Cranberry Ginger Ale Punch — 2 Ingredients, a Whole Gallon
Two Ingredients. One Gallon. Nobody Believes It.
This cranberry ginger ale punch is the easiest thing I serve at any get-together — one bottle of cranberry juice and one 2-liter of ginger ale, chilled and poured together, and that is the whole recipe. It is non-alcoholic, it is the prettiest red in a glass dispenser, and it feels festive without me doing a single bit of work. I served it at my ladies luncheon this fall, and it is going on my Thanksgiving table too.
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Watch me show off the dispensers this cranberry ginger ale punch fits in perfectly — or scroll down for the full printable recipe card.
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• I had to replace my drink dispensers this year, and these glass ones on the little wooden stand have been through three big get-togethers in a month. Each one holds 1.1 gallons — exactly one 2-liter of ginger ale and one bottle of cranberry juice, so one batch of this punch fills one dispenser.
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Cranberry Ginger Ale Punch
Start CookingIngredients
- 64 ounces cranberry juice chilled (1 bottle)
- 2 liters ginger ale chilled (1 bottle)
Don’t Want to Plan? I Got You.Every Saturday I share a full week of dinners, sides, and a dessert — with the grocery list already done. Come grab this week’s Weekly Meal Plans!Equipment
Method Start Cooking
- Chill both bottles overnight. Cold is everything here.
- Pour the cranberry juice into a punch bowl or a big drink dispenser.
- Pour in the ginger ale right before your guests arrive, so it stays fizzy. Stir gently.
Nutrition
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Notes
Four Weeks of Family-Friendly FoodWhen people gather, I cook. Four weeks of the dinners my crowd asks for — planned, tested, and shopped for. Come see what’s in the cookbook →Why This Cranberry Ginger Ale Punch Works
There is nothing to measure and nothing to mix ahead. One 64-ounce bottle of Ocean Spray cranberry juice cocktail and one 2-liter of ginger ale make a whole gallon. The cranberry brings the color and the tart, and the ginger ale brings the sweet and the fizz. It is so perfect and so easy.
The only real step is the one people skip: get both bottles cold. I chill them overnight, so the punch comes out of the dispenser icy without a pile of ice cubes watering it down. Then the ginger ale goes in last, right before people walk in the door, so every glass still has its fizz.
And it looks like a lot more effort than it is. In one of my glass drink dispensers, that deep red becomes part of the decor, which is exactly why I love serving it at a party.
A Few Things That Make Cranberry Ginger Ale Punch Even Easier
- Chill both bottles overnight. Cold is everything here. A cold punch does not need much ice, and a punch without much ice does not go watery.
- Pour the ginger ale in last. Add it right before your guests arrive and stir gently, so it stays fizzy.
- No 2-liter at your store? Six 12-ounce cans of ginger ale are 72 ounces, a little more than a 2-liter, and work just the same.
- Feeding a big crowd? Make it twice, or keep the second batch’s bottles in the fridge and mix it when the bowl runs low.
- Give the drinks their own table. Set the drinks away from the food. A separate drink station keeps the buffet line moving.
Cranberry Ginger Ale Punch FAQ — The Questions I Get Every Time
How do you make cranberry ginger ale punch?
Chill a 64-ounce bottle of cranberry juice and a 2-liter of ginger ale overnight. Pour the cranberry juice into a punch bowl or drink dispenser, then pour in the ginger ale right before your guests arrive and stir gently. That’s it — about 5 minutes of work, plus the overnight chill.
How much punch does one batch make?
One batch makes about a gallon, which is 16 one-cup servings. It fits exactly in one of my 1.1-gallon glass dispensers.
How much punch do I need for 25 people?
For 25, I make it twice — two gallons. Not everyone will drink punch, so two gallons covers a crowd. Keep the second batch’s bottles cold in the fridge and mix it when the first one runs low.
Can I make cranberry ginger ale punch ahead of time?
Chill the bottles ahead, but mix it the day of. The ginger ale is what gives it the fizz, so it goes in right before your guests arrive.
Is this punch non-alcoholic?
Yes. It is just cranberry juice and ginger ale, so it works for everybody at the table, from the grandparents to the little ones.
What if I can’t find a 2-liter of ginger ale?
Use six 12-ounce cans. That is 72 ounces, a little more than a 2-liter, and it works just the same.
🛒 Complete Shopping List
Everything you need to make this Cranberry Ginger Ale Punch — click any item to shop on Amazon.
Ingredients
Equipment
🦃 Hosting the whole holiday dinner?
This punch is part of The Holiday Table for 25 — my whole holiday dinner for 25: the menu, the one-oven schedule, the day-of timeline, and every recipe, so you get to sit down and eat with everybody else.
And here’s everything I use to host — the roaster, serving pieces, paper goods, and decor.
More Drinks You’ll Love
- Mixed Berry Lemonade — a half gallon of tart, sweet berry lemonade with no cooking at all.
- Peach Mango Iced Tea — a fruity, no-fuss pitcher that is ready in about two minutes.
- Lavender Lime Tea — another pretty pitcher for a crowd, floral and citrusy.
- DIY Drinks for a Crowd — 4 Beverages Under $1 — how I make gallons of drinks for a couple of dollars when I am feeding everybody.
📬 Come to the table on Saturday
Every Saturday morning I send a printable meal plan and full grocery list — the whole week, formatted for the fridge and the grocery run — plus new recipes and whatever’s happening at the Longstreth house. Drop your email below and I’ll save you a seat.
Cranberry Ginger Ale Punch — About Stephanie’s Recipes
Stephanie Longstreth is the home cook, mom, and storyteller behind StephanieCooksForACrowd.com. She cooks for a family of seven in Florida — five kids, two cats, and one husband who appreciates a good meal. Four of her children came home through adoption, and family stories are woven into everything she makes and shares. Find her crowd-friendly recipes, weekly meal plans, and real family life on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest @stephaniecooksforacrowd.