Common Questions
Can I make Christmas punch the night before?
Yes. Make the base the night before: cranberry juice, orange juice, lime juice, simple syrup, and bitters. Chill it. Add ginger ale and sparkling wine right before serving so it stays fizzy.
How do I make it alcoholic?
The easiest way is sparkling wine in the bowl. If you want a little more warmth, add 1 cup dark rum to the base, taste, then add up to 1 1/2 cups total if you want it stronger. Punch strength varies a lot depending on how much ice melts and how much bubbly you use, so tasting is the safest move.
How do I keep it non-alcoholic but still special?
Swap sparkling wine for chilled club soda or a non-alcoholic sparkling wine. The bitters are optional. Most bitters contain alcohol, so skip them for fully zero-proof, or use alcohol-free bitters if you have them.
What can I use instead of ginger ale?
Lemon-lime soda makes it sweeter and more classic party-punch. Ginger beer makes it spicier and less sugary. You can also do half ginger ale, half club soda if you want it lighter. If you are watching sugar, diet ginger ale works too.
How do I keep punch cold without watering it down?
Use a large ice ring or cranberry juice ice cubes. A big chunk melts slower and looks dramatic in the bowl.
My punch tastes too tart. How do I fix it fast?
Stir in 1 tablespoon simple syrup at a time until it tastes balanced. If it is already sweet enough but still sharp, add a little more ginger ale or a splash of orange juice.
