This Christmas punch is a blend of pomegranate, lime and cranberry, all mixed together into a fizzy beverage that’s perfect for any holiday party. A festive and refreshing drink that can easily be turned into a cocktail for the adults!
I like to serve some fun drinks when I entertaining during the holidays – for a hot drink, I opt for slow cooker apple cider or homemade hot chocolate. For a cold drink, I serve this easy Christmas punch, and it always gets rave reviews.
Every holiday party could benefit from some seasonal drink offerings! This super simple Christmas punch is cheery, refreshing and the perfect balance of sweet and tart. It takes about 5 minutes to put together and looks so pretty on your buffet table.
Christmas Punch Ingredients
This recipe contains pomegranate-cranberry juice, frozen limeade, lime flavored sparkling water, fresh cranberries, lime slices and mint sprigs.
How do you make Christmas punch?
Place the pomegranate-cranberry juice in a large pitcher along with a can of limeade, then stir until well combined. Pour in some sparkling water, then garnish with sliced limes, fresh cranberries and mint. Serve right away, or refrigerate for later use.
Tips for the perfect drink
- I use a pomegranate-cranberry juice blend by Ocean Spray. This drink contains sugar and other fruit juices which makes it sweet and pleasant to drink. Do not try to use plain unsweetened cranberry or pomegranate juices, they’ll be much too tart.
- Can’t find a pomegranate-cranberry juice blend? Try a cranberry juice cocktail instead.
- I use a lime flavored sparkling water with no added sugar. You can also use plain sparkling water, or the lemon or orange flavors. My store even has a seasonal cranberry orange flavor which would be delicious!
- You can serve this drink either in a pitcher, drink dispenser or a punch bowl, whichever is more convenient.
- Freeze your cranberries before you add them to the drink and they will serve as ice cubes – the drink will stay cold but won’t get watered down! You can also make ice cubes with cranberries or lime wedges in them, or even a festive ice ring if you’re using a punch bowl.
- Fresh pomegranate seeds also make a nice garnish if cranberries aren’t available.
Recipe FAQs
Christmas punch is typically made with a blend of fruit juice, citrus and a sparkling drink. Champagne or liquor can also be added for an alcoholic offering.
This drink is best served right after it’s made, as the carbonated water will start to go flat within a few hours of being added to the punch. Luckily this punch takes just minutes to make, so it’s easy to whip up at the last second. If you’re really pressed for time, you can mix the pomegranate-cranberry juice and limeade together up to 8 hours in advance. Store the mixture in the fridge, and add the sparkling water at the last minute.
Alcoholic Christmas Punch
This Christmas punch can easily be made into an alcoholic beverage with the addition of any of the following
- Champagne (add 2 cups)
- Prosecco (add 2 cups)
- Rum (add 1 cup)
- Vodka (add 1 cup)
I’ve listed my recommended alcohol amounts above, but you can always add a bit more for a stronger drink.
I make Christmas punch for every winter gathering, and I always make a big pitcher of it on Christmas Day for everyone to enjoy while we’re relaxing around the house. It’s pleasantly sweet, but not overly so, and you can never go wrong with a little bit of fizz!
More holiday entertaining recipes
Christmas Punch Video
Christmas Punch
Ingredients
- 6 cups pomegranate-cranberry juice such as Ocean Spray
- 1 can frozen limeade concentrate
- 6 cups lime flavored sparkling water
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 2 limes sliced
- 4 sprigs mint
- Optional addition: rum, champagne or vodka in quantity of your choice.
Instructions
- Place the pomegranate-cranberry juice and limeade concentrate in a pitcher. Stir until combined.
- Add the sparkling water and stir until well combined.
- Garnish with cranberries, limes and mint, then serve.
Notes
- I use a pomegranate-cranberry juice blend by Ocean Spray. This drink contains sugar and other fruit juices which makes it sweet and pleasant to drink. Do not try to use plain unsweetened cranberry or pomegranate juices, they’ll be much too tart.
- Can’t find a pomegranate-cranberry juice blend? Try a cranberry juice cocktail instead.
- Use a lime flavored sparkling water with no added sugar.
Judy says
Does the recipe call for a 6 oz or 12 oz can of frozen limeade? I want to make it for Christmas. It sounds delicious!
Becky says
The best holiday punch I’ve made. I added asti Spumante & cranberry vodka. I didn’t have mint so I left that out. So good that I’m making it again Christmas Day. Thank you!
Andrea says
Very festive and refreshing. Like the that you use limes with the cranberries. I can see needing to make several batches of this at my Holiday party.
Dana says
This is great! I love making holiday sangria, but the kiddos always feel left out. This is such a nice option for kids and those who don’t want alcohol!
Tavo says
Ups! I had to try it out before Xmas to decide if I was making it part of the menu, and the answer is a big YES! It was so good!
Dannii says
This always comes out when we have guests over Christmas. It goes down very well.
Beth says
This recipe is easy, festive and so pretty! Almost too pretty to drink – almost 😉
Lindsey says
Last Christmas season, I made this for my mother in laws birthday as a taste test for our annual Flannels and Favorites Christmas party. It passed with flying colors and, after our Christmas party, I had over 40 people message me for the recipe. It’s been requested by everyone since. We have our Christmas party this Saturday, but I’ve already made this twice since the middle of November. It’s now a staple for any cool-weather holiday gatherings we have. This year I’ve not been able to find sparkling lime, but our Kroger had a sparkling cranberry-lime, and it tasted just as good! I also used cranberry flavored vodka from the first time I made it. Only once have I made it with regular vodka, and my friends & family say the cranberry vodka makes it go from a 10 to a 20 on a scale of 1-10!
Basically, I just wanted to come and let you know that this recipe is my favorite drink recipe I’ve ever found. I use it constantly and wanted to give you a huge shout out for it! Merry Christmas! ☺️
Alicia says
Can I ask how many cups of cranberry vodka you added? Thanks!
Kristen says
Can I add vodka and champagne? 1/2 quantities of each maybe?
Sara says
Yes that works!
Sheila says
I will be trying this for the holidays this year thanks
Karen says
What would you suggest for a lunch bowl and ice ring? Place the fruit and leaves in the ring or nothing in bowl or some in ice and some Olin bowl.
Sara says
that all would work well!
Leslie says
I don’t like sparkling water.. could I use Sprite instead? would the limeade mess that up though if i did??
Sara says
You can use sprite the drink will just be sweeter!
Lori Lyons says
About how much of the spiced rum would you add?
Sara says
I’d start with one cup, then taste it and see if you need to make it stronger for your personal preference!
Rachel says
How much champagne would you add ?
Sara says
2 cups!
Ally says
I did spike it with vodka! Wow is this a great recipe!
Suzanne says
If you are adding alcohol, do you leave out the sparkling water?
Sara says
You would still use the sparkling water!
Joan Piazza says
Will lime flavored tonic water suffice,or one of those fancy flavored waters?
Sara says
Tonic water tends to be more bitter, so I’m not sure how it would work in this recipe! I just use bottled lime sparkling water, it’s about $1 a bottle. Hope this helps.
Tanya says
Is the sparkling lime water the sweetened or unsweetened ? Thanks!
Sara says
Unsweetened water!