Holiday Champagne Punch

Holiday Champagne Punch Ingredients

A combination of liquids makes this champagne punch perfect for the holiday season:

• Pomegranate juice – Used to create a simple syrup and as the main base of the punch. It adds a gorgeous ruby-red color for the holidays!
• Granulated sugar – Sweetens and balances the tart juice in the syrup.
• Ginger and cinnamon sticks – Added to the simple syrup for some cozy holiday notes and a little spice.
• Pomegranate arils – For garnish and little pops of fresh texture.
• Orange juice – Brightens the punch and softens out some of the pomegranate’s tartness.
• Campari – One of my favorite aperitifs; it adds bittersweet depth and keeps the drink from tasting flat.
• Dark rum – Gives richness and warmth, which is what you need during the holidays.
• Limes and oranges – Thinly sliced for color and flavor!
• Champagne or sparkling white wine – Adds the bubbles and the celebration.

The full amount of each ingredient can be found in the recipe card below.

How to Make This Holiday Champagne Punch

There are 5 steps to make this holiday punch recipe:

Freeze the ice ring – Add the pomegranate juice, orange juice, and pomegranate seeds to a small Bundt pan. Freeze until completely solid.

Make the syrup – In a small saucepan, combine the pomegranate juice, sugar, ginger, and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil and stir until the sugar dissolves. Remove the syrup from the heat and chill until cold. Strain out the ginger and cinnamon before using.

Build the punch – In a punch bowl or large pitcher, combine the pomegranate juice, orange juice, Campari, dark rum, and chilled syrup.

Add the fruit – Thinly slice the limes and oranges. Add them to the bowl along with the pomegranate seeds. At this point, the punch can be made up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated.

Serve – Just before serving, add the champagne or sparkling wine and slide in the frozen ice ring.

Recipe Tips

• Chill everything first – Cold juice, cold syrup, and cold sparkling wine help the punch stay chilled and bubbly longer.
• Add the bubbles in at the end – Pour it in right before serving so you retain as much fizz as possible.
• Make sure to strain the syrup – Removing the pieces of ginger and cinnamon sticks keeps the final texture of the punch smooth.
• Seed the pomegranates ahead of time – This is the one slightly fussy step with this drink recipe, so doing it beforehand makes party prep feel much easier.
• Use a dry bubbly – Brut Champagne or prosecco works best here since the syrup and juices already add sweetness.
• Make it alcohol-free – Omit the Campari, rum, and sparkling wine, then top the punch with lemon-lime soda right before serving.

More Drink Recipes

• Apple cider sangria
• Pineapple tequila sangria
• French 75 cocktail
• Festive pineapple slush – perfect for the holidays
• Spicy margarita
• Holiday eggnog