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There’s nothing better than a fabulous festive drink to kick off the holiday season, starting with Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving celebrations, and continuing right through Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Cranberry Rum Punch is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for any and all of these festivities–and it’s so simple to make. For this holiday punch recipe, all you’ll need are cranberry juice (make sure it’s got some sugar added, otherwise it will be very tart), Sprite (or Seven Up), and rum. I’ll also share a few variations with you just in case you want to amp it up!

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To create this party-ready punch, just mix all the ingredients together in a punch bowl, top with some fresh or frozen cranberries, and you’ve got yourself–and your holiday guests–a delicious drink in minutes. (Like I said, so simple!) I love vanilla rum, so if you can find some I would absolutely use that–but, of course, it all depends on your personal preference.

cranberry holiday punch

If you want to level up your recipe even more, you can make sugared cranberries and pop a few onto drink skewers for a fun, festive touch. You can also freeze a mixture of half sprite and half cranberry juice in a punch mold or in any type of ice cube mold or tray, and add that to your punch to keep it cold. This is a great way to ensure that your drink will stay cold without the flavor being watered down.

cranberry rum punch

I hope you love this punch, and I hope you are able to spend time with friends and family this season, enjoying good food (and cocktails!) together. Scroll on to get the full recipe ahead, and may your holidays be merry, berry, and bright.

Did you try this Cranberry Rum Punch? Show us your drinks on Instagram @lulus using #lovelulus–and head to our Holiday Shop for everything from Friendsgiving looks to gifts to women’s Christmas dresses!

This recipe comes from our food contributor, Stephanie Simmons, of Blue Bowl. Her goal with her kitchen-tested recipes: To get you excited about cooking, show you how good food can taste, and prove that you don’t need to spend hours in the kitchen to make a good meal. 

  • PREP TIME: 5 MINS
  • SERVES: 12-16
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Ingredients

  • 8 cups Cranberry Juice
  • 2 to 3 cups Sprite or 7 Up
  • ½ cup (or more to taste) Vanilla Rum

 

Directions

Step 1:

Mix the cranberry juice, sprite or 7 up, and vanilla rum in your punch bowl. Try the punch and adjust any of the three ingredients as desired. (If you like your punch a little more on the strong side, add more rum to taste.)

Step 2:

Top with fresh or frozen cranberries, or a frozen mix of sprite and cranberry juice if you want to keep the punch nice and cold. Store leftovers in the fridge for a few days.