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Cranberry Cider Punch Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.5 from 56 reviews
  • Author: Lisa
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Beverage
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

A refreshing and festive cranberry cider punch perfect for autumn gatherings. This punch combines the warmth of spiced autumn simple syrup, the tartness of bursting fresh cranberries, and the fizz of ginger beer for a deliciously balanced seasonal beverage.


Ingredients

Scale

Autumn Simple Syrup

  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 3 cinnamon sticks
  • 2 star anise
  • A few slices of orange rind

Bursting Cranberries

  • 1 cup fresh cranberries
  • 1/3 cup water

Punch

  • 1 1/2 cups apple cider
  • 3/4 cups cranberry juice
  • 2/3 cup ginger beer
  • 1/3 cup autumn simple syrup

Instructions

  1. Make Autumn Simple Syrup: Combine brown sugar, water, nutmeg, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and orange rind in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves, then let simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and allow the syrup to cool completely. You can store it in the fridge for a few days, keeping the spices and orange rind inside for flavor. Remove them just before using.
  2. Prepare Bursting Cranberries: In a separate saucepan, add fresh cranberries and water. Heat over medium until the water begins to simmer and the cranberries start bursting, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Reserve these cranberries to mix into the punch and to garnish glasses.
  3. Mix the Punch: In a large bowl or pitcher, gently stir together apple cider, cranberry juice, ginger beer, and the prepared autumn simple syrup. Taste the mixture; since ginger beers vary in spiciness, adjust the amount of simple syrup or cider to your sweetness preference. If substituting ginger ale for ginger beer, reduce the simple syrup slightly. Serve the punch over crushed ice to keep it cool and garnish each glass with bursting cranberries for a festive presentation.

Notes

  • Keep the spices and orange rind in the simple syrup while storing to maintain flavor; remove before using.
  • Adjust sweetness based on the spiciness of your ginger beer or ginger ale.
  • Using crushed ice is important to chill the punch without diluting it too quickly.
  • The bursting cranberries add both flavor and visual appeal, so reserve some for garnish.
  • Store unused autumn simple syrup refrigerated for up to a week.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cup
  • Calories: 120
  • Sugar: 24g
  • Sodium: 10mg
  • Fat: 0g
  • Saturated Fat: 0g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 0g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 30g
  • Fiber: 1g
  • Protein: 0g
  • Cholesterol: 0mg