Cranberry Elderflower Champagne Punch

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/28/22
Cranberry Elderflower Champagne Punch

The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 5 mins
Servings: 16 servings
Yield: 1/2 gallon

Brighten up your party with a sparkling punch that has a lovely floral accent. The cranberry elderflower Champagne punch is a simple recipe that comes together in just minutes and its flavor will fascinate all of your guests.

This recipe is extremely easy to mix up, even at the last minute. It combines the sweet elderflower taste of St. Germain Liqueur with cranberry and lemon juices and finishes it off with a double dose of sparkle. The result is a refreshing drink that is perfect for spring and summer parties.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup elderflower liqueur

  • 1 1/2 cups cranberry juice

  • 1/2 cup lemon juice

  • 1/2 cup simple syrup

  • 1 (750-milliliter) bottle sparkling wine

  • 1 1/2 cups club soda, or seltzer

  • Seasonal fruit, or cranberries, or citrus slices; for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a large pitcher, combine the elderflower liqueur, cranberry and lemon juices, and simple syrup.

  3. Stir well and refrigerate overnight.

  4. When it's time for service, pour the spiked juice mix into a punch bowl and top with sparkling wine and soda.

  5. Garnish with cranberries, seasonal fruit, or citrus slices. Serve and enjoy.

Tips

  • To give the punch a lighter profile, use white cranberry juice. It's a perfect complement to the elderflower and allows the florals to shine a little brighter. Also, white cranberry is not quite as sweet as the more common red cranberry juice.
  • Like sangrias, it's best to mix up the base of the punch and allow it to rest in the refrigerator overnight. This helps to marry the flavors and creates a more uniform taste. Yet, if you didn't plan ahead and need a quick punch right before the party, it will work out just fine.
  • Even though this is called a "Champagne punch," Champagne is not required. Whether it's Cava, Prosecco, or a bubbly rosé, your favorite sparkling wine will make a great punch. Just be sure to add it and the soda right before service so your guests can fully enjoy the bubbles.

Ice or No Ice?

There's no need to include ice in the punch if you chill all of the ingredients ahead of time. You can certainly add ice if you like and it's not a bad idea if it's a hot day.

A simple ice ring always looks great in a punch bowl. It can be made with your bundt pan and you can even freeze fresh fruits inside. You do need to think ahead though. Large pieces of ice take longer to freeze, so try to give it at least 24 hours, if not longer.

You can also use large ice balls or freeze ice in nearly any large container that will fit in your bowl. Keep in mind that the larger your chunks of ice, the slower they will melt. For a party punch, it's always best to avoid the average-sized ice cubes that are in everyone's freezer.

If you want to avoid any chance of watering down your punch, place the punch bowl in a tray of ice. As the ice melts, simply dump the water and add more to keep the bowl cool.

How Strong Is a Cranberry Elderflower Champagne Punch?

All of the nonalcoholic mixers used in this punch offset the liqueur and wine, bringing the alcohol content down to a very pleasant level. Though it will vary, you can generally expect it to mix up to 7 percent ABV (14 proof). It's a lot like serving your guests beer, only much tastier.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
118 Calories
0g Fat
16g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories 118
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 7mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 16g 6%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 13g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 13mg 63%
Calcium 14mg 1%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 85mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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