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Drinks for one, and you have a nice evening to yourself. Drinks for two or three, and it’s happy hour. A WHOLE BOWL of sparkling Christmas Punch? We have ourselves a party!

Traditional Christmas punch served in a bowl with oranges and cranberries

Bubbly, festive, and a total snap to stir together, this easy Christmas punch is light, refreshing, and not at all overly sweet.

It takes less than fives minutes prep time and would be a lovely, useful centerpiece at any holiday party because:

  • It’s simple but beautiful, with the right amount of holiday sparkle.
  • Guests will love it (and love you for making it!).
  • Crowd control. Think of holiday punch as your party’s water cooler. Guests will flock wherever it’s placed.

5 Star Review

“This Xmas punch is the bomb! So festive with the fresh orange slices and fresh cranberries floating and super easy to make!

This will be an annual addition to my holiday repertoire.”

— Maria Anastasiou —

I usually shy away from big batch punch recipes because they tend to be overly sweet.

Not this Christmas punch!

If you’re planning a holiday gathering and want to know what to drink, Christmas punch is the answer .

Together, this combination of the light and bright with the deep and spicy makes this Christmas punch dangerous (almost as dangerous as festive Rum Punch).

It’s soooo yummy and easy to sip.

Because it takes minutes to make, you can quickly (perhaps too quickly) continue refilling the bowl as the night goes on.

Tip!

No punch bowl?

  • Mix this recipe up in a big pitcher, or divide it between two smaller pitchers.
  • Try placing it in a large drink dispenser (don’t forget a cup or towel to catch any drips).
Sparkling cranberry punch with rum, champagne, and apple cider

The Best Christmas Punch Recipe

Cranberry juice, sparkling wine, and orange slices keep the punch’s flavor light, bright, and dangerously easy to drink.

Be warned: this is one crushable holiday cocktail! (You can choose whether or not to mention this tidbit to guests.)

The Ingredients

  • Cranberry Juice. Make sure you use a juice that is labeled 100% cranberry juice, versus cranberry juice cocktail. The juice should be marked 100% cranberry but still has a blend of other juices for some natural sweetness (confusing I know!). This is the one I used.

TIP!

  • Do not use completely unsweetened, 100% pure cranberry juice or your punch will be too tart.
  • If you purchase the wrong kind by mistake or your punch tastes tarter than you would like for any reason, all is not lost! Sweeten the punch to your liking by stirring in 1/4 to 1/2 cup simple syrup.
  • Sparkling Wine. Use a very dry sparkling wine. It doesn’t matter what the wine’s country of origin is, as long as it is labeled “brut,” which is the driest, dryer even than wine labeled “extra dry” (Tip: think “brutally dry”). Champagne, cava, and Prosecco are all fair game.
  • Apple Cider + Ginger Ale. Adds balance and dynamic flavor.
  • Dark Rum or Brandy. Rich, spicy, and fun. I preferred this as a Christmas rum punch, but if you’d like something a little sweeter, brandy is a good option.
  • Oranges. For a hint of citrus and beautiful color.
  • Cranberries. Fresh cranberries are important here. I love the look of fresh cranberries floating on top too. Cranberries and oranges are the perfect holiday garnishes.
  • And, lots of ice!

Tip!

For a festive ice ring, scatter cranberries and orange slices (or a mix of sliced oranges, lemons, and limes) in the bottom of a bundt pan and cover with water (use filtered or boiled water for the clearest ice). Transfer to freezer and freeze for at least 8 hours overnight. Unmold the ice ring (you can run the pan under hot water to loosen it if needed) and transfer it to a punch bowl.

The Directions

  1. Chill all the ingredients to make sure your punch is nice and chilly.
  2. Fill a large punch bowl (or pitcher) with ice, and top with all the ingredients except the oranges and cranberries. Give it a quick stir. Last, top with the oranges and cranberries to beautify it. ENJOY!
Alcoholic Christmas punch served in a bowl with oranges and cranberries

5 Star Review

“It was incredible. We made it for our Christmas party and every single person loved it. I thought that it would be a little overpowering given the amount of alcohol, but it was not. Great combination and not too sweet.”

— Courtney —

Recipe Adaptations

  • Non-Alcoholic Christmas Punch. Omit the alcohol from this recipe, and use sparkling white grape juice or lemon-lime soda instead of wine. Prepare as directed.
  • Christmas Punch in Sherbet. Top each glass of this Raspberry Champagne Float with Christmas punch instead of champagne.
  • Christmas Punch with Raspberry Vodka. Swap in an equal amount of raspberry vodka such as Tito’s for the rum or brandy in this recipe.
  • Pomegranate Christmas Punch. Use pomegranate juice instead of cranberry juice, and swap in pomegranate seeds for the cranberries.
  • Cranberry Orange Christmas Punch. Substitute 3/4 cup of the cranberry juice for orange juice.
  • Tropical Christmas Punch. Add 1/2 cup pineapple juice, plus additional to taste.

