Hot Cranberry Punch

This punch is a holiday open-house workhorse. Tart cranberry juice gets a tropical lift from pineapple juice, sweetened gently with brown sugar, and infused with a sachet of whole cloves and a cinnamon stick.

The slow cooker does the work. Tying the spices in cheesecloth means no fishing out cloves at the bottom of someone’s cup. Low and slow lets the flavors marry without driving off the bright fruit notes the way a stovetop boil would.

Keep it on the warm setting once it’s hot and ladle straight from the cooker into mugs. It’s a great non-alcoholic option for parties, but easy to spike for the grown-ups with a splash of dark rum or bourbon per cup.

Kitchen Tips

• Use unsweetened pineapple juice so the punch isn’t cloying, the brown sugar is plenty
• Bruise the cinnamon stick by snapping it in half before bundling, this releases more flavor
• Switch to the warm or keep-warm setting once heated through to avoid over-reducing
• Garnish individual mugs with a fresh cinnamon stick or orange slice for presentation

Variations

• Add 2 strips of orange peel to the spice sachet for citrus brightness
• Spike each mug with a tablespoon of dark rum, bourbon, or spiced rum
• Add a splash of apple cider for extra fall warmth