (or for at least 30 minutes) before placing it into the fridge. Let it chill for at least an hour.
• Step Six: Just before serving, add the lemon lime soda and stir until it is completely mixed.
• Step Seven: Add in the fresh cranberries, cinnamon sticks, orange slices, and fresh rosemary, optional, and serve cold.

What to Serve with It

Christmas Appetizers and Snacks

• Reindeer Chow
• Gingerbread Dip
• Eggnog Dip
• Candy Cane Dip
• Sweet Spiced Pecans

Christmas Desserts

• Eggnog Donuts
• Cinnamon Roll Cookies
• Whipped Shortbread Cookies
• Gingerbread Whoopie Pies
• No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Haystacks

Variations and Substitutions

• Use cranberry cocktail instead of cranberry juice.
• Use ginger ale instead of lemon lime soda.
• If the store is sold out of fresh cranberries, you can use frozen cranberries. You can also omit the cranberries altogether.
• Prefer a natural sweetener? Use 1 cup of honey, agave syrup or maple syrup instead of the brown sugar.
• Want just the carbonation? Use club soda or sparkling water in place of the lemon lime soda.

Storage Instructions

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For best results, serve this punch fresh. If you do have leftovers, you can store them in a pitcher in the fridge for up to one week. 

Can I Make Ahead?

Yes, you can make most of this holiday punch ahead of time. I recommend not adding the soda until just before you want to serve it, so you don’t lose the carbonation. 

Also, keep an eye on the cranberries as well because they will go bad quicker if they are in liquid.

Can I Add Alcohol?

You can add vodka to this punch. Add about 2 ½ cups of vodka with the lemon lime soda after the drink has been chilled in the fridge. Feel free to add more or less depending on your preference. 

Garnish Ideas

• Additional cranberries (fresh or frozen)
• Cinnamon sticks
• Orange slices
• Fresh rosemary sprigs

Do I Need a Punch Bowl?

A large punch bowl is great, but you can still make this recipe without one. You’ll need to use a large drink pitcher.

Christmas Drink Recipes

• Homemade Eggnog
• Christmas Punch
• Cranberry Mint Mocktail
• Shirley Temple – Kids love these!
• Gingerbread Latte
• Gingerbread Martini
• Holiday Sangria

You’ll also like this Pretty in Pink Punch.

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