Spiced Holiday Punch Blend (Printable version)
Aromatic mix of fruit juices and spices ideal for holiday gatherings and celebrations.
# List of ingredients:
→ Juices
01 - 34 fl oz cranberry juice
02 - 17 fl oz orange juice
03 - 8.5 fl oz apple juice
→ Spices & Flavorings
04 - 2 cinnamon sticks
05 - 5 whole cloves
06 - 3 star anise
07 - 1-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced
08 - Zest of 1 orange
09 - 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup (optional)
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Garnish
11 - 1 orange, sliced
12 - 1 apple, sliced
13 - Fresh cranberries (optional)
# Directions:
01 - In a large pot, combine cranberry juice, orange juice, apple juice, cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, sliced ginger, and orange zest.
02 - Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
03 - Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes to allow spices and juices to meld.
04 - Remove from heat and stir in honey or maple syrup if using, along with the vanilla extract.
05 - Strain the punch through a fine sieve to remove spices and ginger slices.
06 - Pour into a heatproof punch bowl, add orange slices, apple slices, and fresh cranberries for garnish, then serve warm in mugs or heatproof glasses.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It fills your kitchen with an aroma so welcoming that guests feel at home before they even sit down.
- The whole thing takes barely half an hour, yet tastes like you've been planning it all week.
- No fancy equipment needed, and it adapts beautifully whether you want it warm, cold, spiked, or plain.
02 -
- Don't let whole spices simmer longer than 15 minutes, or they flip from fragrant to bitter—set a timer and actually look at it.
- Fresh ginger changes everything; bottled or ground ginger tastes completely different, and not in a good way for this punch.
- Taste before serving; some juice brands run sweeter or more sour than others, so adjust the honey to what you're actually making, not what a recipe says you should make.
03 -
- Don't strain the punch until you're ready to serve it; keeping the spices in as it cools means the flavor keeps building and deepening.
- If you're making this for a crowd and need it to last a while, make a strong batch and let people dilute it with warm water or more juice as the evening goes on instead of thinning it out at the start.