Christmas Punch Recipe

Refreshing Christmas punch infused with holiday flavors and decorated with festive garnishes. With or without alcohol, not overly sweet, tart, citrusy, and fun – it is a perfect festive punch for a holiday celebration.

This holiday punch recipe combines the best Christmas flavors and colors, and white rum just adds that extra holiday spirit if you’d like.

Among lots of warm and fun drinks you could possibly make for Christmas or NYE, punch is, somehow, a classic. So here is my version!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Available in non-alcoholic Christmas punch version or alcoholic Christmas punch (with white rum) version – easy to adjust for your Christmas party so your whole family can enjoy it.
• It’s an easy Christmas punch recipe that literally takes 5 minutes of prep work but this recipe makes whooping 92 oz of drink. Really big batch!
• Perfect drink for a holiday gathering on a Christmas day or holiday brunch with friends.
• Aromas add sooo many cozy vibes to Christmas night!

Ingredients Notes

• Cranberry juice (or cranberry juice cocktail) is what gives signature festive color and flavor.
• Pineapple-orange juice. Using unsweetened juice yields a super tart punch. I recommend Tropicana pineapple-orange juice for the best flavor. You can, of course, use orange juice and pineapple juice separately too.
• Red hots (cinnamon-flavored candy). In a slow cooker, they will melt and give sweetness and color.
• Cinnamon sticks (5 inches each) for aromas, warm spiced taste, and decoration.
• White rum is optional if you want to make a Christmas punch with alcohol. You can simply omit it if you’re organizing a kids-friendly party. See Substitutions to learn what else you can use instead of white rum.

As you can see I don’t use any added sugars, but if you want your drinks really sweet you can use white or brown sugar.

Suggested Garnishes

Garnish is what really brings the holiday spirit out. You can decorate festive Christmas punch with the following:

• fresh cranberries or frozen cranberries
• fresh orange slices or candied. You can set up orange slices on the side of the glasses too.
• lime slices
• apple slices (you can use star-shaper or Christmas tree cookie cutters to make festive decor)
• cinnamon sticks and star anise
• pomegranate arils (same as pomegranate seeds)
• fresh rosemary, cloves
• festive ice ring (will also keep this refreshing drink cool)

Kitchen Equipment

• 6-Quart Crockpot
• Large punch bowl, pitchers, or drink dispenser (for serving)

How To Make Christmas Punch

1. Add cranberry juice, pineapple-orange juice, red hot candies, and cinnamon sticks to the slow cooker insert.
2. Cover and cook on low for 3 hours.
3. For alcoholic punch: If you want to add rum, stir it in at the end of the cooking process. I like to use a wooden spoon for this.
4. Turn the slow cooker to the warm setting to keep this drink warm or transfer to pitchers and refrigerate until ready to serve.
5. Ladle, garnish, and enjoy.

Storage

Store in a sealed pitcher for up to 3 days if the rum has not been added. 

Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months – if the rum has not been added.

Make this punch ahead of your holiday party and refrigerate until ready to use.

Heat up in the crockpot about an hour before serving. If you want, you can drink the Christmas punch cold too.

Substitutions & Variations

• Juice substitutions. You can also use other fruit juices like pomegranate juice, white grape juice, pineapple juice, fresh orange juice, and sparkling apple juice. Using different juices will affect the taste, of course.
• You can also easily add soda to your punch for some fizzy touches and sweetness: ginger ale, Sprite, club soda, ginger beer, apple cider, seltzer, or classic lemon-lime soda.
• Spices add-ons like cloves, allspice, star anise, and ginger will bring more warmth.
• Rum substitutes. If you want a lighter cocktail, use sparkling wine, Champagne, Prosecco, or red wine. If you don’t mind strong liquor, you can also use vodka or triple sec. If you want bubbles but without alcohol, simply use sparkling apple juice (or any other sparkling juice) or sparkling cider.
• Serve this festive drink in a large pitcher with some fresh fruit.

Expert Tips To Make The Best Christmas Punch

• If the punch is too tart, add more red hots and let cook for another 30 minutes. Be sure to stir well.
• If you need the punch to stay chilled, you can use reusable ice cubes – they don’t melt and dilute the drink!

Popular Questions

What Is Christmas Punch Made Of?

Christmas punch is usually made of a mix of juices like cranberry juice, pineapple juice, orange, and apple juices, and the addition of warm spices, especially cinnamon and red hots to add more festive colors.

What Is Grinch Punch Made Of?

Grinch Punch uses fruit juices, soda, and something with lime (lime sherbet, soda, lime Kool-Aid, etc). It has a distinctive green color and you can decorate glass rims with red sanding sugar.

What Is The Traditional Christmas Drink?

Mulled wine, eggnog, and Christmas punch are the top-3 most popular holiday drinks people love to make and drink for Christmas and New Year’s. They have non-alcoholic versions too so the whole family can indulge.

What Is Another Name For Christmas Punch?

Spiced Christmas punch is close to the traditional English drink Wassail – warm mulled ale, wine, or cider with some spices. It is also often decorated with cinnamon sticks and orange slices. 

If you love this party punch recipe, you’re going to love these other beverage ideas too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

More Holiday Drinks

Holiday Punch Recipe

Three Wise Men Shots

Slow Cooker Wassail Recipe

Boozy Christmas Coffee

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