Holiday Punch

The holiday season is quickly approaching! After last year's canceled plans, hopefully we are all able to gather with more friends and family this year. No matter the occasion, this Holiday Punch is my go-to punch to serve at holidays, birthdays, or really any other celebration I host. It only requires 4 ingredients, and I bet one might surprise you!

• Easy to make - making the Holiday Punch is as easy as dumping everything into a large pitcher or punch bowl. If you can open cans and bottles, you can make this recipe!
• Make ahead - this saves a minute or two of time, but making the base of the punch ahead of time can save on some fridge space. Instead of multiple bottles or cans sitting in the fridge, it's often nice to be able to consolidate ahead of time. The ginger ale should be added right before serving as you don't want it to lose it's carbonation.
• Traditional - there's just something nostalgic about a brightly colored punch at a celebration. Maybe your family has a special punch bowl set, or your grandma made an frozen ice mold that you remember floating around in the punch bowl. Something as simple as a punch at a gathering can spark a certain memory.
• Foolproof - this goes for most punch recipes. Many recipes usually consist of a variety of juices with some sort of carbonated beverage. The recipe may state a set ratio of these ingredients, but add a little more of this, a little less of that, and it's likely the punch is still going to taste great. This Holiday Punch recipe can also be doubled or even tripled if you are having a big bash!

The four ingredients needed for this Holiday Punch include:

• Cranberry juice cocktail
• Pineapple juice
• Ginger ale - to give the punch it's sparkle
• The secret ingredient - ALMOND EXTRACT! A little goes a long way, but gives the punch a unique and wonderful flavor! If you are concerned with serving a crowd with potential nut allergies, use an imitation almond extract or flavoring as this is considered safe for people with nut allergies. Double check the label to be sure it doesn't include anything with the word almond in it. Almond extract is something that's not often seen in a punch recipe, so someone with an allergy might not even consider it. For this reason, I like to use the imitation extract to ensure all my guests are safe.

Now that the secret is out, it's time to make the punch. The key is perfect punch is to start with all the ingredients nice and cold. Then, simply combine all the ingredients in a large pitcher or punch bowl and gently mix. That's it!

I prefer to not add ice cubes as it will water down the punch as it melts. If using ice, I'd opt for larger chunks or blocks as they will melt slower. I also like to have ice cubes available next to the glasses if guests would like to enjoy their punch "on the rocks".

Easily turn this Holiday Punch into a Spiked Holiday Punch by adding vodka or rum to the mixture. You can either the liquor right to the punch bowl, or you can allow guests to mix their own. I usually don't spike my punch, so the amount of liquor will depend on your personal preference.

Don't want it to pack that much of a "punch"? Replace some or all of the ginger ale with champagne or another sweet sparkling white wine!

Other popular party food:

Apple & Goat Cheese Crostini

Dill Pickle Dip

Beer Battered Onion Rings

Italian Nachos

Poutine Fries

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Have you made one of my recipes? I’d love your feedback on the comment box and star rating below the recipe!