Fireball Thanksgiving Punch
Fireball Thanksgiving Punch is a festive holiday cocktail made with apple cider, cinnamon whiskey, cranberry juice, sparkling wine, and fresh fruit. This easy fall drink is perfect for Thanksgiving dinner, Friendsgiving, and cozy holiday gatherings.
Equipment
- Large punch bowl
- Long-handled spoon
- Measuring cups and measuring spoons
- Sharp knife and cutting board
- Citrus juicer if needed
- Ladle or serving spoon
- Ice bucket or chilled serving glasses
Ingredients
- 5½ cups apple cider
- 10 oz Fireball cinnamon whiskey
- 12 oz sparkling apple wine or sparkling white wine
- 6 oz frozen orange juice concentrate
- 2 oz maple syrup
- 2 small Honeycrisp apples thinly sliced
- 1 orange thinly sliced
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 2 star anise
- Ice cubes or frozen apple slices
- 4 oz cranberry juice
- ½ cup fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup fresh cranberries garnish
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the fruit
- Wash the apples, orange, and cranberries. Thinly slice the apples and orange, removing any seeds you can see.
Step 2: Mix the cider base
- Pour the apple cider into a large punch bowl or pitcher. Add the thawed orange juice concentrate, cranberry juice, and maple syrup. Stir until the concentrate dissolves.
Step 3: Add the Fireball
- Pour in the Fireball cinnamon whiskey and stir gently to combine it with the cider mixture.
Step 4: Add the fruit and spices
- Add the sliced apples, orange slices, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and fresh cranberries. Stir gently and let the mixture chill for about 30 minutes if you have time.
Step 5: Add the sparkling wine
- Just before serving, pour in the sparkling apple wine or sparkling white wine. Stir slowly to keep as much of the fizz as possible.
Step 6: Chill and serve
- Add ice cubes or frozen apple slices to the punch bowl, or place ice in individual glasses. Ladle the punch into glasses and garnish with a few apple slices and cranberries.
Notes
- This recipe makes approximately 10 servings, depending on the glass size and amount of ice.
- Thaw the frozen orange juice concentrate before mixing.
- Use sparkling apple wine for a fruitier flavor or sparkling white wine for a lighter taste.
- Add the sparkling wine just before serving.
- Adjust the maple syrup according to the sweetness of your cider and juice.
- Add ice to individual glasses when possible to reduce dilution in the main bowl.
- Keep the alcoholic and nonalcoholic versions in separate, clearly labeled containers.