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–+ servings
A close-up of a festive Thanksgiving drink with cranberries, orange slice, cinnamon stick, and star anise.

What Makes Perfect Thanksgiving Drinks? Try This

Discover a festive cranberry punch recipe perfect for your Thanksgiving gathering. This recipe includes a homemade cranberry syrup and offers a delightful blend of seasonal flavors.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Chilling Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 10 people
Course: Holiday, Thanksgiving
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cranberry Syrup
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 cup fresh cranberries
  • 1 stick cinnamon stick
  • 1 large orange zest from 1 large orange
Punch
  • 6 cup 100% cranberry juice or cranberry pomegranate juice
  • 3 cup spiced apple cider
  • 1/3 cup orange juice
  • 2 dashes orange bitters
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 orange sliced
  • 4 sticks cinnamon sticks
  • 2 cup sparkling white grape juice, or ginger beer
  • 1 star anise for garnish

Equipment

  • Medium pot
  • Large pitcher
  • Punch bowl
  • Cocktail glasses

Method
 

  1. To make the Cranberry Syrup. In a medium pot, combine 1/2 cup water, maple syrup, brown sugar, cranberries, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 5 minutes or until the cranberries begin to burst. Remove from heat. Stir in the orange zest. If your syrup thickens too quickly, add additional water to thin. Let cool. If desired, strain out the cranberries.
  2. To make the punch. In a large pitcher, combine the syrup, cranberry juice, apple cider, orange juice, bitters, and vanilla. Stir until combined. Add the cinnamon sticks and 1-2 star anise (if desired). Chill until ready to serve.
  3. Just before serving, add ice to your punch bowl. Pour over the sparkling grape juice. Stir in the orange slices. Add ice to cocktail glasses and pour over the punch. Serve with sugared cranberries (if desired).

Notes

This recipe was inspired by a personal experience of hosting Thanksgiving and wanting to create a unique drink that complemented the meal. The use of fresh ingredients and seasonal spices aims to provide a memorable and flavorful experience for your guests.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!