The Aperol Spritz is thought to be the quintessential summer cocktail, but Aperol’s bitter citrus flavor makes it ideal for a Christmas cocktail. Perfect for easy entertaining, this Cranberry Aperol Spritz Christmas Punch is the ultimate crowd pleaser!
What a way to celebrate the holidays! Make entertaining easy with this gorgeous Cranberry Aperol Spritz Christmas Punch recipe that is perfect for a crowd! This is a festive cocktail with bright, bold flavors guaranteed to be a hit at Christmas!
The Aperol Spritz isn’t just for summer anymore!
Who’s had an Aperol Spritz before?! I fell in love with these on a recent trip to Europe. If you’ve never had one, it’s a combination of Aperol, champagne or sparkling wine, and a dash of club soda. It’s a super light and refreshing cocktail with just a hint of bitterness and citrus!
Usually, I’ve only had Aperol in the summer, but, lemme tell you, an Aperol spritz in the winter is where it’s at! It’s still a gorgeous, light, and refreshing drink, but I added just a few hints of Christmas to make it feel like a true Christmas cocktail!
Entertaining at Christmas can be a stressful time, which is why I love to find simple solutions that make for easy entertaining. Pitcher cocktails are great for a crowd and to create a stress-free cocktail that everyone will love. Instead of making individual cocktails, pitcher cocktails are so much easier to serve. This Aperol spritz recipe can be made in under five minutes, and you can have a few bottles of champagne on the side as a back up if you run out of this festive Christmas punch!
How to Make Cranberry Aperol Spritz Christmas Punch:
This holiday cocktail requires some simple ingredients which should be easy to find at your local supermarket and liquor stores.
Since Aperol is typically more popular in summer, it should be easy to find in your local liquor store. Do call ahead of time, however, to just make sure they have it! As well as Aperol, you’ll need some sparkling wine or champagne, some blood orange soda, and some fresh fruits.
To make this super festive and seasonal, I used fresh red Anjou pears, fresh orange (you could also use blood orange), cranberries, pomegranates, and rosemary to garnish. You could also use a cinnamon stick as a garnish as well. Sugared cranberries would be a super festive way to serve this cocktail too!
Sugared cranberries are really easy to make. You can heat 1/4 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of water in a small saucepan until the sugar dissolves. Then add in the cranberries. Take off the heat and leave the cranberries to sit for 10 minutes. Once they have been covered in the sugar syrup, remove the cranberries with a slotted spoon and leave to dry on a silicone baking mat for one hour. Once they have dried out, simply roll them in some sugar and add to your cocktail!
What’s your favorite holiday cocktail?
This is such a beautiful, festive cocktail with a real flair in flavor and color! Aperol isn’t just for summer, so go ahead and try something new this winter! If you’re lucky enough to be celebrating Christmas in the warmth this year, this would be PERFECT for a hot-weather Christmas cocktail too.
Ingredients
- 1 bottle champagne or sparkling wine
- 2 cups Aperol
- 2 cups blood orange soda
- 1/2 Anjou pear, sliced
- 1/2 orange sliced into rounds
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
- 1/2 cup fresh cranberries
- Rosemary sprig to garnish
Instructions
- Place fruit in a large pitcher.
- Add champagne, aperol, and blood orange soda.
- Stir to combine well.
- Serve over ice (optional) with a sprig of rosemary.
Notes
Home Chef Tip: Make your own sugar cranberries to make this even more festive! For a non-alcoholic version, make a festive mocktail with blood orange soda and fruit!
We hope you enjoy this Cranberry Aperol Spritz Christmas Punch from SoFabFood Home Chef, Georgina from The Home Cook’s Kitchen, as much as we do. If you love this simple recipe, you can find more like it by visiting our Cocktails Section. For daily recipe inspiration, subscribe to our newsletter, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Pinterest. Enjoy!
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