Ingredients
Cranberries Honey or maple syrup Fresh ginger All-spice berries Cloves Cinnamon sticks Cranberry or pomegranate juice Orange juice Vodka Sparkling water Chai spice sugar Cinnamon sugar Oranges Mint Star anise
Kitchen Supplies
Small pot Pitcher or punch bowl Shallow bowl to mix the chai sugar
And here we go! It’s finally time to share the first Thanksgiving cocktail of the holiday season. Who doesn’t love a holiday punch? We’ve got only two Saturdays left before Thanksgiving and I have each day set with cocktails that I’m so excited to share. First, the Thanksgiving “party” punch. I struggled with just what to call this pretty cocktail because I know many of us are not gathering for large Thanksgiving dinners this year. We’ve all said, it’s going to be a different holiday season. But that doesn’t mean our celebrations should be any less fun, even if they’re on the smaller side. And let’s be real, no matter the size of your Thanksgiving gathering, everyone needs a good punch. So whether you’re celebrating with a small group, or there’s just two of you…party punch is essential. And the leftovers are even better come black Friday.
Making this spiced cranberry punch is easy.
The key to this fun drink is the cranberry jam/syrup. It uses fresh fruit just like a jam would, but its consistency is much more syrup-like. It’s a bit of a cross between jam and syrup. Whatever you’d like to call it, it’s a delicious mix of sweet honey, fresh tart cranberries, spicy ginger, cinnamon, plus warming all-spice and cloves. The honey balances out the tart cranberries, while the mulling spices add coziness and warmth. Perfect for a Thanksgiving cocktail To make the jam, just add all ingredients to a pot. Bring to a boil, boil a minute or two, and done. So simple and easy, but it’s the heart of this festive holiday punch.
Once the jam has cooled, strain out the mulling spices and burst cranberries. You can either leave some of the burst cranberries swirled throughout the jam, or strain them all out. I like to leave some of the cranberries behind. I love the festive color they add to each drink. Perfect for holiday parties! Once the jam has been strained, add it to a large pitcher with cranberry juice, orange juice, and vodka. Chill until ready to serve, then simply top the punch off with sparkling water. Couldn’t be easier. If you wanted to switch up the alcohol, a spiced rum would be especially delicious and fun too! In fact, I might make a rum version for my family, they’d love it!
Finish it up.
Just before serving, add fresh orange slices. I used blood oranges, but small clementines would be great, and really pretty too. This cocktail is both refreshing and warming, perfect for a chilly November night, or a snow-filled Thanksgiving Day…which is exactly what I’m hoping for this year. Complete with freshly baked pies, candles, and family. Already so excited!
Looking for other Thanksgiving cocktails? Here are my favorites: Cranberry Bourbon Sour Thanksgiving Sangria Pumpkin Patch Punch Vanilla Chai Old Fashioned Lastly, if you make this Spiced Cranberry Punch, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
