Paul Kushner
The holidays are all about connecting with family and friends, sharing long conversations that last into the night. Big-batch Christmas cocktails make it easy to bring everyone together. Just set out a punch bowl and let guests help themselves. This keeps things relaxed and lets the host enjoy the party too.
These drinks feature classic winter flavors like tart cranberry, bright citrus, warm spices, and a touch of sweetness. They’re quick to pour, easy to take along, and work for both quiet evenings and lively gatherings. Whether it’s a casual dinner or a gift exchange, sharing a cocktail helps everyone feel welcome and keeps the season simple and warm.
Christmas Punch
This Christmas Punch is a classic big-batch Christmas cocktail made for easy hosting. Sparkling rosé, vodka, cranberry-ginger ale, ginger syrup, and soda make a bright holiday punch. Prep it ahead, add bubbles before serving, and garnish with persimmon or cranberries for a stress-free Christmas party drink that guests can serve themselves.
Ingredients
- 1 bottle sparkling rosé
- 5 oz vodka
- 10 oz ginger simple syrup (made using 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water along with a 2-inch piece of ginger, sliced, brought to a boil over medium-high heat)
- 10 oz cranberry ginger ale
- 10 oz soda
- Sliced persimmon (optional, but encouraged as garnish)
- Cranberries (optional, but encouraged as garnish)
- Pomegranate seeds ((optional, but encouraged as garnish)
- Mint (optional, but encouraged as garnish)
Holly Jolly Christmas Punch
This Holly Jolly Christmas Punch is easy to make and fits a holiday table. Pineapple and cranberry juices create a sweet-tart base. Squirt adds light citrus. Silver tequila gives soft warmth. Cranberry ice and lime slices keep it cold, festive, and perfect for family gatherings or nights with friends.
Ingredients
- 1 bottle (64 ounces) cranberry juice
- 1 bottle (2 liters) Squirt
- 2 can (46 ounce each) pineapple juice
- 1 bottle (750 mL) tequila silver (I used Sauza)
Spiced Cranberry Rosé Spritzers
Spiced Cranberry Rosé Spritzers are light, fresh, big-batch holiday cocktails perfect for Christmas gatherings. A simmered cranberry, honey, rosemary, and cardamom base adds depth. Finish with rosé, elderflower liqueur, citrus, and ginger beer. Prep ahead and pour easily for a sparkling Christmas party drink that guests love.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, plus more for serving
- 1 tablespoon cardamon pods or 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 bottle (750 ml) rosé wine
- 4 ounces elderflower liquor
- 1/3 cup cranberry or pomegranate juice
- 2-3 dashes orange bitter
- 2 blood oranges or regular oranges, sliced
- 4-6 (12 ounce) ginger beers, to your taste
Holiday Whiskey Punch
Holiday Whiskey Punch is a bold, big-batch Christmas cocktail for slower winter nights. Rye whiskey brings warmth, while lemon oleosaccharum adds bright citrus sweetness. Angostura bitters keep it balanced. Make this holiday punch ahead, chill with a large ice block, and serve easily at seasonal gatherings.
Ingredients
Cadet Punch
- Oleosaccharum (recipe below)
- 1 750-ml bottle of rye whiskey
- 12 hard shakes of Angostura bitters
- Large block of ice
For the oleosaccharum
- 4 lemons
- 1 cup sugar
Honeycrisp Apple Cider Rum Punch
Honeycrisp Apple Cider Rum Punch is a crowd-friendly holiday punch with gentle warmth. Honeycrisp cider, fresh orange juice, and rum create a bright flavor, while cinnamon adds soft spice. Garnish with apple and orange slices. Serve cold or over ice as a simple, big-batch Christmas cocktail.
Ingredients
- 64 oz Honeycrisp apple cider
- 16 oz Rum
- 8 oz Orange juice
- 3 Cinnamon sticks
- 1 Honeycrisp apple thinly sliced
- 1 Orange thinly sliced
Apple and Cinnamon Punch
Apple and Cinnamon Punch is a cozy, big-batch Christmas cocktail that’s easy to scale. Apple juice, vodka, and ginger beer create a crisp base, while cinnamon sticks add warmth. Rim glasses with cinnamon sugar for a festive touch. This holiday punch works well for casual parties and winter nights.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces vodka
- 20 ounces apple juice chilled
- 33 ounces ginger beer chilled
- 2 apples thinly sliced
- 6 cinnamon sticks
- Cinnamon powder and brown sugar for rimming glasses
Earl Grey–Bourbon Punch
Earl Grey–Bourbon Punch is a rich, big-batch holiday cocktail with layered flavor. Bourbon and Cognac pair with brewed Earl Grey tea, honey, and lemon juice. Fresh thyme and rosemary add herbal notes. Serve this Christmas party drink when you want something bold yet balanced for guests.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces bourbon
- 8 ounces lemon juice
- 4 ounces honey
- 4 ounces Cognac
- 2 ounces Earl Grey tea 4 tea bags
- 2 dashes bitters
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary plus more for garnish
- Lemon wheels for garnish
Apple Cider Punch
Apple Cider Punch is a flexible holiday punch that fits any crowd. Apple cider, citrus juices, ginger ale, and cinnamon sticks create a bright base. Add rum for a spiked version or keep it alcohol-free. Garnish with apples and oranges for an easy big-batch Christmas cocktail.
