Description
An elegant, make-ahead holiday punch featuring spiced pear and apple juice base with a splash of dry prosecco. It is gluten-free, naturally vegan, and requires zero bartending skills.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 cups (1.5 liters) Pear Nectar or 100% Pear Juice
- 2 cups (480ml) Apple Juice
- ¼ cup (60ml) Fresh Lemon Juice
- ½ cup (100g) Light Brown Sugar
- 3–4 large Cinnamon Sticks
- 3 Star Anise pods
- 4–5 Cardamom Pods (lightly crushed)
- 4–5 Whole Cloves
- 1–2 bottles Dry Brut Prosecco (chilled)
- Thinly sliced pears (for garnish)
- Fresh thyme sprigs (for garnish)
- Extra cinnamon sticks (for garnish)
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, combine pear nectar, apple juice, brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon sticks, star anise, cardamom pods, and cloves. Stir well to dissolve the brown sugar completely.
- Place the pot over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Do not boil.
- Once simmering, reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes to allow spices to infuse.
- Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes to steep further.
- Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a large pitcher, discarding the spices.
- Let the base cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Just before serving, pour chilled prosecco into the chilled base using a ratio of approximately 1 part prosecco to 3 parts punch base.
- Stir gently with a long spoon to preserve bubbles.
- Serve over ice, garnished with thin pear slices, fresh thyme sprigs, and a cinnamon stick.
Notes
Do not add prosecco too early or the punch will go flat. The non-alcoholic base can be made up to 24 hours in advance. For a spiked version, add ½ cup vodka or pear liqueur to the base before chilling. Ensure prosecco is dry Brut to avoid cloying sweetness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Beverage
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 glass
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 12
- Carbohydrates: 15
Keywords: holiday punch, fall cocktail, pear prosecco, party drink, gluten-free, vegan, make-ahead, winter drinks, easy cocktail