Sparkling Thanksgiving Punch Recipe

• servings: 25 servings

Ingredients

1 gallon farm-fresh apple cider

1 ½-2 cups 100% cranberry pomegranate juice (no sugar added)

10 cinnamon stick

40 whole cloves (see note below)

2 oranges (cut up)

1 lemon (cut up (optional)

2/3 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 cups Ginger-ale

Garnish (red & green apples, pomegranate seeds, oranges, cinnamon sticks)

Directions

In a large pot, over medium heat, add apple cider, cranberry-pomegranate juice, cinnamon sticks, cloves, oranges, and lemon.

Stir to combine.

Bring to a slight boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.

Strain mixture, discard the oranges, lemon, cloves, and cinnamon sticks (or create potpourri, see post).

Return punch to the pot.

Add in maple and brown sugar.

Simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Add vanilla extract and remove from heat.

Let punch cool slightly before pouring into a pitcher.

Refrigerate overnight.

When ready to serve add ginger ale to the punch or directly into the garnished glasses.

For garnish, dice up red and green apples & oranges into small pieces and seed a pomegranate.

Freeze the fruit on a baking tray if you want to use them for ice cubes as well.

Place the mixed fruit into the glasses, filling about a 1/4 full.

Add a cinnamon stick to each glass.

Pour the cold apple cider into the glasses. Add a splash of ginger ale on top.

Serve.