Monique’s Naughty & Nice Holiday Punch

Thanksgiving is over but the holidays are still here, baby! We’re almost halfway through December already and it’s time to add a fun, festive cocktail to your menu for any/all holidays you’ll be celebrating this month (including my birthday, of course).

My favorite naughty & nice holiday punch is bright, bubbly and so pretty poured into cocktail glasses. It’s filled with super simple ingredients AKA no crazy bitters or syrups but has the perfect amount of sweetness and flavor.

Make a big batch for Christmas, your company holiday party, a holiday brunch, or New Year’s Eve, and get the party started!

Ingredients in the best holiday punch

This easy Christmas punch recipe has just 5 core ingredients. The result is light, fresh and so delicious. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Cranberry juice: the base of the punch is made with cranberry juice (not cranberry juice cocktail) which gives it plenty of sweetness and a festive red color. Many holiday punch recipes call for a few different juices like orange juice, pineapple juice, etc. but I love the simplicity of sticking with cranberry juice.
• Prosecco: bubbles, please! You’ll add a bottle of prosecco to give the punch its sparkle and more flavor.
• Vodka: for a little extra “naughty” in this naughty & nice punch! I’m not a huge fan of cocktails with darker liquors like whiskey or brandy — the vodka keeps this one light and refreshing.
• Hard seltzer: I added extra bubbles and flavor by mixing in hard seltzer as well! A lot of recipes call for ginger ale, Sprite, or a different type of lemon-lime soda, but I like the combo of prosecco and a hard seltzer. You can, of course, use non-alcoholic seltzer as well.
• Lime juice: you’ll want to juice a full lime into the punch for a little tartness.
• Fruit: I love adding frozen or fresh cranberries and orange slices to the bowl for garnish.
• For serving: what’s a holiday punch without pretty glasses? Use lime wedges to coat the rim, then add granulated sugar and fresh rosemary sprigs to each glass.

Customize your punch

There are plenty of ways to customize this fun holiday punch depending on your (and your guests) preferences:

• Choose your juice. I think a pomegranate cranberry juice would also be delicious in this punch. A regular juice brand like Ocean Spray is perfect.
• Pick a seltzer. I used Spindrift Spiked Seltzer in the pineapple flavor, but feel free to use any flavor of hard seltzer that you like. Lime, pineapple, or a berry flavor would be great.
• Add more “party.” Feel free to use up to 1 cup of vodka, or reduce it to 1/2 cup depending on how strong you want the punch.

Can I make it a mocktail?

Absolutely! Feel free to omit the vodka and swap the prosecco for your favorite non-alcoholic seltzer.

Perfect holiday punch in 3 simple steps

1. Mix up the punch. Add all of the ingredients (except the garnishes) to a large punch bowl or large drink dispenser and mix well to combine.
2. Prep your glasses. Rim your serving glasses with a lime wedge so that they’re coated, then dip them in sugar to fully coat.
3. Pour & serve. Add ice cubes to each glass if needed, and ladle in the punch. Garnish each glass with a fresh rosemary sprig and serve!

Should I add ice?

Instead of adding ice, I recommend chilling all of the ingredients ahead of time so that the ice doesn’t water down the punch as it melts. The frozen cranberries will also help to keep the punch cold! If you’re in a pinch, feel free to add some ice to the punch bowl.

Our favorite festive cocktail tools

Shop all of our favorite kitchen tools here!

Store the holiday punch for later

If you happen to have some punch left over, you can store it right in the refrigerator. Simply pour it into airtight jars or containers for up to 3 days.

More cocktail recipes

Get all of our cocktail recipes here and holiday appetizers here!

I hope you love this fun naughty & nice holiday punch! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!