More Christmas Drinks

Christmas drinks are delicious, festive, and perfect for serving at parties.

This punch is one of my favorites. It could also be used for Christmas morning punch.

I also love serving these other easy Christmas drinks:

three glass punch glasses with pink punch topped with cranberries

What to Serve with Christmas Punch

This traditional Christmas punch goes perfectly with every holiday recipe. Here are a few ideas:

Recommended Tools to Make Christmas Punch

If you are looking for drinks for your next party—or for a good excuse to throw a party, period—I hope you’ll give this easy Christmas punch recipe a try.

It combines a retro holiday feel with a fresh modern taste, and I know your guests will love it as much as we do!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Best Christmas Drink?

If you’re looking for alcoholic traditional Christmas drinks, I think this Christmas punch is one of the best holiday drinks out there. Everyone loves it, and it even looks the part.

What is a Good Christmas Drink for Kids?

If you need to make Christmas drinks for kids, this recipe makes for excellent non-alcoholic holiday drinks as well. See non-alcoholic punch adaptation above. Of course, hot chocolate is also a traditional Christmas drink for kids (and grownups!); see How to Make Hot Chocolate.

Do You Put Ice in Punch?

Punch can be served on ice to keep it cold during your party. If you do not want your punch to become diluted; however, you could mix up the punch without the ice and then when serving pour it into individual glasses over ice.

Christmas Punch

4.99 from 356 votes
Easy, refreshing Christmas Punch for a crowd! With champagne, rum, cranberry and cider. Not too sweet—party perfect! Non-alcoholic version too.

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 0 minutes
Total: 10 minutes

Servings: 20 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 large bag of ice
  • 5 cups 100% cranberry juice* 40 ounces, NOT cranberry juice cocktail
  • 2 bottles very dry sparkling wine (750 ml bottles) , such as champagne, cava, or Prosecco (I used a brut Prosecco)
  • 2 cups apple cider
  • 1 1/2 cups diet ginger ale (12 ounces) (from 1 can or poured from a liter bottle)
  • 1 1/2 cups dark rum or brandy (12 ounces)
  • 2 oranges thinly sliced into rounds
  • 1 cup fresh cranberries

Instructions
 

  • Make sure all of the ingredients are well chilled. Fill a large punch bowl with ice. Top with the cranberry juice, sparkling wine, apple cider, ginger ale, and rum.
  • Stir gently to combine. Top with the orange slices and fresh cranberries. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

  • *IMPORTANT NOTE ON CRANBERRY JUICE: Look for a juice that is marked 100% cranberry but that has a blend of other juices, usually apple, added (it is confusing! This is the one I used). If you purchase 100% pure cranberry juice without any other fruits used, it may be too tart for your taste. If this happens, you can sweetened the punch to your liking by stirring in 1/4 to 1/2 cup simple syrup.
  • Nutritional information assumes no ice melt. Since realistically, some ice will melt into the glasses, the numbers are a bit high for 6 ounces. Feel free to use myfitnesspal.com or another service if you need a more precise estimate.

Nutrition

Serving: 1glass, about 6 ouncesCalories: 137kcalCarbohydrates: 13gSugar: 12g

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Erin Clarke

Hi, I'm Erin Clarke, and I'm fearlessly dedicated to making healthy food that's affordable, easy-to-make, and best of all DELISH. I'm the author and recipe developer here at wellplated.com and of The Well Plated Cookbook. I adore both sweets and veggies, and I am on a mission to save you time and dishes. WELCOME!

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292 Comments

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  1. This looks awesome! My friend, Betsy, and I got together today to prepare your fabulous Perfect Cream Cheese Sugar Cookie recipe! We made two batches (went through Step 3) and froze the “disks.” We will get together next week to defrost, roll out, cookie cutter them, bake, frost and decorate them. We made them last year and, truly, they are PERFECT!  I will make us a mini-batch of this punch to enjoy while we complete our annual Christmas cookie baking! Thank you, Erin, for another great recipe! Happy Holidays!

    1. Laurie, I am SOOOO happy to hear this, thank you! I hope you love the punch too. It would be extra yummy with cookies :)

  2. I always like trying new punch recipes during the holidays! This is one is sure to be a HIT!

  3. Hi,
    I want to make this for a drink dispenser, not a bowl. Should I still add of the ice to it? I don’t want it to get watered down…
    Thanks

    1. Hi Catherine, you could mix up the punch in the dispenser without the ice and then when serving just pour it into individual glasses over ice. That way it won’t get diluted sitting in the dispenser. I hope you enjoy the recipe!

