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Thanksgiving Punch

Thanksgiving punch with apple cider and orange juice topped with ginger ale for a sparkling, citrus-forward sip. Simple make-ahead chilling keeps it cold while the bubbles go in right before serving.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
chill 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Drink
Cuisine: American
Calories: 110
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

apple cider
  • 4 cup apple cider chilled
orange juice
  • 2 cup orange juice
ginger ale
  • 2 cup ginger ale
orange slices and cinnamon sticks
  • 1 orange slices and cinnamon sticks for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 pitcher

Method
 

Mix and chill
  1. Combine the chilled apple cider and orange juice in a pitcher. Stir until evenly mixed and no streaks remain.
  2. Chill the pitcher until cold for 2-3 hours. Cover it so the drink stays fresh in the refrigerator.
Finish and serve
  1. Pour in the ginger ale just before serving. Add slowly to keep the bubbles lively.
  2. Add orange slices and cinnamon sticks for garnish. Distribute them on top so they’re visible in the glass.
  3. Serve the punch over ice. Fill glasses with ice first, then pour the punch over it.

Notes

Pro tip: freeze some of the cider into ice cubes so the punch doesn’t dilute as it melts. Store chilled cider-and-orange-juice base in the refrigerator up to 2 days; add ginger ale only right before serving. Freezing the finished punch isn’t recommended because the bubbles will fade. For a lighter option, use half-sugar ginger ale or diet ginger ale for fewer calories while keeping the same citrus flavor.