This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
Getting in the Thanksgiving spirit with this Spiced Cranberry Punch. Homemade spiced cranberry jam with delicious flavors – warming mulling spices, sweet honey, fresh citrus, and plenty of vodka. Mix everything together to create an easy, festive, pitcher style cocktail that’s simple to create, warming, and delicious. Added bonus? This easy punch recipe is pretty enough to be the centerpiece of your holiday table and can be made ahead of time for stress-free holiday entertaining. It’s the perfect cocktail to serve this Thanksgiving…and even Christmas too!
Half Baked Harvest At Home
20+ new recipes for wholesome comfort food made with everyday ingredients. Pre-order today! HBH At Home will be released on Tuesday, February 23rd!
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:
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!
This punch lasts for up to two weeks if it’s sealed in the refrigerator!
Spiced Cranberry Punch
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup, using more or less to your taste
- 1 inch fresh ginger, sliced
- 8 all-spice berries
- 5 cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 cups 100% cranberry or pomegranate juice
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 1/2-2 cups vodka
- 4-6 (12 ounce) cans sparkling water
- chai spice sugar or cinnamon sugar, for the rim, (optional)
- sliced oranges, mint, and star anise, for serving , (optional)
Instructions
- 1. In a pot, bring 1/2 cup water, the cranberries, honey, ginger, all-spice, cloves, and cinnamon sticks to a boil over high heat. Boil 5 minutes, until the cranberries begin to burst, then remove from the heat. Let cool. Remove the ginger slices, all-spice berries, and cloves. If desired, strain out the cranberries.2. In a large pitcher, combine the cranberry syrup, cranberry juice, orange juice, and vodka. Chill until ready to serve. 3. Just before serving, add the sparkling water. If desired, rim each class in Chai sugar (recipe in notes), then fill with ice and pour the punch over. Garnish each drink with an orange slice and star anise, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Refreshing and…depending how strong you want it…can add more or less sparkling water…greeting guests with a small glass of this with orange, cinnamon stick and star anise as a garnish is a great starter!! The spiced rum is an even BETTER idea…made it both ways!!
Love that! I am so happy you loved this recipe, Sandy! Thank you! xTieghan
Would it work to make this through step 2 a day in advance? Thanks!
Hey Kristi,
Yes that will work! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions. Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
Oh man was this great! You are the drink master!
Everyone loved this. Perfection!
Thank you!
Thank you Karen! xTieghan
Can’t wait to try this! Do you think i could possibly incorporate pomegranate juice/seeds in some type of way? I have a sister that had one bar request for a: pomegranate-flavored drink, but this recipe just looks too tasty to pass up. Only 1 of many Thanksgiving recipes I’ll be making of yours this year 🙂 Happy holidays!
Slightly obsessed with these images! I just came across your blog and love the style of everything! What do you shoot with? I also lived in Colorado for almost 10 years but near Denver. I can’t imagine living up in the mountains!
Hi Lizzy! I use a cannon 5D mark IV! I have them linked on my shop page, and I will leave the link below! xTieghan
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/shop/photography/
I’m wondering where you purchase your Star Anise at. I don’t think Thrive Market carries it. Thanks
Hi Betsey! You should be able to find it at any grocery store or a health food store! I hope this helps and if you have any other questions, I am here! Thank you! xTieghan
So excited to try this with my family for thanksgiving. I’m new to making cocktails but know ALL ingredients matter. Can you tell me a good sparkling water to use? are tonic or club soda the same taster for this kind of recipe?
Hey Shane,
I love the Kroger brand sparkling water, I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I sadly live in a place (Finland) that doesn’t have fresh cranberries right now but I found frozen. Do you think that could work similarly? Thanks!
This sounds excellent, I love a new way to use my mulling spices! I think I’ll make this with the spiced rum this weekend.
Thank you so much Katie! xTieghan
This
Hi! I was wondering…could you make the cranberry syrup a day before? That way you’d just have to combine an hour before and top with the sparkling water?
Thank you!
Hey Megan,
Yes that is totally fine to do! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I just ordered your cookbook! So excited!
Ah I hope you love it!! Thank you Hollis! xTieghan
What flavor of sparkling water do you add? Thanks!
Hey Hollis,
I would use a plain sparking water. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
You mentioned trying spiced rum instead of vodka. What spiced rum do you plan to use with the Cranberry punch?
Hey Betsy,
I would use your fave rum. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan…I’m currently 15 weeks pregnant…this sounds so so good for the holiday. I’m assuming that I can just leave out the vodka right?
Hey Melissa,
You bet!! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan