This delicious Thanksgiving punch recipe combines the popular duo of cranberry and orange juice with soda and a little pop of grenadine for a festive and fun drink for the whole family! Make it even more special by topping with whipped cream and holiday sprinkles!
![Glass of Thanksgiving punch with an orange slice](https://www.playpartyplan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/thanksgiving-punch-7-of-11.jpg)
My go to drink for as long as I can remember when I’m getting something a little special is cranberry and orange juice mixed together.
My mom got me hooked on the combination years ago and to this day, it’s still one of my favorites. It can be in a cranberry orange bread, cranberry orange muffins, or even just the actual juices combined in a yummy drink like this Thanksgiving punch.
This drink recipe is actually inspired by one I had at a dessert party at Disneyland’s Oogie Boogie Bash of all things. It’s not a Halloween punch by any means but it was so good I ended up getting like six refills and downing them all while we waited for the parade.
If Disneyland is serving this (and they’re famous for their delicious drinks), you know it’s going to be good!
It would totally make my best Disneyland food list!
I asked the cast member what was in it because I loved it so much and she didn’t give me the recipe but she did tell it was cranberry juice, orange juice, Sprite, pineapple juice, and a little grenadine combined. No wonder I loved it – those are my favorite things to use to make drink recipes!
So I went home and I played with various combinations and measurements and ended up with this recipe. It’s not exactly the same as the one at Oogie Boogie Bash, but it’s sure delicious.
Why you’ll love this
- Super easy – you just need five ingredients that are readily available at any grocery store! No heating, no cooking, nothing – just mix and enjoy!
- Kid-friendly – everyone deserves a special drink every once in a while, including the kids! This Thanksgiving punch is a fun special drink that’s both delicious enough for the adults but also something kids will enjoy!
- Pretty color – the orange and cranberry juice combine for a gorgeous shade of red that really says fall or Thanksgiving to me, making it the perfect drink to serve for the fall holidays!
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Orange juice – any orange juice works, I recommend pulp free just so it mixes a little better.
- Cranberry juice – I recommend 100% cranberry juice if you can get your hands on it without breaking your budget, but it’s been pretty tough to find these days. If you can’t find it, something like this 100% juice Ocean Spray cranberry juice (if you look on the back, it actually has other fruits…) is fine. I just recommend staying away from the cranberry juice cocktails as they have a totally different flavor.
- Sprite – I always prefer Sprite but you could also potentially use 7-UP or Sierra Mist as well if you can’t find Sprite.
- Grenadine – I personally prefer this brand of grenadine but you can also use homemade or whatever brand you want.
- Pineapple juice – my personal favorite is 100% Dole pineapple juice but again as long as it’s just pineapple juice and not a juice cocktail, it should work!
In addition to the actual punch ingredients, you may want to grab some of these items to garnish your punch!
- Fresh cranberries or you could even do sugared cranberries
- Orange slices
- Spray whipped cream
- Sprinkles
How to make Thanksgiving Punch
Okay so let me preface this by saying that I wrote this recipe to make enough for four eight servings of punch (12 to 16 oz glass with a little ice included). I made it for my family and didn’t want a ton leftover.
If you are making this for a large group say as your Thanksgiving drink, I recommend doubling or tripling depending on how many people you are serving. As long as you stick with the same ratios, the punch should still be delicious!
When you’re ready to make this Thanksgiving punch, here’s how you’ll do it:
- Pour all of the ingredients into your chosen container.
- Mix well until they’re all combined.
Recommended tools
When I’m doing a small batch, I like to put it together in a drink shaker to really get the flavors mixed – just don’t mix too hard or the Sprite will make it explode!
If you’re doing a larger portion, just pour everything into a pitcher or punch bowl and stir until the flavors are mixed well.
- Serve over ice, evenly dividing the mixture into four (or however you want) 12 to 16 ounce glasses.
- Garnish with fresh cranberries and orange slices.
If you’re doing it in a pitcher, you can add the garnishes right to the pitcher, but I don’t recommend adding ice to the pitcher so you don’t dilute the punch flavors!
Tip!
If you want to make it fancier and fun for the kids, add a little whipped cream and sprinkles to the top right before serving. Spray whipped cream does go flat pretty quickly, so I recommend not doing it until the very last minute.
This makes it a really fun drink, especially for the kids who typically get left out when it comes to fun drinks for the holidays!
If you want something else to serve alongside this Thanksgiving punch, this caramel apple drink is also a great “fancy” option!
Tips & tricks
Don’t make this punch until last-minute. It’s easy to make quickly and the Sprite in it will go flat if left too long or overnight. If you want something to cook ahead of time, I recommend this yummy spiced apple cider.
Don’t add ice to the punch in a large pitcher. Let people add punch to ice in their glasses so the ice doesn’t melt and water down the flavors.
Recipe FAQs
How do I keep my punch cold without watering it down?
You can either keep the punch in the refrigerator until right before serving, use reusable ice cubes, or keep your punch in an iced container, cooler, or otherwise cool location for serving.
How long will this punch last in the fridge?
This Thanksgiving punch is best enjoyed the day you make it because the Sprite will go flat. If you want to refrigerate any leftovers, you can definitely drink them the next day but you’ll be missing the sparkling nature of the drink. This is why I also don’t recommend making it ahead of time.
Can this Thanksgiving punch be made ahead of time?
I don’t recommend making this Thanksgiving punch ahead of time simply because it’s so fast to throw together last minute and the Sprite in it will go flat. Just make it right before you’re ready to sit down to eat Thanksgiving dinner!
More Easy Thanksgiving Recipes
This Thanksgiving punch recipe goes perfectly with any of these other Thanksgiving recipes!
- Pumpkin cupcakes with cake mix – the ultimate Thanksgiving dessert, these gorgeous pumpkin cupcakes are topped with a cheesecake frosting for a showstopping treat!
- Pumpkin delight recipe – four layers of delightful creaminess make this a perfect addition to any Thanksgiving dessert spread!
- No bake pumpkin pie – skip the traditional stuff and try this light and fluffy pumpkin pie that you don’t even have to cook!
- Homemade sausage stuffing – one of my favorite Thanksgiving sides of all time, this delicious stuffing is easy and delicious!
- Roasted root vegetables – gorgeous rainbow colored root vegetables make a great Thanksgiving side dish when they’re roasted and flavored like these ones!
Easy Thanksgiving Punch
Ingredients
- 12 oz cranberry juice 1 1/2 cups
- 10 oz orange juice 1 1/4 cups
- 6 oz Sprite 3/4 cups
- 4 oz pineapple juice 1/2 cup
- 1 TBS grenadine
Instructions
- Mix your ingredients together and stir or shake well. If shaking, shake gently so Sprite doesn’t make the drink explode.12 oz cranberry juice, 10 oz orange juice, 6 oz Sprite, 4 oz pineapple juice, 1 TBS grenadine
- Serve over ice in a 12-16 oz glass.
- Garnish with cranberries, orange slices, whipped cream, and/or sprinkles if desired.
Tips & Notes:
- Orange juice – any orange juice works, I recommend pulp free just so it mixes a little better.
- Cranberry juice – I recommend 100% cranberry juice if you can get your hands on it without breaking your budget, but it’s been pretty tough to find these days. If you can’t find it, something like 100% juice Ocean Spray cranberry juice (if you look on the back, it actually has other fruits…) is fine. Stay away from the cranberry juice cocktails.
- Sprite – I always prefer Sprite but you could also potentially use 7-UP or Sierra Mist as well if you can’t find Sprite.
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