  4. Gorgeous pictures. I made these punch for the super bowl party and it was a crowd favorite. I’m also gonna pin this post on my Pinterest board my followers will love it. Thanks for sharing, Erin!4 stars

  5. Made this for my cousin’s Christmas Eve brunch and it was the hot of the party! Had to make a few refills. We had to use frozen cranberries since all of the fresh ones were sold out, but it was still delicious and refreshing and since I doubled the rum, and used Goslings, it packed quite the punch! I also added some cinnamon sticks to the punch bowl and used more garnish/stirrers, it was so yummy!! Love your recipes, thanks for sharing!! 5 stars

    1. Jenn, thank you so much for taking the time to share this review! I’m happy to hear the punch was enjoyed by all!

    1. Jennifer, I’m so thrilled to hear that! Thank you so much for giving the recipe a try at such a special occasion and for taking the time to report back!

  6. I made the Christmas Punch twice over the holidays.  Both times I made half the recipe which was great.  I used Ginger beer .  Thanks again for another great festive recipe!5 stars

  7. Definitely, your punch is awesomeness! This is a great recipe Erin, as you know I made it a short while ago and it was lovely, in fact, have made it again since. Thanks for sharing!5 stars

    1. Hi Donna! I’ve never tried. If the cranberry wine is sweet, I’d probably stick with cranberry juice to make sure it isn’t too sweet. You can always play around though and see what you like!

    1. Hi Theresa, it would change the taste, but I think it could still be good. You can adjust the ratios of the other ingredients too if you’d like.

    1. Hi Sophia! The apple cider is pretty essential to the punch. You could try plain apple juice, but it won’t have the same warm flavors. I’d recommend sticking with cider for this one!

    1. Hi Natalie! I love the rum here because its spiciness adds to the holiday feel of punch, but if you like, you can use vodka instead. I hope you enjoy the punch!

  8. Hi Erin! Have you ever tried this punch warm? Do you think it would work served warm rather than over ice? It may be cold here on the day I’m planning to serve it. Thanks so much! It looks amazing!

    1. Hi Shelly! Sorry, but this drink really needs to be served chilled. For a delicious warm holiday drink, try this spiced wine: https://www.wellplated.com/spiced-wine/

    1. Hi Shelly! This is one I definitely recommend chilled. If you’d like a warm drink, check out my Spiced Wine! https://www.wellplated.com/spiced-wine/

  9. making this tomorrow. Should I use an alcoholic apple cider like somersby? Or just non alcoholic regular apple cider?5 stars

    1. Chris, I didn’t check comments on Christmas Eve as I was with family, but I hope you all enjoyed this! For next time, you can add everything but the sparkling wine/ginger ale so that it stays bubbly.

    1. Mo, you can mix in everything but the ginger ale and champagne in advance. The bubbly liquids you want to add just before serving so that the punch does not go lat. I hope you enjoy it!

  10. I was so excited to find this recipe but  we used 100% Cranberry juice from Trader Joes and our punch was kind of sour or tart tasting! ? I also purchased 100% cranberry juice that was the ocean spray  brand but noticed in fine print it was a blend of juices and much sweeter but wondering if that’s where we went wrong? What is the best Cranberry juice brand etc to use? Also we used a Grand Cayman dark rum because we were told it was one of the better rums so not sure! The alcohol content seemed great but guests complained it was pretty tart. Would love to try this one again though. 

    1. Heather, next time you can try a juice blend if that helps to make it more to your taste. If you’d like it even sweeter, you can also stir in some simple syrup. I hope you enjoy it more next time!

  11. Hi Britt! So I did actually make this with 100% cranberry juice as the ingredients note, but it can vary quite a bit depending upon your taste and how sweet you like your drinks. If it is too tart for you liking, next time you can add simple syrup. Regardless, I know it is so disappointing to try a new recipe and not have it come out (especially at the holidays!) so I’m so sorry that was the case here.

