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Wow your guests with this rum punch for Thanksgiving

A batchable recipe for apple cider that's bound to be a hit

Hard apple cider spiced cocktail with sliced red apples, cinnamon, cardamom and star anise.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

We’ve extolled the virtues of batching your cocktails before, especially if you know you’re going to be busy while you’re hosting. And there’s no time when you’re going to be busier than Thanksgiving, with multiple main and side dishes to prepare and a range of holiday traditions and games to make time for. So if you’re looking to have one less worry on your mind, having your drinks prepared en mass and ready to go is a great relief.

We’ve got a recipe for a crowd pleasing rum punch, combining spiced apple cider and rich orange flavored rum to create an easy to enjoy drink that it scaled up to serve an entire crowd. It makes use of chai, the popular spiced tea from India which is often mixed into warm drinks like lattes in the US, to add a spicy and complex note that elevates the flavors to something special.

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Throw all the ingredients into a punch bowl, drop in the ice and the garnish as your guests arrive, and leave the drinks out for people to help themselves. Your guests get to enjoy a delicious drink, and you get to focus on the many dishes you’re juggling in the kitchen.

Sevillian Orange Spiced Apple Cider

BACARDÍ Spiced Apple Cider
Bacardi

Serves a large group

Ingredients:

Method:

Combine all ingredients in a punch bowl with ice. Garnish with apple slices and cinnamon sticks and enjoy with loved ones!

Georgina has been the space writer at Digital Trends space writer for six years, covering human space exploration, planetary… Read Full Bio
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