Any punch can feel like the holidays with the right ingredients. This Christmas punch, filled with fruit juices, ginger ale and a touch of cinnamon, is just what your party needs.
Chilled Christmas Punch Recipe photo by Taste of Home

A great Christmas punch doesn’t have to be complicated. It just has to be festive—and delicious. A few simple ingredients (mainly fruit juices and ginger ale) create a delicious nonalcoholic option for any holiday party. Grab your prettiest punch bowls, an array of fresh fruits, and herb garnishes, and let the jingle bells ring.

Ingredients for Christmas Punch

  • Fruit juice: Like most simple punch recipes, you’ll need a combination of fruit juices for this Christmas punch. Cranberry-apple and pineapple juice are the primary flavors here, but you can mix and match others to your heart’s desire.
  • Ginger ale: Ginger ale gives the punch its fizz, while ginger adds some spicy seasonal flair. Here are the Test Kitchen’s picks for best ginger ale, or use your own favorite brand.
  • Sugar: Our Christmas punch with ginger ale calls for a simple syrup made with granulated sugar, cinnamon and water. Add a little or a lot, depending on how sweet you want your punch.

Directions

Step 1: Make the simple syrup

In a large saucepan, bring the water, sugar and cinnamon to a boil; stir until the sugar dissolves. Chill the simple syrup until you’re ready to serve the punch.

Step 2: Make the punch

Just before serving, combine the chilled simple syrup, juices and ginger ale in a punch bowl or large pitcher. If you’d like, garnish the punch with cinnamon sticks, whole cranberries, sliced apples, orange wedges and fresh mint.

Editor’s Tip: Use chilled ingredients to help keep the punch cold, and don’t stir the punch too much after you add the ginger ale to preserve the carbonation.

Recipe Variations

Christmas PunchTMB STUDIO

  • Switch up the juices: Use sweetened pomegranate juice or a pomegranate-cranberry blend instead of cranberry juice. Or sub in orange or white grape juice for half the cranberry juice.
  • Try different sodas: Replace the ginger ale with lemon-lime soda or even sparkling white grape or apple juice.
  • Make it pretty with an ice ring: A decorative ice ring, like one used in this bubbly Champagne punch, keeps the punch cold while adding some holiday color and cheer. To make an ice ring, layer whole cranberries, sliced fruit and mint in the bottom of a Bundt pan. Cover with water, and freeze until solid, at least eight hours or overnight. Serve the Christmas punch in a pretty bowl topped with the ice ring.

How to Store Christmas Punch

Store any leftover punch in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Christmas Punch Recipe Tips

Christmas Punch with Cinnamon StickTMB STUDIO

How can you make a boozy Christmas punch?

Add vodka or rum to the mix for a boozy Christmas punch. Or keep the punch zero-proof, and leave the liquor nearby so adults can spike their own glasses.

Can you make Christmas punch ahead of time?

Make most of the Christmas punch ahead of time, and combine everything in a bowl or pitcher right before the guests arrive. You can make the simple syrup a few days in advance, as well. Just make sure to add the ginger ale right before serving to preserve the bubbles. If serving with ice, keep it separate so it doesn’t dilute the punch.

What do you serve with Christmas punch?

You can serve a lot of things with this Christmas punch. Make it the centerpiece of your buffet table surrounded by a gorgeous Christmas tree charcuterie board and any of these easy Christmas appetizers or easy Christmas desserts.

Christmas Punch

A blend of juices gives this punch a little pizazz. For a more tart flavor, substitute cranberry juice for the cranberry-apple juice. —Edna Hoffman, Hebron, Indiana
Chilled Christmas Punch Recipe photo by Taste of Home
Total Time

Prep: 10 min. + chilling

Makes

20 servings (3-3/4 quarts)

Ingredients

  • 2 cups water
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 can (46 ounces) pineapple juice, chilled
  • 4 cups cranberry-apple juice, chilled
  • 1 liter ginger ale, chilled
  • Optional: Fresh or frozen cranberries, sliced apples, orange wedges, fresh mint leaves and cinnamon sticks

Directions

  1. In a large saucepan, bring the water, sugar and cinnamon to a boil; stir until sugar is dissolved. Chill. Just before serving, combine the syrup mixture, juices and ginger ale in a punch bowl or large pitcher. If desired, garnish with fruit and mint and serve over ice with cinnamon sticks.

Nutrition Facts

3/4 cup: 112 calories, 0 fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 6mg sodium, 28g carbohydrate (26g sugars, 0 fiber), 0 protein.