  12. Thanks so mich Erin! I am just like you with not caring for the sweeter drinks so i knew we would absolutely love this one but I honestly believe it was the brand of cranberry juice that we used or perhaps the champagne ? We just used the inexpensive Cooks brut so perhaps you would not mind emailing me or sharing the brands that you prefer as far as the Cranberry and champagne is concerned because this is the best (not overly  sweet) recipe of punch that i have tried so im determined to make it work! ? Thanks so much for sharing! ❤️ 

    1. Heather, both of these things can have a MAJOR impact! I used ocean spray cranberry juice (the one marked 100% but that confusingly and frustratingly also contains apple juice). For sparkling wine that I am mixing with other things, I usually look for something marked “brut” that costs between $12 and $15. I find that price range leaves me with plenty of options for a wine that makes for a great-tasting punch! La Marca is one one of my favorite proseccos and is dry, but there are plenty of other options too depending upon what your store carries. I hope that is helpful! The brand of rum/brandy matters too. For brandy, I usually use Korbel (simple and pretty inexpensive but good). I’m not a huge rum drinker but in a punch like this Captain Morgan is generally just fine. Feel free to let me know if you have other questions!

  13. Omgosh thank you for this recipe.
    I made this Christmas eve. Put it all in a few giant bottles. Omitting the ice of course. Then put the ice in the punch bowl Christmas afternoon.
    Turned out amazing!!
    Whole family loved it. I will definitely make this again…maybe Easter lol
    Dont be afraid to make this exactly as in the recipe says.
    ?5 stars

  14. Omg i bought the Ocean Spray first,  but found the TJ brand a few days later so did not use the OS  and my absolute FAVE champagne is La Marca! Ok i am going to make this again on NYE with both of these! Betting it will be a ? with these changes and i already loved the amount of alcohol! I was feeling great just from the taste testing! ? Thanks again! ❤️ 

    1. Cheers Heather!!!! I hope it goes better and would love to hear what you think (and La Marca is the best!) FYI, I love the Trader Joe’s Reserve Brut Sparkling that’s sold at the holidays too. Happy NYE!

  15. I plan to make this tonight and when I reviewed the recipe with my sister she wondered whether the fresh cranberries could be frozen to help keep the punch nice and cold? (I assume that people don’t eat them while drinking the punch!)

    1. Hi Kathy! I haven’t tried it myself, but I think that could work. If you decide to give it a go, I’d love to hear what you think!

  16. HI Erin 

    I am going to make this Non-alcoholic. I am going to substitute sparkling cider for the wine. Do you suggest any other changes. I am going to put the run on the side if someone wants to add some alcohol. 

    1. Hi Denise! At the end of the blog post (if you scroll up from the recipe), I include my suggestions for making the punch nonalcoholic. I hope you enjoy it if you give it a try!

  17. This looks so pretty! I’m making this for my party on saturday. 
    Does the ice water it down a lot? 
    Can’t wait to try this! 
    Thank you! 

    1. Hi Leanne, the longer the punch sits out, the more the ice will melt into it. Since everything is chilled before pouring it over ice, however, this doesn’t happen immediately!

  18. This recipe rocks (I was actually looking for a different champagne punch recipe.)

    Definitely easy, quick and much of a crowd pleaser.5 stars

    1. I’m so happy to hear that this recipe was a hit, David! Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review!

    1. Hi Nija! I use Captain Morgan, but any decent dark rum will do! For brandy, I like Korbel. I hope you love the recipe if you try it!

  19. I rarely take the time to comment (shame on me because I definitely rely on ratings and comments), but this one was a MUST. It was incredible. We made it for our Christmas party and every single person loved it. I thought that it would be a little overpowering given the amount of alcohol, but it was not. Great combination and not too sweet.5 stars

  20. Hi Erin.  I do not understand what type of cranberry juice you mean.  How can something be 100% cranberry juice if it’s blended with other juice?  I see cranberry juice that is labeled 100% fruit juice.  Is that what you mean?  Other than that, there’s only cranberry juice cocktail or 100% cranberry juice, which as you mention is unsweetened and very tart.

    1. Hi Sue, it is very confusing! You should use a juice that is labeled 100% cranberry juice, versus cranberry juice cocktail. The juice should be marked 100% cranberry but still contain has a blend of other juices for some natural sweetness This is the one that I used. I hope that helps!

    1. Hi Lisa! Light rum has a slightly different flavor profile than dark rum but, you can use it in this recipe if you prefer. I hope you enjoy it!

        1. Hi Debbie! If you add up the ingredients, it’s about 14 cups of liquid even before the ice and garnishes are added, so you’ll need a bowl at least twice that size. I hope you enjoy the recipe!

    1. Hi Marie! This punch is best the day it is served, as the ginger ale and sparkling wine may become flat. I have not tried to save the leftovers, but I suspect it will still taste fine for a couple of days. I hope you enjoyed the recipe!

    1. Hi Becca! I have not tried the recipe this way, but I suspect it will be more tart. If you want to try it, you can always stir in some simple syrup at the end to sweeten it up some. I hope this helps!

