Festive Cinnamon Ginger Apple Cider Punch Recipe

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Last updated on February 6th, 2023 at 06:20 pm

There’s no better way to celebrate the holiday season than with this delicious punch recipe. It’s packed with warming spices, sweet apple cider, cream, and ginger ale. This delicious and festive apple cider punch is perfect for a fall holiday party or any other occasion that calls for a spiced cider!

Party punches are pretty easy to make and very hard to mess up. Just toss a bunch of tasty drinks together and mix in a few things to put it all over the top. But if you’re wanting a drink that perfectly fits the season and mood, then look no further than the recipe below.

Unlike my Thanksgiving punch recipe, this one does not come from family tradition. Just a fun, new punch that I wanted to create because I love apple cider and all of the typical seasonal spices.

This festive cinnamon ginger apple cider punch is the perfect thing to serve to friends and family. It’s light and refreshing with a hint of spice. Here’s how to make a delicious drink perfect for Thanksgiving, holiday parties, Christmas, or just because.

The Apple Cider of It All

It’s the season for apples! And so, now is the time to make use of fresh, delicious apple cider. I absolutely love apple cider and can hardly get enough of it during the apple season.

And that’s really the inspiration behind this recipe. I really just needed an excuse to drink more apple cider. So, why not make an apple cider punch?

What’s the big difference between regular old apple juice and seasonal apple cider anyways?

The difference between apple juice and apple cider all comes down to the processing. Both start with pressing apples, but apple juice is then filtered and pasteurized for better shelf stability. Juice may also have preservatives or sugar added as well. Cider is unfiltered and unpasteurized.

This is why cider is typically only made available during the apple harvest season. It just doesn’t last as long and will relatively quickly ferment into apple cider vinegar or alcoholic cider. The sediment at the bottom of apple cider is a result of the lack of filtering but just needs a quick shake before serving.

This punch is a wonderful way to serve the traditional drink.

Apple Cider Punch Ingredients

As I said above, making a batch of apple cider punch isn’t difficult. All you need to do is mix together the ingredients in a large punch bowl or beverage server (at least 2 gallons…).

The idea behind apple cider punch is pretty simple. It’s a smooth, lightly carbonated spiced apple drink that’s meant to be enjoyed as a sipping beverage. It has a light sweetness, a little tartness, and a nice, crisp finish.

Though cider is also frequently served warm, I wanted a cold beverage for this punch. For a warmer fall drink, try my decadent homemade hot chocolate.

First and foremost, start with apple cider.

Find apple cider in stores from mid-September through November. Or, better yet, find a local orchard that sells fresh cider. If you can’t find it anywhere, then you can substitute apple juice if you really need to. It’ll just be a little less flavorful.

The other main ingredient in this punch is ginger ale. This will lend carbonation that helps lift the party punch up a bit.

Heavy cream completely changes the color and texture of the drink while cranberry juice adds a bit of tartness.

The final additions to the punch are an array of spices and flavorings. Included spices are nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice. And for a bit more flavor, we add a bit of vanilla extract.

The mix of spices is the same that can be found in my spiced pumpkin pie recipe.

Mixing the Apple Cider Punch

The quick and dirty way to make a punch is just to mix everything together all at once. Which is serviceable, but can be improved.

The biggest pitfall in the full-dump method is losing carbonation quickly. So, I mix the punch together in sort of batches. Start by mixing just the heavy cream, spices, and vanilla extract. This provides a good base to begin mixing with everything else.

Then add in the cranberry juice and apple cider. Use a whisk or a good ladle to stir everything together as best as possible. The spices like to try and clump together, so thorough mixing is required.

Finally, add in the ginger ale and give it a quick stir. Be gentle during this mixing step to disturb the carbonation as little as possible.

On to the fun part of serving the punch.

Serving the Apple Cider Punch

This apple cider punch is a fun and easy drink for holiday parties. To take it to the next level, focus on having an interesting presentation and options for topping the drink.

You may want to have ice available for the drink to help keep it cold. I am not the biggest fan of ice. I think it waters down the flavors of the drink too much. But I know some people would rather have ice to chill.

I recommend serving the punch in a large pitcher with a ladle. The drink will separate over time. Just mix it back together. So having the drink in an open pitcher makes it possible to stir everything together as needed. A beverage server with a spout could also work but would be harder to stir. You will need a container with at least a 2-gallon capacity.

A pitcher can also be great for serving as it makes pouring the drink easy. However, be aware that most pitchers would not have a very large capacity, so you’d end up having to refill it.

When it comes to serving apple cider punch, you can also go with something simple. But here are some options if you want to fancy it up:

• Top the drink with homemade whipped cream
• Colored sugars for glass rims
• Sprinkle the top with nutmeg
• Use cinnamon sticks, star anise, whole cloves, cranberries, or apple slices to garnish the punch bowl

When serving, be careful when pouring the liquid. Make sure that you pour slowly so that it doesn’t splash or run down the outside of the glass.

How to Store the Punch

This recipe makes a huge batch of punch. Which is great, but it can also mean that you have some left over after your gathering or holiday party is over.

First of all, you should always keep your punch in the fridge when it isn’t being served.

Once your punch is made, keep it cool as best as possible. You may be able to surround your punch bowl or serving container with ice.

Storing punch can be tricky. The carbonation will typically end up going flat overnight, depending on how you store it. Store the punch in the fridge for up to a week. Maybe have a little extra ginger ale on hand to pour into any leftovers to help revive it a bit.

In the end, this recipe is really quick to make. And, it’s fun to serve. So, if you want to make your party a success, consider serving this festive cinnamon ginger apple cider punch. It’s a delicious, refreshing drink that you’ll love!

How did yours turn out?

I’d love to hear when you try out this apple cider punch! Take a pic of your food and share your success with me by adding it to your Instagram stories or feed, and tagging me @doyouroux, or by using #doyouroux.

Plus, leave a rating to let me know how you liked the recipe. It helps me out a lot to know how things worked out… or didn’t.

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