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Autumn Punch

Autumn punch made with apple cider, cranberry juice, and orange juice, chilled to let the spices bloom. Stir in cinnamon sticks and star anise, then top with ginger ale for a lightly sparkling finish.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Calories: 160
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Autumn punch base
  • 4 cup apple cider
  • 2 cup cranberry juice
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 2 cup ginger ale or sparkling cider add just before serving
  • 0.25 cup maple syrup or honey
  • 1 orange sliced
  • 1 apple thinly sliced
  • 4 cinnamon sticks
  • 6 star anise
  • fresh rosemary sprigs for garnish
  • 1 ice or a frozen ice ring
Optional spiked version
  • 2 cup bourbon or dark rum for spiked version

Equipment

  • 1 punch bowl

Method
 

Mix the punch
  1. In a large punch bowl or pitcher, combine apple cider, cranberry juice, orange juice, and maple syrup or honey.
  2. Stir well, then add orange slices, apple slices, cinnamon sticks, and star anise.
Chill to develop flavor
  1. Refrigerate for 1 hour to develop flavors, keeping the bowl covered so the spices infuse evenly.
Finish and serve
  1. Just before serving, add ginger ale or sparkling cider and ice to keep the punch lightly sparkling and cold.
  2. Garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs and extra fruit slices, then serve immediately.

Notes

Pro tip: chill the spiced base first, then add ginger ale/sparkling cider right before serving so it stays fizzy. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days (add ginger ale and ice on the day of serving). Freezing is not recommended because citrus and ginger ale can separate after thawing. For a lighter option, use honey in place of maple syrup and substitute a lower-sugar ginger ale if desired.