  21. We tend to like punches that sneak up on you. Did anyone add more liquor, or is this sufficient? Regarding apple cider, is there a substitute? I fear it may be hard to find with the holidays being over. Thank you!

    1. Hi Christina! I found the liquor in this punch to be sufficient, but you could always add more if needed. The apple cider is pretty essential to the punch. You could try plain apple juice, but it won’t have the same warm flavors. If you’re able to find cider, that’s the best option!

  22. Hi! Would love to make this for holiday gatherings- I have a question about the apple cider. The sparkling kind (like Martinelli’s) or just regular? Which brand did you use? Thanks!

  23. This recipe was great. Made 12 servings and split amongst 4 people. I prefer my drinks on the stronger side so added a little more rum but everyone loved it. Would highly recommend this punch.5 stars

  24. I’ve never had brandy so hesitant to purchase for a 1 time recipe if I don’t like it. Would a golden rum work in this recipe instead of a dark (black) rum?

    1. Hi Lisa! I haven’t tried it myself, but I think it would work fine if that’s what you prefer. I hope you enjoy the recipe!

  25. Made this and it was a major hit! Have a bit left since I doubled the batch thinking people would have more but it was a mellow holiday party this year. How long would you say this can stay good for?5 stars

    1. Hi Meghan! I am so happy you enjoyed it. Unfortunately, this tends to go flat by the next day. I think you could try sealing it tightly then having in the next day with a splash of fresh sparkling wine or soda to “fizz” it up a little.

  26. We used spiced dark rum as our best guess because we are not experienced rum tasters. I didn’t notice the spice in the final product. Also garnished with pomegranate seeds because we didn’t have cranberries on hand. That said, I LOVE this punch!!!!!! Helped make our solo c Christmas more enjoyable, for sure! We drank it all weekend, LOL5 stars

  27. Should the apple cider be alcoholic or non-alcoholic?
    I know in the US you have non-alcoholic but here in NZ apple cider is usually alcoholic so just thought I would check!
    Thanks!

    1. Hi Greta! While I haven’t tried it using an alcoholic apple cider, you could definitely use it and experiment. It will make it more potent though. If you give it a try, let me know how it turns out!

  28. I made this for our Christmas party this year! We had 35 people & I doubled the recipe! People were raving about it all night!5 stars

    1. Hi Michael! You can add everything together the day before but the sparkling wine/ginger ale. You will need to add that when you serve so it stays bubbly. Hope this helps!

  29. This recipe sounds delicious and I want to make the Cranberry Orange Punch. I read I should “substitute 3/4 cup of the cranberry juice for orange juice”. The original recipe calls for 5 cups of cranberry juice. I am confused… Exactly how much cranberry juice should I use? How much orange juice? I sincerely appreciate the clarification!

  30. I wanted to get drink fountain for a party I’m hosting. Could I use this punch in the fountain or will it go flat? Thank you!

    1. Hi Alexa! I have no idea, I’ve not used a fountain before. If you end up experimenting with it, let me know how it goes!

  31. Would it be advantageous to pre-freeze (possibly) decorative ice cubes using the non-sparkly ingredients or is ice from water necessary for flavor? I’d like to make this week for a holiday gathering and have ordered holiday silicone molds.

      1. Fantastic…I was not sure if the water from the ice was factored in to “mellow” the flavors. Going to make it this weekend for our gathering. I will follow up on Monday with possibly a pic and what I’m sure will be rave reviews. Thank you for the recipe.

  32. Hi, I wanted to get clarity on what type of rum to use, is it dark rum or spiced rum? I was looking to add Bacardi dark rum but could also use captain morgan.

    1. Hi Alycia! I use a dark rum for this. The spiced rum will just add additional flavors to the punch. Hope this helps!

    2. Definitely a crowd pleaser. Enjoyable adult beverage for all. Beautiful presentation. Will make again. Instagram worthy photo.5 stars

    3. A crowd pleaser! Beautiful punch itself. Perfect blend of flavors throughout. Very festive for the holidays. Nice classy adult beverage.5 stars

  33. I made this last week for a Christmas party. It was so easy to make. I used a large punch bowl and put in lots of ice.. Then poured in the juices,, soda and alcohol. I did not have time to freeze any juice so instead I froze the cranberries. This punch was liked by everyone! And using a large crystal punch bowl made a beautiful centerpiece. I will make this drink again..5 stars

    1. Hi Carol! While I haven’t tried it, you probably could. I just prefer the dark rum. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!

