The Thanksgiving Punch

The Thanksgiving Punch is a non-alcoholic drink that mixes cranberry juice, lemonade, and ginger ale for a flavorful celebration in a rocks glass. You build it right over ice, finishing with a lemon garnish. This drink will stand out at any Thanksgiving feast thanks to its vibrant color and balance of tart, sweet, and zesty notes.

The Thanksgiving Punch is a blend of tart and sweet. Cranberry is the standout flavor, balanced by the sweetness of homemade lemonade. A hint of ginger spiciness adds a welcome complexity, while a gentle effervescence completes the drink beautifully.

Punch, made with rum or brandy, is often considered the world’s oldest cocktail, with its first recorded mention dating back to the 1630s in India. British sailors brought it back to Britain in the mid-1600s, where it remained a favored drink among the wealthy for centuries.

Thanksgiving is thought to have begun in the early 17th century. Punch was introduced by Europeans using fruit juice, sugar, vinegar, and spices, and later enhanced with tea, coffee, and wine for richer flavors.

As Punch recipes made their way to North America, they were adapted with local, seasonal ingredients, resulting in variations like Thanksgiving Punch. It’s important to note that there isn’t just one Thanksgiving Punch; many versions exist, commonly made with apple cider or orange juice.

The serving of non-alcoholic punch is said to be the staple of Thanksgiving celebrations in the 19th and 20th centuries. By the early 20th century, punch recipes evolved to incorporate spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Non-alcoholic punches featuring cranberry juice and ginger ale, like our recipe, likely emerged during the 20th century.

• Use homemade lemonade
  The key to a great tasting Thanksgiving Punch is homemade lemonade. Sure, you can use the stuff you find in supermarkets but it often contains preservatives and other additives. It simply won’t have that freshness nor that authentic lemon taste as when you make lemonade at home.

  See the FAQ at the bottom to see how to make homemade lemonade.

• Pre-chill your ginger ale
  Even with ice in your rocks glass, make sure to pre-chill the ginger ale. No one wants to sip room-temperature ginger ale – colder is always better, enhancing the ginger’s spiciness.

There are as many recipes for The Thanksgiving Punch as there are dishes at the Thanksgiving feast! Below are a couple of twists on our recipe for The Thanksgiving Punch specifically.

• Use Limeade instead of Lemonade
  If you prefer limes over lemons, swap lemonade for homemade Limeade. Yes, that’s lemonade made with limes instead of lemons. This will give you a drink that’s extra tart and zesty.
• Swap ginger ale for ginger beer
  If you want to spice up your punch, try ginger beer. Ginger beer typically has a stronger ginger kick and less sweetness than ginger ale, which enhances the overall spiciness and create a more intense flavor profile.
• Swap ginger ale for lemon-lime soda
  If you want your drink to be citrusy without the ginger spice, go for a lemon-lime soda instead. This will enhance the tart and fresh citrus notes, giving the drink a bright and bubbly character.
• Thanksgiving spices
  Add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg to introduce warm, holiday spices to your Thanksgiving Punch.

• We recommend serving The Thanksgiving Punch in a rocks glass with ice cubes.
• To garnish, a lemon wedge placed directly in the glass is the perfect garnish. However, if you’d like to enhance those Thanksgiving vibes, add a couple of fresh or frozen cranberries directly into your glass.
• When you’re hosting a crowd for Thanksgiving, this drink is your go-to. It’s easy to make and simple to scale. Measure and mix the cranberry juice and homemade lemonade in a punch bowl and keep it chilled in the fridge.

  When serving, add ice cubes to each glass, pour the punch until it’s three-quarters full, then top off with ginger ale and garnish with a lemon wedge. Oh, and be sure to prep the lemon wedges in advance to save time.