Sparkling Cranberry, Orange & Ginger Christmas Punch

A bright and refreshing Christmas punch made with cranberry, fresh orange, ginger beer and lime, with strawberries and raspberries floating through every glass. Serve it well chilled over plenty of ice for Christmas lunch, summer gatherings and festive celebrations.

Christmas in Australia calls for something cold, bright and generous enough to share around the table. Cranberry and fresh orange give this punch its fruity base, while ginger beer brings a gentle warmth and plenty of sparkle, balanced with just enough fresh lime to keep everything refreshing.

Frozen strawberries and raspberries tumble through the bowl with thin slices of orange and lime, keeping the punch cold as they slowly soften. It comes together in minutes just before everyone arrives, and a big glass bowl of it, glowing with fruit and ice, makes a beautiful centrepiece for a warm Christmas afternoon.

For those celebrating Christmas somewhere colder, it is just as lovely at a festive gathering, when something fresh and sparkling is welcome alongside all the richer food of the season.

Prep: 10 min · Yield: 3.3L Makes approximately 3.3 litres, before fruit and ice · Cuisine: Australian · Category: Drinks

Ingredients

Sparkling Cranberry, Orange & Ginger Christmas Punch

• 1 litre Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice Drink, chilled
• 750 ml pure fresh orange juice, no pulp, chilled
• 75 ml fresh lime juice
• 750 ml Bundaberg ginger beer, chilled
• 750 ml sparkling mineral water, chilled
• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 100 to 150 g frozen raspberries
• 1 orange, thinly sliced
• 1 lime, thinly sliced
• Ice, as needed

Method

1. Pour the cranberry juice, orange juice and fresh lime juice into a large punch bowl and stir gently to combine.
2. Add the frozen strawberries, raspberries, orange slices and lime slices, followed by a generous amount of ice.
3. Just before serving, pour in the chilled ginger beer and sparkling mineral water.
4. Give the punch one or two gentle turns with a ladle to combine without knocking out too much of the fizz.
5. Ladle into glasses with some of the berries and citrus and serve straight away.

Serving Suggestion

Set the punch bowl out as guests arrive with a platter of warm Garlic Parmesan Bruschetta Bites and a plate of Garlic Prawns with Lemon and Parsley to start the afternoon. It sits beautifully beside Portuguese Christmas Ham with Madeira Glaze and a big bowl of Australian Christmas Coleslaw, where the cold cranberry and ginger freshen every plate of rich festive food. Later in the day, pour another round alongside Mango & Passionfruit Eton Mess, the bright citrus and berries a lovely match for the mango and passionfruit.

Make Ahead Notes

The cranberry juice, orange juice and lime juice can be combined and refrigerated several hours ahead. Keep the ginger beer, sparkling mineral water, frozen fruit and ice separate, then add them just before serving so the punch stays cold and sparkling.

Storage Notes

The punch is best enjoyed freshly made while the ginger beer and mineral water are still sparkling. Leftovers can be refrigerated, but the bubbles will gradually soften and the fruit will continue to break down.

Notes

Use all of the liquid ingredients well chilled. The punch stays colder for longer and needs less ice, which keeps it from tasting watered down.

Frozen strawberries and raspberries work particularly well here because they help chill the punch as they soften and release a little of their flavour.

Add the ginger beer and sparkling mineral water immediately before serving, and stir gently rather than vigorously to keep as much fizz as possible.

For an adults-only version, add a splash of dark or spiced rum to individual glasses, so the main bowl stays alcohol-free and family friendly.

The Grace Table Tip

For a long Christmas lunch, keep an extra bottle of sparkling mineral water chilled in the fridge. A splash freshens the punch later in the afternoon as the ice melts and the first bubbles begin to fade.

This recipe was tested with Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice Drink. If using another brand, choose a sweetened cranberry juice drink rather than pure unsweetened cranberry juice, or the punch will taste noticeably sharper.