        1. Hi Carrie! It’s just something I prefer to use, but feel free to use any ginger ale you’d like. Hope you enjoy it!

  34. I made this last night for my Christmas party … it was delicious and I had to make it twice because my guests loved it ….. you won’t be disappointed if you make !!!!5 stars

  35. Erin,
    We followed the directions and ingredients 100 percent. The rum was overpowering and no one liked it and I ended up dumping the punchbowl. Honestly, with the sparkling champagne, why would you add rum to that mixture?
    …I should have waited to see how it tasted before the rum, but I can only say, for us this was a fail.

    1. I’m sorry to hear the recipe wasn’t to your taste, Donna. I know it’s disappointing to try a new recipe and not enjoy it. I (and many other readers) have enjoyed it, so I really wish they would’ve been a hit for you too!

  36. This Xmas punch is the bomb! So festive with the fresh orange slices and fresh cranberries floating and super easy to make!

    This will be an annual addition to my holiday repertoire.5 stars

  37. I want to make this tomorrow (Christmas Eve) but just realized I don’t have apple cider. Do you think it’ll be ok without apple cider and maybe just add orange juice? I was thinking the orange juice, cranberry juice, ginger ale, Prosecco and raspberry vodka. Yay or nay? 😆🤷🏻‍♀️

    1. Hi Ashli! The apple cider is pretty essential to the punch. You could try plain apple juice, but it won’t have the same warm flavors. I’d recommend sticking with cider for this one! Although if you do decide to leave it out, I would love to know how it goes!

      1. Had to come leave a comment after hearing rave reviews all night at my neighbor’s party. Made a half batch of this to bring over and it fit their vintage punch bowl nicely with an ice ring. Made some subs I wanted to share for anyone interested—used unsweetened cranberry juice that was doomed to live in the back of my fridge forever, diet ginger beer, and sparkling martinellis (again, already had in-house). In combination with Mount Gay dark rum and Lamarca Prosecco, I needed just a bit more ginger beer to compensate for the lack of sugar. We like less sweet punch, and this combo was perfect. Keep in mind we didn’t have lots of ice, just the ring, so it wasn’t watered down much and I think thats how this combo worked. Will make annually now—thank you for the recipe!5 stars

  38. I’m going to make this Christmas Day with VSOP Brandy I’m curious to know if this would be ok I don’t see anyone else has made this with Brandi. I like it on the sweeter side though.5 stars

  39. This was delicious and a huge hit at my family Christmas this year. I did the nonalcohol version with white grape juice. It was an easy recipe that added such a festive look with the floating cranberries and oranges. I also made the overnight blueberry French toast for brunch today and it was a perfect addition to our meal. I’ll be making this again. Thank you for the great recipes!5 stars

  40. This was a huge hit at my small Christmas party. We are all strictly beer drinkers and everyone loved it! I should’ve made two batches because they were tipping the pitcher upside down to get the last drop lol! Thanks erin!5 stars

  41. Is diet ginger ale essential, rather than regular ginger ale or even ginger beer? I tend to not like the aftertaste on diet sodas. Please advise.

    1. Hi Linda! I typically use regular but others have tried it with success. If you decide to experiment with it, let me know how it goes!

  42. This was a hit! I ended up putting two bottles of rum in the bowl along with the two bottles of champagne and you still could not really taste the rum. Perfect flavor and addition to our party, I will be making this again!5 stars

    1. What kind of rum is the best to use? Bacardi dark, kraken rum or captain Morgan? I’m making this tomorrow and am sending husband to store today. Please reply as soon as possible. Thank you!

      1. Hi Michelle! There is no right or wrong answer to this. I suggest a dark rum of your preference. Hope you enjoy it!

  43. I made this punch last night. Wow. I’m a little foggy this morning :)
    The punch turned out perfectly even though I made one or two errors. I was very careful about the ingredients especially the cranberry juice. I got the La Marca Prosecco as well. I also got no sugar ginger ale. The rum was confusing to me, I got a Bacardi that was a light brown color. It was not spice, and it was not black so I went with it. I think that I made the right choice. Mistake number 1. I thought that it could use a little sweetness. So instead of simple syrup, because I didn’t feel like making any, I added sugar. Do Not Do This. I had an 8th grade science experiment happening in my punch bowl. So that settled down after awhile. Mistake number 2. I loved the idea of making an ice ring. I used my Bundt pan, I used distilled water and it was really pretty. What I didn’t do was compare the size if my punch bowl to the diameter of the ice ring. The ice ring made it impossible to put the ladle into the punch bowl. We made due. This punch was so beautiful and really didn’t need the sweetness that I initially thought that it needed. All of my guests LOVED it. It didn’t taste like alcohol so do be careful. I will make this punch again and again. Thank you, Erin!

