This festive non-alcoholic punch will ensure that children and non-drinkers are well catered for at your next social gathering. This easy-to-make fruit punch mocktail is a medley of fruit juices and seasonal spices that can be served warm or cold.
This post is sponsored by (paid link) Mixologist’s Garden. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This post also contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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This festive non-alcoholic punch is a game-changer for your next party for non-drinkers and children. Your guests will eagerly push aside the ubiquitous fizzy drinks in favour of this fruit punch mocktail that has been made especially for them.
A blend of 5 fruit juices with seasonal spice and a touch of mellow maple syrup results in a spectacular non-alcoholic Christmas punch that can be served warm or cold and garnished impressively.
Why you’ll love this festive recipe
- Quick & easy – it’s a straightforward recipe, requiring minimal hands-on time.
- Gorgeous – this non-alcoholic Christmas punch is a festive shade of red and comes adorned with plenty of freeze-dried fruit garnishes for a quick, pretty and mess-free flourish.
- Tasty – made from a blend of 5 fruit juices and an array of warming spices, it cannot fail to impress.
- Healthier than fizzy drinks – the fruit juices are loaded with goodness and additional sugar has been kept to a minimum.
- Serves a crowd – expect to serve around 15 glasses (150ml) of fruit punch mocktail from this recipe.
- Versatile – serve it warm or cold, add some sparkle or drop in a splash of alcohol. You’ll find a vast array of serving suggestions further down in this post.
You can also use (paid link) Mixologist’s Garden fruit garnishes to make non-alcoholic versions of margaritas, sours, mojitos and mules too. This will ensure your festive party goes off in style for non-drinkers.
Ingredients notes
Fruit juice: I’ve used ever-popular apple juice and orange juice as the base for this non-alcoholic Christmas punch then used cranberry juice and pomegranate juice to add lively tanginess and transform the drink into a festive shade of red.
My tip is to hunt out 100% pure cranberry juice rather than cranberry juice drinks which are made from a blend of juice, sugar and water. You’ll find pure cranberry juice easily online and in health food stores. It’s tart, tangy and deeply red.
Lime juice: this ties all of the fruit juices together, kicking up the flavour another level.
Maple syrup: as cranberry juice, pomegranate juice and lime juice are all on the tart side, a small splash of maple syrup helps balance the flavour, imparting a subtle mellow sweetness to the drink.
Spices: these are optional but highly recommended. I’ve kept things simple with cinnamon and star anise. You can add other spices, such as allspice, nutmeg, cloves or ginger if desired.
Freeze-dried fruit: these are used within the drink to boost the zesty fruit flavour and as garnishes. You’ll need orange slices, lemon slices and whole raspberries. The (paid link) Mixologist’s Garden range includes all of these ingredients.
I’ve opted for freeze-dried fruits because they are so easy to use and mess-free. Simply open the packs and add them to your non-alcoholic Christmas punch. Easy!
Equipment notes
You’ll need a very large saucepan to heat your non-alcoholic festive punch. You’ll also need heatproof glass cups or mugs if you intend to serve this drink warm rather than chilled.
Step by step instructions
Full instructions and measurements are given in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
Step 1. Put the spices, maple syrup and freeze-dried orange, lemon and raspberries into a large saucepan.
Step 2. Pour in all of the fruit juices. Heat, stirring often until piping hot (but do not boil).
Step 3. Take the pan off of the heat and leave the punch to steep for 30 minutes (or longer for a more pronounced spice flavour).
Step 4. Either chill and serve it cold or reheat your punch and then decant into a heatproof serving jug ready for use.
Top Tip: If you decide to remove the spices and fruit prior to serving, using a slotted spoon is a good way to achieve this.
Expert Tips
- If serving your festive non-alcoholic punch warm ensure that you use heatproof glassware.
- Use a variety of glasses for a dash of rustic charm.
- Aim for around 150ml per helping to serve 15 people.
- Use (paid link) Mixologist’s Garden fruit garnishes to adorn each glass. They can be dropped directly into the drink or threaded onto cocktail picks.
Variations
There are numerous ways that this non-alcoholic Christmas punch can be customised. Here are a few ideas:
- Leave out the spice – if you are hosting a gathering outside of the festive period you can leave out the spice and serve this drink as a fruit punch mocktail any time of the year.
- Vary the fruit juice – red grape, pineapple or even cherry juice could all make tasty add-ins or substitutes.
- Serve it cold – it’s not always convenient to serve warm drinks at social gatherings, so feel free to serve your non-alcoholic Christmas punch chilled instead. The spice profile won’t be so prominent if you do, but it will still be decidedly delicious.
- Add sparkle – on the subject of serving it cold, if you would like to add sparkle to your fruit punch mocktail there are a few options:
- Soda water – this option adds no extra sugar.
- Lemonade or ginger ale – I suggest omitting the maple syrup to compensate for the additional sweetness that these drinks contain. Go with a 50:50 ratio of fruit punch to lemonade.
- Nosecco or other dry sparkling non-alcoholic wine – again a 50:50 ratio is a good option. If your wine is sweet then you may need to tone down the maple syrup.
- Include alcohol – anybody fancying a tipple could add a splash of vodka, gin or rum to their glass. Likewise, prosecco or other sparkling wine could make an appearance.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can. Just follow the recipe, then let it cool. Remove the fruit and spices then store your fruit punch mocktail in the fridge. It will stay fresh for 7 days. Just reheat it as required.
You could keep the prepared punch warm in a slow cooker. Alternatively, use a thermos jug.
It’s healthier than a lot of cocktails, mocktails and punch recipes because fruit juice contains plenty of vitamins. However, fruit juice also contains plenty of sugar, so it’s worth keeping this in mind.
Have you made this recipe for festive non-alcoholic punch? Please give the recipe a rating or leave a comment – I love to hear how you get along with my creations.
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📖 Recipe
Festive Non-Alcoholic Punch
Equipment
- 1 Large saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 Litre Cloudy apple juice
- 500 ml Orange juice smooth
- 375 ml Cranberry juice pure, not cranberry juice drink
- 250 ml Pomegranate juice
- 45 ml Lime juice
- 75 ml Maple syrup
- 6 Cinnamon sticks each 10cm in length
- 3 Star anise
- 10 g Freeze-dried raspberries I used Mixologists Garden
- 5 Freeze-dried orange slices I used Mixologists Garden
- 5 Freeze-dried lemon slices I used Mixologists Garden
Garnishes
- Cinnamon sticks
- Freeze-dried orange slices, lemon slices and raspberries All available from Mixologists Garden
Instructions
- Put the spices, maple syrup and freeze-dried orange, lemon and raspberries into a large saucepan.
- Pour in all of the fruit juices. Heat, stirring often until piping hot (but do not boil).
- Take the pan off of the heat and leave the punch to steep for 30 minutes (or longer for a more pronounced spice flavour).
- The punch can either be chilled and served cold or it can be reheated. Decant it into a heatproof serving jug ready for use.
Notes
- If you decide to remove the spices and fruit prior to serving, using a slotted spoon is a good way to achieve this.
- If serving your festive non-alcoholic punch warm ensure that you use heatproof glassware.
- Use a variety of glasses for a dash of rustic charm.
- Aim for around 150ml per helping to serve 15 people.
- Use (paid link) Mixologist’s Garden fruit garnishes to adorn each glass. They can be dropped directly into the drink or threaded onto cocktail picks.
Jane Coupland
I really enjoyed developing this recipe – it’s sits nicely alongside mulled wine at parties. It’s great for children and adults who are not wanting to drink. I hope that you enjoy it too.