20 Easy Holiday Drinks Recipes to Make

Measure out all 12 ingredients before you start so the simmering timeline runs smoothly. Slice 2 oranges into rounds, peel and thinly slice 30 g (1 oz) of fresh ginger, and rinse 150 g (1 cup) of cranberries. Having everything prepped means you can focus on steeping the spices at the right heat instead of scrambling mid-pour.

Warm a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat for 1 minute, then add 4 cinnamon sticks, 12 cloves and 3 star anise pods with no liquid. Toast for 60-90 seconds, shaking the pot often, until you can smell the spices clearly and the cinnamon sticks darken slightly at the edges. This short dry-toast wakes up the essential oils and gives the punch a deeper flavour than adding the spices cold.

Add 2 L (8 cups) of unsweetened apple cider and 240 ml (1 cup) of fresh orange juice directly over the toasted spices. Stir once with a wooden spoon to loosen any spices stuck to the pot base. The liquid should come about three-quarters up the sides of a 5 L (5-quart) pot, leaving room for the fruit.

Stir in the sliced ginger and 60 g (1/4 cup) of soft light brown sugar until the sugar starts to dissolve. Taste the liquid at this stage — it should taste like faintly sweet spiced apple juice, since the flavour concentrates as it simmers. Adjust with an extra 15 g (1 tbsp) of sugar now if your cider is on the tart side.

Increase the heat to medium-high until the surface just begins to shimmer and small bubbles form around the edges, about 85-90°C (185-195°F). Never let a spiced punch reach a rolling boil, as sustained high heat cooks off the spice aromatics and can turn the citrus bitter. This takes roughly 6-8 minutes from cold.

Once the pot is gently steaming, slide in the orange rounds and 150 g (1 cup) of cranberries. Reduce the heat to low immediately so the liquid drops to a bare simmer with only occasional bubbles breaking the surface. The cranberries will bob at the top and start to soften within a few minutes.

Cover the pot and let the punch steep at a bare simmer for 15 minutes, stirring once halfway through. This gentle steeping time pulls the cinnamon, clove and star anise flavour fully into the liquid without making it taste harsh or medicinal. You'll know it's ready when the kitchen smells strongly of warm spice and orange.

After 15 minutes, a few cranberries should have burst and turned the liquid a deeper pink-red; if most are still firm, give the punch another 3-4 minutes. Press two or three berries gently against the side of the pot with a spoon to release extra juice and colour. Remove the pot from the heat once you're happy with the depth of colour.

Take a small spoonful and let it cool for a few seconds before tasting, since hot liquid reads sweeter than it will once served. If it tastes flat, stir in another 5 ml (1 tsp) of orange juice for brightness; if it's too tart, add sugar 15 g (1 tbsp) at a time. This is the last point to adjust before the flavours are set for serving.

Off the heat, stir in 5 ml (1 tsp) of vanilla extract. Adding vanilla after cooking rather than during the simmer keeps its flavour rounded and prevents it turning bitter from prolonged heat. Stir for about 10 seconds to distribute evenly.

For an adult batch, stir in 120 ml (1/2 cup) of dark spiced rum once the pot is off the heat. Adding alcohol after cooking preserves its flavour, since simmering it would burn off some of the alcohol unevenly. Skip this step entirely for a family-friendly, non-alcoholic version — the spiced cider stands on its own.

Leave the pot covered and off the heat for 10 minutes before serving. This resting time lets the orange and cranberries release a little more flavour while the temperature drops to a comfortable drinking heat of around 70°C (160°F). Resist stirring during this time so any sediment settles to the bottom.

If you prefer a clear punch without floating spices, ladle the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot or heatproof pitcher, pressing lightly on the solids to extract the last of the flavour. Discard the spent spices, ginger and cranberry skins. Skip this step if you like a rustic look with the orange rounds floating on top.

Rinse a slow cooker insert or a punch bowl with hot tap water for 30 seconds and dry it, so the punch doesn't cool the moment it's poured. A pre-warmed vessel keeps the drink at serving temperature 15-20 minutes longer than a room-temperature one.

Pour the finished punch into the warmed slow cooker and set it to the keep-warm setting. This holds the punch at a steady, safe drinking temperature for up to 3 hours during a party, without any risk of it scorching on the base of a stovetop pot.

While the punch holds warm, slice the reserved 3rd orange into thin half-moons and set out 4-6 small cinnamon sticks for garnish. Fresh garnish added just before serving looks far more appealing than fruit that's simmered for 20 minutes and gone dull.

Fill heatproof mugs with hot tap water for 1 minute, then empty and dry them just before ladling. Warm mugs keep the punch hot in the glass for longer and prevent thick glassware from cracking on contact with the hot liquid.

Ladle about 240 ml (1 cup) of punch into each warmed mug, spooning in a few soft cranberries and an orange slice from the pot as you go. Filling to roughly 1 cm (1/2 inch) below the rim leaves room for garnish without risking spills.

Top each mug with a fresh orange half-moon, a cinnamon stick stirrer and a light pinch of ground nutmeg. The nutmeg blooms in the steam rising off the mug, adding aroma before the first sip.

Serve the punch right away while it's steaming hot, keeping the slow cooker on its warm setting so guests can refill their own mugs throughout the evening. This recipe makes 10 servings of 240 ml (1 cup) each, generous enough for a full holiday gathering.