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Cranberry Rum Punch

Cranberry Rum Punch recipe
Photographs by Emma Fishman

Since this fall-flavored rum punch is so simple to throw together, go the extra mile and make festive cranberry-studded ice, which serves as a garnish and temperature control in one. A mix of whole and thinly sliced berries looks best—any ice tray will work. Depending on the sweetness of your ginger ale and hard cider, you might not need the simple syrup, but it will be worth making to have on hand for other cocktails (a pre-feast Whiskey Smash? An NYE French 75? We could go on).

Recipe information

  • Yield

    8 Servings

Ingredients

1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup sugar
1 750-ml bottle white rum
3 cups dry hard cider
2 cups unsweetened 100% cranberry juice
1 cup ginger ale
¼ cup fresh lime juice

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Thinly slice about a third of the cranberries and leave remaining berries whole. Fill sections of an ice cube tray with berries, then pour in water to fill. Repeat with more trays as needed until you have used all of the cranberries. Freeze until solid.

    Step 2

    Meanwhile, bring sugar and 1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan, whisking until sugar is dissolved. Let simple syrup cool.

    Step 3

    Stir rum, cider, cranberry juice, ginger ale, lime juice, 3 tsp. simple syrup, and some cranberry ice in a pitcher or punch bowl. Taste punch; add more syrup if needed. Fill 8 glasses with remaining cranberry ice and pour punch over.

    Do ahead: Cranberry ice and simple syrup can be made 1 month ahead. Transfer ice to a resealable plastic bag and keep frozen. Transfer simple syrup to an airtight container and chill.

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