Christmas Cranberry Punch is a bubbly non-alcoholic mocktail and kid-friendly Christmas punch for holiday gatherings. Easy for a large batch holiday drink, this 5-minute recipe features refreshing pomegranate juice, tart cranberry juice, and a splash of sweet citrus.
Christmas is all about traditions. Whether it’s baking Christmas cookies, a yearly advent calendar, or trimming the tree– every family has their own rituals and rites of passage to officially kick off the holiday season.
That being said, I’m forever looking for ways to simplify. Nothing makes me happier than hosting our large extended family for the holidays. But it’s A LOT. There are a lot of bodies hovering near the kitchen, a lot of opinions, and let’s not forget, hungry mouths to feed.
To simplify, I turned my own Cranberry Christmas Punch into a non-alcoholic version. Since this Christmas Cranberry Punch Mocktail recipe is nonalcoholic, it’s kid friendly. A delicious sparkling beverage everyone can enjoy, whether big broods like mine or during holiday parties, including Thanksgiving.
It takes 5 minutes to make and it’s really pretty to boot! You’re free to enjoy your family rather than mixing and serving drinks. That’s a Christmas tradition I can get behind!
How to make a Non-Alcoholic Punch for Christmas
So, this recipe is as easy as it gets, just pour everything together and stir for a perfect holiday punch. Yes, it’s really that easy!
Pomegranate Juice – I use Pom Wonderful brand which you can find with refrigerated juices in the produce section.
Cranberry Juice – 100% Cranberry Juice from Ocean Spray is my favorite, but I do find that it can be a little more tart than guests are used to. Sometimes, I use Cran-Cherry or Cran-Raspberry cocktail juices.
Ginger Ale or Sprite – I am oddly partial to Seagram’s Seven ginger ale but any brand is good, or you can use a lemon-lime soda Sprite.
Tip: This recipe makes about 8 cups. If you have a large punch bowl or decorative drink dispenser, double (or triple) the recipe. I also included a recipe for individual glasses!
Garnish Ideas
I like to use orange slices, pomegranate seeds or fresh cranberries, and sprigs of rosemary to garnish individual glasses.
For pitchers or punch bowls, I tend to avoid Pomegranate seeds because they sink to the bottom. Pomegranate seeds tend to get stuck in straws as well.
Fresh cranberries float, so they work in both glasses and punch bowls. However, I don’t recommend eating them due to their bitter taste.
Fun Garnish Idea: Edible Glitter! Edible glitter is actually very finely ground mica powder that can be mixed into drinks for a fun, sparkly effect. While it works best in clear drinks, it adds a subtle razzle dazzle to this drink. The side shot of the drink in the photo below illustrates the effect slightly, but photos don’t do it justice. While edible glitter is considered safe for consumption, but I wouldn’t do so frequently.
What Are Some Easy Christmas Punch Recipe Variations?
There are many ways to mix up this Christmas punch for your holiday celebrations. Here are a few ideas:
- Christmas Punch with Sherbert: Float 6-8 scoops Raspberry Sherbet Ice cream, or any other flavor you have on hand. These are beautiful in martini glasses.
- Cherry Christmas Punch: Use flavored cranberry juice like cran-cherry or cran-raspberry. Skip the simple syrup since there’s additional sweetener added to the juice.
- Glittering Punch: Add some edible glitter to the mix to literally make your drink sparkle!
- Christmas Limeade:Â Add some fresh lime juice for an added citrus kick.
- Cranberry and Pineapple: One of my favorite combinations is to substitute fresh pineapple juice for the orange juice. It’s a little festive and a little tropical.
Festive Punch for One Recipe
Below are the measurements for a single 16-ounce serving.
- ¼ cup Pomegranate Juice
- ¼ cup Cranberry Juice Cocktail
- a splash of Orange Juice
- 1 ½ cups Ginger Ale or other sweet, clear carbonated beverage like Sprite.
More Delicious Drink Recipes
- Caramel Apple Sangria
- White Chocolate Martini
- Moscato Sangria
- Strawberry Sangria
- Layered Red Death Cocktail
- Royal Apple Cocktail
What to serve with Christmas Punch?
Serve: I like to chill the mix until ready to serve. I add the ginger ale, ice and garnishes in right before serving. Want some recipe ideas of what to pair with your punch? We’ve got you covered:
- Brunch. Apple Crumb Cake, Quiche, Cranberry Chicken Salad would pair well with the fruit notes in this punch.
- Appetizers. A Charcuterie Board, Toasted Ravioli, or Spicy Crab Dip are our most popular appetizers for the holidays.
- Desserts. Biscoff Brownies, Chocolate Bundt Cake, Spice Cake, and Coconut Pecan Cookies are some of our favorite dessert pairings.
Make Ahead and Storage
Store: The cocktail mixture will last up to a week in the refrigerator, as long as you strain out the orange slices and cranberries. They tend to get mushy over time.
Make Ahead: Make the simple syrup and mix the pomegranate juice, cranberry juice, vodka, and triple sec the day before. Chill. Just before serving top with ginger ale and fruits. The orange slices may soak up the color of the juice, so don’t add them ahead of time.
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PS. If you make this recipe, leave a COMMENT AND A STAR RATING in the comments section at the bottom and be sure to take a photo and tag it #cravingcreative on Instagram! I appreciate you for taking the time to read about me and my family recipes.Â
Non-Alcoholic Cranberry Christmas Punch
Ingredients
Punch
- 2 cups Pomegranate Juice chilled
- 2 cup Cranberry Juice flavored cranberry mixtures are also good (cran-cherry, cran-pomegrante, etc)
- ½ cup Orange Juice No Pulp
- 4 cups Ginger Ale
- ½ teaspoon Lemon Juice
Garnish Options
- 1 Orange Cut in half or quarters and sliced thin
- Pomegranate Seeds
- Whole Cranberries
- Rosemary Sprigs
Instructions
- Making the simple syrup is optional depending on what kind of cranberry juice you purchase. Some store brands are sweeter than others and I generally skip it if I am using a cranberry juice combination or cranberry cocktail. To make the simple syrup, in a small pot over low heat, combine the sugar, lemon juice, and water together. Whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and cool.
- In a pitcher or punch bowl, combine the juices, vodka, triple sec, and simple syrup. Chill if necessary.
- Top with ice and add fresh ginger ale just before serving.
- Garnish Options – All garnish options are for appearances only. Garnish a punch bowl with orange slices and whole cranberries. Pomegranate seeds do not float, so I add them over top of the ice with a sprig of rosemary in individual glasses.
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