Bourbon Apple Cider Punch

Serve a crowd with this Bourbon Apple Cider Punch! Don’t be stuck in the kitchen making a craft cocktail for each party guest. With just 4 simple ingredients, this spiked punch can be stirred together in just a minute. Use bourbon, rum, or any other spirit you like. 

For this recipe, I set out to make a festive holiday cocktail, and I feel like I ended up with the most Michigan drink of all time. An ode to my home state, in a glass!

To make this Bourbon Apple Cider Punch, start by grabbing a carton of local apple cider. The best apple cider comes from Michigan apples, and no, I’m not at all biased. It’s also great in apple cider mules.

You’ll also need a bottle of Champagne or sparkling wine. If you want to keep it in Michigan, several Michigan wineries make sparkling wine!

Then, we come to the ginger ale. Any Michigander will tell that you that when we say ginger ale, we mean Vernor’s. Nothing else will do.

Created in 1866 by James Vernor, a Detroit pharmacist, Vernor’s is the oldest surviving ginger ale in the country.

The company has since been acquired by a major national conglomerate, and I don’t even think it’s still made in Michigan.

But, the bottle of it I bought for this punch still has the “Pure Michigan” logo on it, and that’s good enough for me.

Bourbon is one of my favorite spirits (see also: bourbon mules and my best bourbon smash recipe), especially in the winter, and I think it pairs especially well with apple cider (see also: my apple cider old fashioned) and ginger ale (it also makes an awesome maple bourbon glaze for your Thanksgiving turkey). There are a few Michigan-made bourbons on the market, so seek those out if you wish.

If you’re not a fan of bourbon, I’ve also tested this punch with rum, and it’s just as delicious.

One thing I love about this drink is that it’s a big batch cocktail, making it perfect and easy for parties this holiday season (or even for the adults while the kids chow down on Halloween foods or apple mug cakes).

Instead of having to make a separate cocktail for each guest, simply set out a punch bowl, an ice bucket, and some glasses, and let your friends serve themselves. Add this to your Thanksgiving recipes list (along with my apple rose tart and oven baked apples), and Happy Holidays!