This post first appeared on Yellow Bliss Road where I am a contributor.
Get the party started with an easy Apple Cider Whiskey Punch! Grab your favorite whiskey or bourbon for a crowd-pleasing cocktail!
I don’t know what it is about apples, but they’re always been my favorite fruit. Sweet, crisp, and colorful – they’re just the best! I wanted to change things up from our usual punch recipes and I knew anything apple-based would knock it out of the park.
That’s how this Apple Cider Whiskey Punch came about. It’s super easy to make too!
No fancy ingredients. Just easy to find items you can get at pretty much any grocery store. So grab your pitcher and let’s mix up something delicious!
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Ready to see how simple this punch is?
Whiskey Cider Punch Ingredients
- Gala Apples
- Oranges
- Lemons
- Cinnamon Sticks
- Apple Cider – the cloudy kind
- Ginger Ale
- Whiskey or Bourbon
- Lemon Juice
Just a few fruits, cinnamon sticks, whiskey, and juices. It’s hard not to love this punch.
I like to spike this punch with whiskey or bourbon. The whiskey really deepens the flavor of the punch and pairs fabulously with the apples and ginger. If you can let this cider punch sit for a bit it will get even better, but if you need to it can be served up right away.
This apple cider punch does have alcohol in it, but you can make a family-friendly version too. Leave out the whiskey and add an extra cup of ginger ale instead. No big deal.
How to Make Whiskey Apple Cider Punch
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Core the apple and cut it into thin slices. Cut orange and lemon into thin slices to create wheels – discard the ends. Put the fruit slices and cinnamon sticks into a 2.5-quart pitcher.
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Pour the apple cider, ginger ale, lemon juice, and whiskey into your pitcher. (If you’re omitting the whiskey, increase the amount of ginger ale to 3 cups.) Use a wooden spoon to stir everything together.
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Refrigerate the punch for at least 1 hour to let the flavors marry together.
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Pour the punch into glasses and garnish with an apple slice if you want to pretty it up.
How do you serve apple cider?
- A lot of people serve apple cider warm around the holidays. It’s a comforting drink that helps shuffle off the cold. You can even add some cloves, cinnamon sticks, or orange peel to your cider while warming it up for a flavor boost.
Is cold apple cider good?
- I think so, and so does my family. My youngest actually prefers apple cider to apple juice. I’m inclined to agree with him.
What’s the difference between apple juice and apple cider?
- Apple cider and apple juice start the same way. Apples are washed, cut, and ground into an “apple mash”. Then the juices are pressed. This is apple cider.
- For apple juice, the pressed juices are then filtered to remove the pulp and pasteurized to extend shelf life.
If you can’t find cloudy apple cider or apple juice is on sale, you can absolutely substitute apple juice for this recipe. No one will judge you. I’m all about keeping it easy.
My favorite time of year to serve this punch is over the holidays to pair with all those baked goods and spiced dishes. But you can really serve this punch up any time of the year.
If you feel like the cinnamon sticks are a little too seasonal, take them out and keep sliced apples and oranges in the pitcher. No one will be the wiser!
We think this apple cider punch is perfect for the 4th of July. I double the recipe and serve it up in a big punch bowl.
Make this punch, take a sip, and get hooked!
More tasty apple recipes!
- Apple Spice Cake
- Apple Cider Sangria
- Apple Pecan Bread Pudding
- Cranberry Apple Fizz
- Apple Pie Oreo Truffles
Yummy cocktails for a crowd!
Ingredients
- 1 gala apple
- 1 orange
- 1 lemon
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 3 cups apple cider, (the cloudy kind)
- 2 cups ginger ale
- 1 cup whiskey, or bourbon
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
Equipment
Instructions
- Core apple and cut into thin slices. Cut orange and lemon into thin slices to create wheels, and discard ends. Put fruit slices and cinnamon sticks into a 2.5-quart pitcher.
- Pour apple cider, 2 cups ginger ale, lemon juice, and whiskey into the pitcher. (If omitting whiskey, increase ginger ale to 3 cups.) Use a wooden spoon to stir everything together.
- Refrigerate the punch for at least 1 hour to let the flavors marry together. Pour punch into glasses and garnish with an apple slice.
Notes
- This punch can be made with or without whiskey and tastes great both ways.
- If you're in a hurry, this punch can be served immediately, but it tastes better if you let it sit for a while.
Michele says
Instead of booze, maybe try a commercial hard cider or leave your cider outside in very cold temperatures. Below zero is best. What does not freeze is alcohol. Do you have good freezer? (Do no use a glass container.) That is a method used since we started growing and pressing apples.
New to the site. I enjoy what you are creating. mjsr