Make this frozen holiday punch for your Christmas crowd this year! Combine fizzy ginger ale with pineapple juice and cherry-flavored Jello for a frosty party punch that the whole family can enjoy.

I include tips on how to make a boozy version, too! And if you’re looking for more festive drinks with a grown-up twist, check out my Christmas margaritas and Christmas Jello shots.

 

I love punch, and when I was growing up we had a rotation of festive Christmas punch recipes that we’d enjoy on Christmas Eve. This icy holiday punch is one of my favorites, inspired by an old recipe from Taste of Home magazine. I make it without alcohol so the whole family can get in on the fun! 

This rosy, frosty drink comes together in minutes the night before, and I take it out of the freezer a few hours ahead and add ginger ale right before serving to make it slushy. No ice cubes or watered-down punch. Just sweet, fruity, and fizzy deliciousness in your glass!

Why I Love This Frozen Holiday Punch Recipe

• Kid-friendly. I love mixing up Christmas sangria and mistletoe margaritas during the holidays, but sometimes it’s great for the kids to join in with a booze-free toast. My son is so excited when I make this holiday drink without alcohol so that he can have it, too!
• Fizzy and frosty. I love fizzy drinks, and I especially love that freezing this punch ahead of time means that there’s no need to water it down with ice cubes when serving. Just add fizz, and get sipping.
• Adaptable. You can make this punch boozy or not, and swap out the fruit juice and ingredients depending on what you like. Change out the ginger ale for sparkling wine or add a splash of rum to make it extra festive. See further in the post for ideas.
• Easy to make. Everything comes together in one bowl with just a few simple ingredients. It doesn’t get much easier than that!

Punch Ingredients

Fun fact: Punch comes from the German word “Punsch” and refers to a mix of fruit juices and sometimes liquor that’s topped with fizz, like sparkling wine. While this frozen punch recipe uses alcohol-free ingredients, It’s very easy to change it up if you prefer a boozy version (more on this later).

For now, here are some quick ingredient notes to get you started. Scroll down to the recipe card for a printable list with the full recipe details.

• Cherry Jello – You’ll need a 6-ounce packet of cherry Jello, or any gelatin flavor you’d like. 
• Sugar and Water – I combine Jello and boiling water with sugar to sweeten up the punch. Feel free to skip the added sugar for a less-sweet recipe, or use another sweetener, like honey.
• Ginger Ale – If needed, another soft drink like Sprite, 7Up, or Fresca makes a good substitute for ginger ale.
• Pineapple Juice – I like to use 100% pineapple juice that comes canned. You can use any pineapple juice you find in the store.

How To Make Holiday Punch

Here’s how to make this icy, juicy Christmas punch! It’s the perfect way to get a head start on your next holiday party. Scroll to the recipe card for the printable instructions.

• Combine the ingredients. Get out a freezer-proof bowl or container and dissolve the Jello and sugar in boiling water. Next, add the pineapple juice and water.
• Freeze. Place the punch into the freezer overnight. Take out the punch a 2-4 hours ahead of serving so that it gets a bit slushy.
• Finish and serve. When you’re ready to serve, top up the holiday punch with ginger ale and enjoy!

Can I Make a Boozy Punch?

Absolutely. To give your holiday punch some extra kick, simply stir in a splash of your preferred liquor, like rum or vodka, along with the ginger ale. Liqueurs like schnapps, Cointreau, and triple sec also complement the flavors in this recipe. Another option is to replace some of the fruit juice or ginger ale with red or white wine, rosé, or sparkling wine. It’s up to you! See the next section for easy punch variations.

Easy Variations

• Use sparkling wine. In place of ginger ale or soda, choose your favorite sweet or dry sparkling wine, like Prosecco or an affordable Champagne if you’re feeling fancy.
• For a less sweet punch, swap ginger ale for club soda. 
• Different fruit juice. Just about anything goes. Use any combination of fruit juice you like! Instead of or in addition to pineapple juice, try apple cider (or apple juice), cranberry juice, white grape juice, peach juice, or even lemonade.
• Different Jello. The same goes for your choice of Jell-O! I love the festive flavors of cherry Jello, but go ahead and substitute it for strawberry, raspberry, or another flavor.
• Add-ins. Slice up fresh citrus like oranges and lemons, or add in fresh fruit like cherries, cranberries, or pomegranate rubies for garnish.

Serving Suggestions

This frozen holiday punch is perfect for get-togethers. Whether it’s Christmas, New Year’s Eve, or any time during the holidays, I’ll serve a big batch of frosty punch next to festive appetizers like crock pot meatballs, cheesy sausage cups, and party mix, and sweet treats like peanut clusters and reindeer chow (or hot chocolate muddy buddies). Fresh mint or rosemary sprigs make a fun, Christmassy garnish, or I’ll add cherries or orange slices to each glass.

How To Store

• Make-ahead. Store the prepared punch mix (minus the fizz) in the freezer for up to 2 months. I’ll freeze it in one large block, or pour it into ice cube trays. If you’re freezing this punch more than one day ahead, it may need more time to thaw.
• Re-freeze. Leftovers can be returned to the freezer in a freezer-safe container and thawed again at a later date. The punch loses its fizz over time, so I recommend adding more ginger ale for serving.

More Holiday Drink Recipes

• Cranberry Mimosas 
• Winter White Cosmo
• Cranberry Gin Cocktail
• Mistletoe Margarita
• Christmas Sangria

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