  44. I made this punch last night for a Christmas party and it was a big hit. I had simple syrup on hand in case it needed some but I did not use it. I tasted it and thought it was just perfect without it. Party guests raved about it and drank a lot of it. One person said she found it to be a little tart and I offered to add some of the simple syrup to her cup but she didn’t take me up on it. The punch looks beautiful as a Christmas punch. I froze cranberries in big square ice cubes to float around and also floated cinnamon sticks. It was a big hit and I would definitely make it again!5 stars

  45. Did anyone ever try the vodka? I’m looking for any comment where someone tried vodka but no one has given a review. I am not really a rum person, so thinking of making the substitution…. thank you to anyone

    1. Hi Jessica, sorry I’m just seeing this. For next time, you can add everything but the sparkling wine/ginger ale so that it stays bubbly. Hope you enjoyed it!

  46. This is the first thing to go year after year at my Christmas party (and was an even bigger hit at the one we had to move to lunchtime). I continually get asked for the recipe – people love it! I even made a non-alcoholic version for the kiddos!5 stars

  47. This was excellent. I really appreciated that it was not too sweet. To me it seems more like a cross between a cocktail and a punch. My guests loved it!5 stars

  48. If you don’t drink alcohol…. what do you replace the rum with? I saw your suggestion for wine replacement, but not sure what to use for rum. Thanks

    1. Hi Jennifer, There is a non alcoholic version listed in the post. It says: Omit the alcohol from this recipe, and use sparkling white grape juice or lemon-lime soda instead of wine. Prepare as directed. Hope you enjoy it!

    1. Hi Paula! I have it written out in the post but you can use sparkling white grape juice or lemon-lime soda instead of wine and omit the alcohol. Enjoy!

  49. Hello!
    I’m thinking of making this for our Christmas. Would spiced rum be ok? Also, for the dry sparkling wine, can you suggest one that would work that isn’t so dry? No one in the family cares for dry. It’s hard to please them all.

    1. Hi Chris! You can certainly do spiced rum; it will change the flavor but still be yummy. Honestly by the time you add the other ingredients, it sweetens up the punch, so I think you can still use a brut. Otherwise, the next step down is called “extra dry” (confusing I know!); a sweeter one will be VERY sweet.

  50. Silly question, is the apple cider supposed to be pasteurized ? The one I saw at Trader Joe’s is a little cloudy. Is that the right one?

  51. I plan to make this for a Christmas party and I’m not much of a rum drinker. By dark rum do you mean spiced rum or is there a dark rum that isn’t spiced?

    1. Hi Dede! There is dark rum that isn’t spiced. Just check the labels and it should be minus the cinnamon, allspice & star anise. Enjoy!

  52. Looks perfect and I’m making tonight for a xmas party with girlfriends. I forgot the orange slices but does it really impart a needed flavor? If so, would a half cup of triple sec or Cointreau suffice?5 stars

    1. Hi Angie, I think it would be okay without the orange slices and adding the addition of one of the two liqueurs. If you end up testing it out that way, I’d love to know how it goes!

  53. This is so good!!! I made this because of all of the positive comments so I wanted to add one as well. Normally I would never make a drink with rum but I was looking for a drink that wasn’t too sweet and the comments made this one sound like it was worth trying. I’m so glad I did!! I bought enough to double it but just one batch makes plenty!!5 stars

  54. Can we garnish it with star Anaïs and cinnamon sticks to make the bowl
    Look pretty or will it change the flavors? I saw another recipe with these added but it was a different recipe
    With more juices5 stars

  55. I made this for a Christmas work party gathering and everyone loved it. I am not a drinker, so I did not like it but they drank it all . Definitely very pretty as in presentation and tasty per my guests !!5 stars

    1. Hi Kara! Sure!! I think bourbon would be delicious. I’d do something smoother. Bulleit is always a good pick!

    1. Delicious! I’m not even a drinker and I liked this punch! I decided to make it because I was hosting Christmas dinner. It was I hit for everyone!! I had to refill it. Thank goodness I bought extra supplies 🤭5 stars

  56. Hi Erin! I’m planning on making this recipe this weekend for my Christmas party, but I like my drinks a little sweeter. Would you recommend still using dry white wine, or getting a sweeter sparkling wine?

    Thanks in advance!

  57. Hello!! With all the rave reviews, I’m excited to make this for a family Christmas celebration tomorrow. I have two questions: 1) what brand of ginger ale? Canada Dry or Vernors? I’m curious because they taste totally different. 2) As a fellow non-rum drinker, does the brandy taste just as good? Or rather, will I enjoy the rum because the flavor is masked? Maybe I’ll make 2 versions!! Haha!!

