Entertaining a crowd for the holidays? Make this crowd-pleasing Cranberry Cider Champagne Punch, perfect for your next big gathering. Full of the best fall and winter flavors, it’s an easy drink to make all season long!
We love hosting parties. In grad school, we held huge “Chrismukkah” parties, which evolved over time into formal sit-down dinner Chanukah parties and a big New Year’s Eve party. Graduation parties? Moving away parties? Super bowl parties? We host them all.
If I’ve learned one thing over many years of hosting parties, it’s that a lot of people are not very good at making their own mixed drinks. No matter how well we stock our bar, mixers, and garnishes, most people aimlessly wander around the bar area and ultimately decide on a beer or some rum and coke.
I get it; I always prefer craft cocktails when I’m out because it’s a skill I don’t have – I rarely order dessert at a restaurant, but I’ll always order a fancy drink.
The first few years of our parties, I used to also play bartender, in addition to hint. I’d print up a list with suggested drink ideas that I could make and make them to order for all our friends.
It was really fun – but it also meant that I didn’t get to enjoy quality time with friends, between pulling more hot food out of the oven and making everyone’s drinks. I’ve since wisened up and started making large-batch punches.
Every year, the punch is a little different – and every year, it’s a huge hit. I fill up our 3.5 gallon drink dispenser and most years, I have to refill it mid-party.
People don’t want to think about what to drink, they just want a glass of something delicious. Like this cranberry cider champagne punch.
Apple cider. Cranberry juice. Champagne and seltzer for some pop and fizz. Some sliced limes for a little citrusy punch. And then top it off with your liquor of choice – vodka is usually a big crowd pleaser, but bourbon is my absolute favorite.
Garnish with some fresh cranberries (or sugared cranberries!) for a perfectly festive holiday beverage. It’s so easy to make a big batch (literally takes under 5 minutes) and it’s sure to be a big hit.
We always want to add the seltzer and champagne last because of the bubbles. But what makes champagne bubbly and why do the bubbles always seem to rise to the surface from certain spots of the glass? We can answer these questions with my favorite subject – kitchen chemistry!
Kitchen Chemistry
Champagne contains dissolved carbon dioxide, a byproduct of fermentation. When the bottle is sealed, carbon dioxide is under pressure, staying dissolved in the liquid. Once the bottle is opened, the pressure is released, allowing the carbon dioxide to escape, forming bubbles. These bubbles form at nucleation sites – tiny imperfections or particles in the glass. These sites provide the necessary surface for the carbon dioxide to gather and form bubbles, making it look like bubbles only come from certain points at the bottom of the glass.
This recipe makes a big batch for a party. But what if you’re just having a few friends over and want a few servings – enough for 6 to 8 or so people? Downscale to the following amounts:
The perfect holiday party punch for a large crowd! Full of the best fall and winter flavors, it's an easy drink to make all season long!
Combine apple cider, cranberry juice, seltzer, champagne, and bourbon (or vodka) in a large drink dispenser and stir. Add in sliced limes and top to fill the container with ice. Garnish each drink with fresh cranberries.
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.