Vodka, cranberry, orange juice, and some 7UP collide in this adult Christmas punch. This mistletoe punch is bursting with sweet and tart flavors with a punch of vodka. Serve this punch over ice and garnish with cranberries and fresh rosemary. An elegant but easy drink.

close up of punch in a glass garnished with berries

This cranberry citrus Christmas punch is a festive and easy cocktail punch that takes minutes to make. Now, you can, of course, make this non-alcoholic if you prefer a kid-friendly mistletoe punch.

If you are looking for more easy Christmas drinks, here are a few more to consider. Try out this sugar cookie cocktail, Christmas margarita, or even a blue Christmas cocktail.

christmas cocktail punch in hand in a glass

Reasons To Fall For This Mistletoe Punch

Adult-friendly mixed drink that is a vodka-based cocktail.
Versatile in the ingredients you use to make this holiday punch recipe.
Full of sweet and tart flavors that are colorful and bright.
This punch can be made in just minutes! Serve over ice for a chilled drink.
Party-approved, and great for serving a crowd.

Ingredients

Juice – Orange juice and cranberry juice are both used for this recipe. It is a sweet and tart pairing.

Maraschino Cherry Juice – So grab a jar of cherries and use the juice. It is going to add a punch of sweetness to this cocktail. Plus it elevates the color.

7UP – I love lemon-lime soda to add some fizzy texture to the punch.

Vodka – The alcohol we used for this punch is plain vodka. It is a great base.

Lemon Juice – Now I wanted to add some sour to the drink so reach for fresh lemon juice.

Garnish – Garnish with rosemary sprigs and fresh cranberries. These are optional.

What to Serve With This Party Punch

Not sure what to serve along with this party punch? Consider serving up some Rudolph snacking board that is full of sweet and savory options. Or you could even nibble on these bite-size Christmas shortbread bites or Little Debbie Christmas tree bites.

Variations to Recipe

You are more than welcome to use sparkling water, ginger ale, or any flavor of lemon-lime soda. This adds a fizzy carbonation to the punch. But also, you can leave it out if you prefer.
Swap the cranberry juice and fresh cranberries with pomegranate juice and pomegranate arils.
Instead of lemon juice use lime juice.
Garnish with a lime wedge instead of fresh herbs.
Opt for basil instead of rosemary.

Tips for Success

Chilled Ingredients

You will want to refrigerate your juice, vodka, and other ingredients so it is all nice and chilled before you mix up the punch. This is going to help add all the flavors together nicely.

three glasses of cranberry punch on a wooden board

Serve over Ice

Now I do recommend serving on ice as it will help enhance all the cocktail punch ingredients. Once you pour the punch on the ice then serve right away. As the ice will melt and can water down the drink.

Alcohol

You are more than welcome to swap the vodka with a flavored vodka, or even a white rum. Feel free to play around with the type of alcohol to adjust the punch to fit the flavors you would prefer.

Mix Well

I recommend making sure to mix the punch well to ensure all the flavors get well mixed. You can use a long spoon to ensure it is fully mixed.

side view of cranberry orange punch in a glass

Storing

If you do not use up all the punch right away, make sure to strain off the ice before you store it in the fridge. Place the punch in a sealed container. Then right before serving stir well and then add in more lemon lime soda to add carbonation back to the punch.

FAQs

Can I double the recipe?

Yes, you can make as many servings as you would like. Use a large punch bowl and mix up as much of this party punch as you would like. Just ensure you have a container large enough to serve.

christmas cocktail punch in glasses on table

Can I make this non-alcoholic?

Go right ahead and leave out the vodka to make a non-alcoholic punch. Then add more lemon-lime soda if you would like. Or you can use split the orange and cranberry to replace the amount of vodka you would use for the drink.