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Bourbon Apple Cider Thanksgiving Punch

From ingredients to enjoyment, this recipe makes it easy to create something wonderful.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Additional Time
1 hr 30 mins
Servings: 10 cups of punch
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

For the Maple Simple Syrup:
  • 2 cups (454ml) water
  • 1 cup (340ml) maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup (106g) light brown sugar
  • 6 green cardamom pods
  • 4 cinnamon sticks
  • 2 star anise pods
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons whole cloves
  • 2 3-inch pieces fresh ginger peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Thanksgiving Punch:
  • 3 cups (681ml) apple cider non-alcoholic
  • 2 cups (454ml) bourbon
  • 3/4 cup (171ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup (113ml) freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1 cup (227ml) ginger beer non-alcoholic
  • 3 large Honeycrisp Apples sliced

Instructions

For the Maple Simple Syrup:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Combine the water, maple syrup, brown sugar, spices, ginger, and thyme in a medium-saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. 
  2. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the maple syrup and brown sugar has completely dissolved, about 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking for another 10 minutes. 
  3. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Set aside and cool for 30 minutes, then strain the simple syrup through a fine-mesh strainer and into a heatproof bowl. 
  4. Discard spices. Use ALL of the simple syrup in the punch recipe below.
For the Thanksgiving Punch:
  1. In a large pitcher or punch bowl, combine all of the simple syrup with the apple cider, bourbon, lemon juice, and orange juice. Gently stir to combine. 
  2. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour - or up to 4 hours. Right before serving, pour the ginger beer into the pitcher and add the apple slices, gently stir to combine. 
  3. Pour into glasses filled with ice and serve at once! Garnish ideas: apple slices, fresh thyme sprigs, star anise, cinnamon sticks.