Name: Spiced Cranberry-Orange Punch
Total time: 1 h 55 min
Ingredients: 7 ounces water; 1 cup sugar; 1 (3-inch) piece ginger , sliced; 1 sprig fresh rosemary , plus rosemary sprigs for garnishing; 1 cinnamon stick , halved; 2 whole star anise; 12 ounces (3 cups) fresh or thawed frozen cranberries; 2 liters (68 ounces) seltzer , chilled; 12 ounces 100 percent cranberry juice , chilled; 12 ounces orange juice , chilled, plus orange slices for garnishing; 1 ice ring (see Test Kitchen Techniques)

Why This Recipe Works

This is the ultimate holiday party punch, flavored with the stars of the season, red and green from festive garnishes. It’s deliciously zero-proof, so you can serve it at every party you attend. Cranberry and orange juices are the base flavors of this punch, and they’re heightened with an infusion of spicy ginger, piney rosemary, and warm cinnamon and anise. Lightly cooking the cranberry garnish in this syrup makes the cranberries pleasant to eat. An ice ring does the best job of keeping the punch chilled for several hours without overdiluting.

Before You Begin

An ice ring does the best job of keeping the punch chilled for several hours without overdiluting. If necessary, 8 large ice cubes can be used instead.

Instructions

Heat 7 ounces water; 1 cup sugar; 1 (3-inch) piece ginger, sliced; 1 sprig fresh rosemary; 1 cinnamon stick, halved; and 2 star anise pods in large saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes (do not boil). Stir in 3 cups cranberries and cook, stirring often, until cranberries just begin to pop open, about 3 minutes. Off heat, let cranberry mixture cool completely, about 30 minutes. Transfer to bowl or storage container, cover, and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 1 hour or up to 4 days.

Combine cranberry mixture, 2 liters chilled seltzer, 12 ounces chilled cranberry juice, and 12 ounces chilled orange juice in large punch bowl. Add 1 ice ring and garnish with rosemary sprigs and orange slices. Serve in chilled punch cups.