Ingredients
- 6 cups apple cider
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1 cup rum optional, for spiked punch
- 1 liter ginger ale
- 2 apples sliced (Garnish)
- 1 orange sliced (Garnish)
- 10 cinnamon sticks Garnish
Vanilla-Pear Holiday Punch
Vanilla Pear Holiday Punch is a smooth, big-batch Christmas cocktail with soft sweetness. Pear juice, reposado tequila, lemon juice, honey syrup, and vanilla mix easily. Club soda adds light fizz, while cinnamon brings warmth. Garnish with rosemary and cranberries for a festive Christmas party drink.
Ingredients
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 24 ounces (3 cups) pear juice or pear nectar (I like Ceres or R.W. Knudsen brands)
- 12 ounces (1 ½ cups) reposado tequila (I like Espolón or Milagro)
- 8 ounces (1 cup) club soda or sparkling water
- 4 ounces (½ cup) lemon juice
- 1 to 2 tablespoons honey simple syrup*
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Suggested garnishes: Lemon rounds, short fresh rosemary sprigs, ½ cup fresh cranberries
- Ice cubes, for serving
Cranberry Molasses Mulled Wine
Cranberry Molasses Mulled Wine is a warm holiday punch made for cold evenings. Red wine simmers with cranberry juice, citrus, molasses, and spices like cardamom and cloves. Orange and lemon juice keep it balanced. Serve warm as a comforting, big-batch Christmas cocktail for winter nights.
Ingredients
- Zest from 1 orange + slices for garnish
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 green cardamom pods
- 6 cloves
- 6 allspice berries
- 10 black peppercorns
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1 750-ml bottle dry red wine
- 1/3 cup cranberry juice
Kris Kringle’s Jingle Big Batch Cocktail
Kris Kringle’s Jingle is a bubbly, big-batch Christmas cocktail built for sharing. Sparkling rosé, cranberry juice, spiced cranberry soda, and gin or vodka create a bright holiday punch. Add simple syrup if needed. It’s fast to mix and perfect for gift exchanges or large Christmas parties.
Ingredients
- 750 mL sparkling rosé wine (1 standard bottle)
- 20 fl oz Winter Spiced Cranberry Sprite
- 20 fl oz cranberry juice
- 12 fl oz gin or vodka
- Optional to taste: 4 fl oz simple syrup
Jingle Juice Holiday Punch
Jingle Juice Holiday Punch is a sweet, big-batch Christmas cocktail crafted for crowds. Whipped vodka pairs with pink champagne or sparkling rosé, and Cherry 7-Up adds fruit flavor. Garnish with cranberries for a festive look. Perfect for relaxed gatherings and potlucks.
Ingredients
- 1 bottle (750ml) Whipped Vodka
- 1 bottle bottle Pink Champagne or Sparkling Rosé*
- 1 bottle (2 liter) Cherry 7-up
- Cranberries for garnish optional
Sparkling Christmas Party Punch
Sparkling Christmas Party Punch is a bright, big-batch holiday cocktail with balanced flavor. White wine, vodka, elderflower liqueur, and pomegranate juice mix smoothly. Ginger beer adds fizz, while citrus and cinnamon bring warmth. Serve in a punch bowl so guests can help themselves.
Ingredients
- 1 (750ml) bottle dry white wine
- 1 1/2 cups pomegranate juice
- 1 cup vodka
- 1 cup St. Germain (elderflower liquor)
- 2 (12 ounce) ginger beersplus more for topping, if desired
- 2 grapefruits or blood oranges, sliced
- arils from 1 pomegranate, plus more for serving
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- cinnamon sugar for the rims of your glasses (optional)
Big Batch Winter Spiced Negroni
Big Batch Winter Spiced Negroni adds seasonal warmth to a classic cocktail. Gin, Campari, sweet vermouth, and mulled wine mix with cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. This bold Christmas party drink is best served chilled in small pours as a strong, big-batch holiday cocktail option.
Ingredients
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 5 whole cloves
- 10 allspice berries, crushed
- 10 coriander seeds, crushed
- 1/2 star anise
- 1/3 grated nutmeg
- 8 ounces Beefeater
- 8 ounces Campari
- 4 ounces sweet vermouth
- 4 ounces mulled wine
Winter Moscato Punch
Winter Moscato Punch is a lighter, big-batch Christmas cocktail with fruity flavor. Moscato wine blends with cranberry juice, pomegranate juice, ginger beer, and triple sec. Garnish with orange slices, cranberries, and rosemary. This holiday punch is well-suited to guests who prefer sweeter Christmas party drinks.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cranberry juice
- 1 cup pomegranate juice
- 12 oz ginger beer
- 4 oz triple sec
- 1.5 liter Moscato Wine
- ice
- fresh orange slices cranberries and rosemary for garnish
