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Autumn Punch

Autumn punch made with apple cider and cranberry juice, chilled for a fuller spiced flavor. Serve it over ice with fresh rosemary, orange and apple slices, plus ginger ale added right before serving for a light sparkle.
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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: 190
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Apple cider
  • 4 cup apple cider
Cranberry juice
  • 2 cup cranberry juice
Orange juice
  • 1 cup orange juice
Ginger ale or sparkling cider
  • 2 cup ginger ale or sparkling cider add just before serving
Maple syrup or honey
  • 0.25 cup maple syrup or honey
Orange slices
  • 1 orange, sliced
Apple slices
  • 1 apple, thinly sliced
Cinnamon sticks
  • 4 cinnamon sticks
Star anise
  • 6 star anise
Rosemary sprigs
  • 1 fresh rosemary sprigs for garnish
Ice or frozen ice ring
  • 1 ice or a frozen ice ring
Bourbon or dark rum (spiked version)
  • 2 cup bourbon or dark rum for spiked version; optional

Equipment

  • 1 pitcher

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.
Add fruit and spices
  1. Add orange slices, apple slices, cinnamon sticks, and star anise to the punch bowl or pitcher. Stir again so the fruit and spices are evenly distributed.
Chill to develop flavor
  1. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to develop flavors. Keep it cold so the flavors meld without losing freshness.
Finish and serve
  1. Just before serving, add ginger ale or sparkling cider and stir gently. Add ice or a frozen ice ring to keep the punch cold and lightly fizzy.
Garnish
  1. Garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs and extra fruit slices. Serve immediately so the citrus stays bright and the punch looks festive.

Notes

Pro tip: Chill the spiced base first, then add ginger ale/sparkling cider right before serving so it stays lively. Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days; the uncarbonated base holds best, while the ginger-added punch will lose fizz. Freezing isn’t recommended for best texture. Dietary swap: use honey or a calorie-free sweetener of your choice to reduce sugar while keeping the spiced fruit flavor.