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Autumn Punch

Autumn punch made with apple cider, cranberry juice, and orange juice for a deep amber-gold flavor. Chill to develop flavor, then finish with ginger ale for a lightly sparkling, fruit-forward drink with cinnamon and star anise.
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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: 140
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Apple cider
  • 4 cup apple cider Main base liquid for the punch.
Cranberry juice
  • 2 cup cranberry juice Adds tartness and deep color.
Orange juice
  • 1 cup orange juice Brightens the flavor.
Ginger ale or sparkling cider
  • 2 cup ginger ale or sparkling cider Add right before serving to keep it fizzy.
Maple syrup or honey
  • 0.25 cup maple syrup or honey Sweetens and balances the juices.
Orange
  • 1 orange Slice for floating garnish.
Apple
  • 1 apple Thinly slice for floating garnish.
Cinnamon sticks
  • 4 cinnamon sticks Aromatics for fall spice flavor.
Star anise
  • 6 star anise Warm, licorice-like spice notes.
Fresh rosemary sprigs
  • 0.5 cup fresh rosemary sprigs Garnish immediately before serving.
Ice
  • 1 ice or a frozen ice ring Use to chill the punch during serving.
Bourbon or dark rum (optional, spiked version)
  • 2 cup bourbon or dark rum Optional: add for a spiked version.

Equipment

  • 1 punch bowl

Method
 

Mix the punch base
  1. In a large punch bowl or pitcher, combine apple cider, cranberry juice, orange juice, and maple syrup or honey. Stir well until the sweetener dissolves and the mixture looks uniform.
Add spices and fruit
  1. Add orange slices, apple slices, cinnamon sticks, and star anise to the punch bowl and stir gently to distribute. The fruit should float and the spices should spread through the liquid.
Chill to develop flavor
  1. Refrigerate the punch for 1 hour to develop flavors. Keep it covered so the aromatics stay concentrated.
Finish and serve
  1. Just before serving, add ginger ale or sparkling cider and ice. Stir once to combine and keep the drink lightly sparkling.
Garnish
  1. Garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs and extra fruit slices right before the first pour. Serve immediately so the fruit and herbs look fresh in the bowl.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the ginger ale/sparkling cider and ice for right before serving so the punch stays fizzy. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container up to 3 days; the fruit will soften over time, but flavor remains good. Freezing is not recommended because citrus and juices can change texture. For a lighter option, replace half the maple syrup with additional orange juice and add a pinch of salt to balance sweetness.