    1. Hi Elina, while I haven’t tried it myself, a few other readers have used ginger beer with great success. Hope you enjoy it!

  58. Why does it used diet ginger ale? I don’t usually like the taste of the nutrisweet. Would regular be too sugary?

  59. I made this punch for our annual Christmas party last night. To say it was a hit is an understatement. I was surprised by how many people drank it and raved about it. It wasn’t tart at all. Everyone loved it. I was told it was a must have at all of our future parties even our spring crawfish boil!5 stars

    1. Hi Cindy, they are two different things. This contains apple cider which is non-alcoholic. Hard apple cider is alcoholic. Hope this helps!

  60. I live in a foreign country – I can only find cranberry juice cocktail. Will it taste bad if I use it? or should I alter it in some way?

    1. Hi Dorrie, I think it should be okay. Would love to know how it turns out if you decide to experiment with them!

    1. Marilen, it just depends what you like! It will be sweeter with a coconut flavor along with the cranberry that’s already in there. If that’s your jam, go for it!

  61. Hello, I froze ice cubes with cranberries and rosemary in them. Do you think the rosemary would change the flavor too much if I added these cubes to the punch bowl? Has anyone else tried this? Thank you!5 stars

    1. No it won’t, rosemary doesn’t do much without heat or being super squeezed, it just smells/looks nice! Tried it myself! Go for it.

  62. Going to make this for Christmas, sounds like a hit. Going to use Bacardi gold because I’ve never seen a Captain Morgan that ISN’T spiced. Also when you say apple cider it sounds like you are referring to store bought bottles labeled apple cider. But if you look at the ingredients of that and regular apple juice, they are exactly the same, at least for regular brands like Treetop. Apple cider traditionally is supposed to be made with mulling spices. So I guess I’m asking do you go find special apple cider with the spices listed in the ingredients or do you make the cider at home yourself by heating with mulling spices.

      1. Made the punch! Was a hit! I’m the only one in my circle with any mixologist chops, when I first saw Christmas Punch I was skeptical, punch is hard to land right these days but when I saw the ingredients I knew this was a good setup. Even my very discerning brother in law loved it! Made a few tweaks:

        – Mixed all non-bubbly liquids in a 2gal jug, tossed in two packets of R.W. KNUDSEN brand organic mulling spices (to make the apple cider into real apple cider and a few orange slices.) And put it in the fridge over night. Made a second batch with a 2 rosemary sprigs as well to test it but didn’t change the flavor at all, so go ahead and make those festive rosemary ice cubes!

        – when it was go time I added two oranges worth of fresh squeezed orange fruit (probably unnecessary but it’s important to have fresh fruit from at least one source in your fruit oriented drinks to give it that fresh real fruit taste, and every store was out of cranberries of any kind)

        – Added in the champagne, canada dry gingerale, and one 12oz bottle of Bedford’s Ginger Beer (again real flavors add magic) and then added about 3-5 tablespoons of simple syrup, because felt the dryness was taking from the brightness of the juices.

        – I poured them into glass cups with ice and laid half a sprig of rosemary on top on the side as garnish to make it look like a mini xmas tree was resting on top. The lovely Rosemary smell was a pleasant bonus.

        With this what I ended up with was a smooth tasting cranberry apple bright drink with spices from the gold rum, ginger and mulling spices that danced in your mouth at the end of each sip, inviting you back for more.

        Thanks again Erin, making again for new years, happy holidays everyone!4 stars

  63. This was super easy and SO delicious!! I saved the recipe and will absolutely make this over and over again. Very festive!5 stars

  64. Is the non alcoholic recipe just the same as the other recipe but without the Prosecco and rum? Any other substitutes made?

    1. Hi Sarah! The non alcoholic version is in the post under “Recipe Adaptions” but it’s pretty much just the same except you’ll need to add other liquids. Enjoy!

  65. Excellent. It was so tasty. I normally only offer beer and wine but wanted something different and festive to offer my guests. This punch delivered! All my guests loved it. I made it exactly as the recipe indicated except for the cranberries because I couldn’t find any. Thank you for the great recipe.5 stars

  66. Made this for our family Christmas Eve party with bourbon and it was a hit! Even people who don’t normally drink bourbon liked it! And it looked so pretty in the punch bowl!5 stars

  67. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed on Christmas! Not too sweet is the key here. Think very tasty, flavor filled seltzer. Downside? Expensive to put together! I figured $50 a batch with leftover rum and apple cider.5 stars

    1. Alisa, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Hosting is definitely an expense, but I hope you felt like it was worth it!