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Presents from Santa aren’t the only reason to get excited about Christmas morning! This family-friendly and festive Christmas morning punch recipe is a combination of pineapple juice, orange juice, cranberry cocktail, and ginger ale, garnished with cranberries and fresh orange slices, and the perfect way to get the holiday festivities off to a refreshing start!
When it comes to the holiday season, I think a festive drink is just as much a part of the traditions as any main meal or dessert
Whether it’s slow cooker apple cider or a Christmas morning cocktail mimosa, there’s something so special about going the extra mile and putting together a drink menu for holiday parties and overnight guests. And there’s nothing better than a good Christmas punch!
This Christmas morning punch recipe is one of my favorites! It’s a refreshing combination of cranberry cocktail, orange juice, pineapple juice, and ginger ale! It’s sweet and tangy and delightfully fizzy. Perfect for sipping on while you open up presents or enjoying brunch with the family!
Why you’ll love this easy Christmas Morning Punch recipe
A Festive Drink – The fresh cranberries and orange slices for garnish add holiday whimsy to each glass. You can even add a rim of sprinkles and a sprig of rosemary if you’d like!
Easy to Make – It takes just 5 minutes to make and then it’s into the fridge to chill until you’re ready to serve to a small crowd on Christmas day or a big batch for a holiday party. Can’t get any easier than that.
Flavorful & Refreshing – It’s got all of our favorite fruit juices in one. It’s a combination of sweet, tart, citrusy, and fizzy which is always a crowd-pleaser!
Family-Friendly – It’s a mocktail made with ginger ale so the whole family can enjoy it for Christmas breakfast! Of course, there are ways to make it a cocktail too, if you’d like to serve it at your next christmas party.
Equipment you’ll need
Ingredients
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe, why you need them, and possible substitutions. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card with measurements.
- Cranberry Cocktail – Cranberry cocktail is a sweeter version of pure cranberry juice. On its own cranberry juice is quite bitter and tart, so for this, we’re looking for a cocktail!
- Pineapple Juice – Pineapple and cranberry are a great pairing. The slightly tart with the deliciously sweet is a great balance.
- Orange Juice – This gives the Christmas morning punch its stunning orange color and adds a citrus element to the drink.
- Ginger Ale – For the fizz!
- Garnish – Fresh cut fruit like slices of oranges and cranberries are perfect for the holidays!
How to make Christmas Morning Punch
This section shows you how to make this recipe, with process photos showing the steps to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Step One: Add all of the ingredients into a large pitcher or punch bowl. Stir to combine.
- Step Two: Chill the punch in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
- Step Three: Add orange slices and cranberries to the punch and then ladle or pour the Christmas morning punch into individual glasses and serve.
Tips & Suggestions
- You’ll need a 50-ounce/1.59-liter pitcher to hold the amount of punch made from this recipe.
- To make this an adult bevy, add a splash of vodka, or swap the ginger ale for sparkling wine or champagne.
- For a little extra fun with the festive garnish, dip the rims of the glasses in orange juice and then red sprinkles.
- Sprigs of fresh rosemary or fresh mint are always great for garnishing holiday drinks. It brings a little foliage to the entire look.
- Don’t forget to wash your oranges and cranberries before adding them to your punch!
- No ginger ale? Try lemon-lime soda instead.
- Try adding a bit of almond extract to the punch. It rounds it out with a warm flavor note! Rum extract or vanilla extract would also be tasty!
How to store Christmas Morning Punch
How long will Christmas punch last in the fridge?
Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. The ginger ale will probably become flat at some point, but nothing a little fresh splash won’t cure!
Can I freeze this holiday punch?
Not going to lie, Christmas punch popsicles sound mighty delicious! Or pour some into an ice cube tray to serve in other drinks…
Truthfully though, it’s so easy to make in just 5 minutes, I don’t think you’ll need to freeze it for later.
FAQs
Certainly. Play around with the amount of juice you use. Use more pineapple juice if you’d like, or even a little extra ginger ale.
If you’re looking for the opposite, you might want to use pure cranberry juice instead of the cocktail for a little extra tartness.
Increase the amount of cranberry cocktail juice you use. It just means you’ll lessen the amount of the other juice flavors.
Certainly! Make it on Christmas Eve and keep it chilled overnight. It’s best to add the ginger ale just before serving, so it doesn’t go flat. As long as your ginger ale is cold, you can add it in last.
It is best served cold, especially once the flavors blend nicely, but if you’re in a hurry, you can skip it. Just be sure to add plenty of ice cubes to everyone’s glass.
You can also add an ice ring to the bowl of punch.
Christmas Punch Recipe
Need more festive drink recipes? Try these:
Click here for my entire collection of drink recipes.
Easy Christmas Morning Punch
Ingredients
- 2 cups cranberry cocktail juice
- 2 cups pineapple juice
- 2 cups orange juice
- 2 cups ginger ale
- orange slices and cranberries for garnish
Instructions
- To a large pitcher (approximately 50 ounces/1.59 liters) or a punch bowl, add all the ingredients and stir.
- Move the container to the fridge to chill for at least 1 hour.
- Add orange slices and cranberries as garnish and serve by the cup.
Notes
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- If making ahead of time, it is best to keep the ginger ale separate and add it before serving.
- You can add vodka to make this an adult beverage or substitute the ginger ale for champagne.
- Dip the rim of the cups in orange juice and red sprinkles for a more festive look.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
I think it might be good with pomegranate juice and pomegranate seeds, too, instead of cranberries.