Best 6 Mulled Cranberry Punch Recipes

SANTA CLAUS CRANBERRY PUNCH

Steps:

• Heat a hot-glue gun.
• To make Santa belts, cut four 1 1/4-by-7-inch strips of black felt and round off one end of each strip. To make belt buckles, cut four 1 3/4-inch squares of aluminum foil. Snip 2 slits into either side of each square. Slide the rounded edge of a felt strip through the slits of one foil square, leaving a little overhang. Wrap the felt strip around the middle of a pint-size (16-ounce) mason jar and attach it to itself using a dot of hot glue. Repeat with the remaining 3 felt strips, foil squares and mason jars.
• To make Santa's face, make stencils from the attached templates and cut out 4 beards and 4 mustaches from white felt. Alternatively, cut 4 teardrops from white felt, each 3 1/2 inches wide by 5 inches tall. Cut a 2 3/4-inch hole in the end of each teardrop, leaving a narrow border. Cut out four 4 1/2-inch-wide Santa mustaches. Attach the mustaches with a dot of glue to the top of the beards. Set aside.
• Pour 1 1/2 cups of the lemon-lime soda and 1/2 cup of the cranberry juice into each decorated jar, then squeeze the juice from a lime quarter into each. Slip a beard over the mouth of each jar. Mound whipped cream on top of each drink and add a cherry. Insert a straw and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar snow if desired.

MULLED CRANBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Wrap the cinnamon stick, peppercorns, orange zest and cloves in a small piece of cheesecloth and tie closed with kitchen twine to make a bundle.
• Combine the cranberries, sugar, 1 1/2 cups water, the wine and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan; add the cheesecloth bundle and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the berries burst and the sauce thickens, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
• Transfer the cranberry sauce to a bowl and refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight; discard the cheesecloth bundle. Garnish with thin strips of orange zest.

CRANBERRY COSMO PUNCH

Steps:

• For the mulled cranberry juice: Combine the cranberry juice, brown sugar, cloves, star anise and cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes. Let cool to room temperature before placing in the refrigerator to cool completely. Strain just before using.
• For the punch: Combine the vodka, triple sec and 4 1/2 cups of the mulled cranberry juice in a large punch bowl over ice or a juice ice mold (see Cook's Note). Stir to combine. Garnish with the orange twist if using.

CRANBERRY LEMONADE PUNCH

Steps:

• Combine the cranberry juice, lemonade, vodka and pineapple juice in a pitcher filled with ice and stir. Divide among punch glasses and garnish with the frozen cranberries.

MULLED CRANBERRY COCKTAIL

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine the juice, cinnamon stick, and cloves and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer.
• Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the cranberries, sugar, ground cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons of water and heat over medium-low heat, gently stirring, until the cranberries pop and are well coated with the sugar mixture.
• When cool enough to handle, thread 3 to 4 berries each on 4 decorative toothpicks or skewers. Pour the mulled cranberry juice into 4 mugs and garnish with the cranberry swizzle.

CRANBERRY-ORANGE MULLED PUNCH

Steps:

• Cook all ingredients except cranberries in large saucepan on low heat 20 min. or until heated through, stirring occasionally. (Do not let punch come to boil.)
• Remove and discard cinnamon sticks and cloves. Serve punch warm garnished with cranberries.