Pumpkin Pie Punch

5 from 1 vote

Aug 23, 2024

This post contains affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Nothing says party like a bowl of spiked punch! This fun fizzy pumpkin pie punch is packed with fall flavors, fresh citrus, and spiked with brandy and vodka. It’s time to get the party started!

I love making a big batch of this punch for Halloween night – and sneaking a thermos filled with this spiked punch to sip as we walk with friends and the kids run ahead for candy!

picture of pumpkin punch with pomegranate arils on top and an apple slice

Don’t want all the extras in a recipe post? We provide a skip to recipe button in the top left corner, as well as a clickable table of contents, just below, to help make this page easier to navigate.

At Sweet C’s, I add lots of tips in all of my recipes – because I am a home cook without any formal training, and I find I am more confident making dishes when I understand why it works, and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe – my goal is for even the most beginner home cook to feel empowered in the kitchen.

I want each reader to walk away with a solid knowledge of each recipe, with all of the tips I’ve gathered from extensive testing of each recipe. I also answer questions my friends and family have asked about my recipes, to help everyone better understand the processes we use – and why!

Refreshing Spiked Pumpkin Pie Punch
How to Make Pumpkin Pie Punch

Refreshing Spiked Pumpkin Pie Punch

Who doesn’t love a good party? I have found one of the keys to a good party is having a great big bowl of delicious refreshing spiked punch to help loosen everyone up.

This recipe combines the flavors of fall (pumpkin and apple) with citrus to give it a zing that will keep your guests coming back for more.

Alcohol-free? If you want to make this both child and adult-friendly, you can leave out the vodka and brandy or combine them in a small bowl on the side with a little ladle so adults can add it to their punch (keep it out of reach of children…) Any way you mix it, you are going to want to save this recipe for all your fall and Thanksgiving get-togethers.

How to Make Pumpkin Pie Punch

To make this recipe, you’ll need:

Apple cider – apple cider is super easy to find in the fall in most grocery stores. It’s made by pressing the apples that have imperfections into a juice that is distinct from apple juice because it is unfiltered and unpasteurized. See the FAQs below for more info about substitutions.
Orange juice – I like using orange juice here to get a warm citrus flavor. I find that it pairs well with apple and with the brandy and vodka in this punch. Use fresh pulp free orange juice.
Lemon juice – lemon juice brings a brightness to this punch. Even though it’s fall, you don’t want your punch to taste heavy, citrus gives it that necessary festive lift.
Pumpkin puree – this is pumpkin patch punch so we add pumpkin puree to give it an earthy, nutty, sweet, buttery flavor. I used canned pumpkin puree here, see tip #1 below for info about canned vs. fresh.
Vodka – vodka is distilled from grains and potato mash and has a lightly spicy flavor that compliments the apple and pumpkin perfectly for this recipe. You want to use a high quality vodka for the best tasting pumpkin patch punch.
Brandy – brandy is made from fermented fruit juice (usually primarily grapes) and has a fruity and subtly sweet taste. Make sure you use a high quality brandy for the best taste.
Sprite – sprite is the perfect way to add carbonation to any punch since it doesn’t have a super strong flavor of its own so it adds an expected sparkling nature to the punch without taking away from the star fall flavors.
Pomegranate arils – arils is just a fancy word for seeds. Pomegranate is super tart and contrasts the sweetness of the brandy very well. The nice thing about using pomegranate seeds instead of juice is that they sit at the top of the punch which gives it a lovely look and anyone who doesn’t like pomegranate can drink the punch without getting any in their glass.

picture of brandy, vodka, sprite, pomegranate, pumpkin, apple cider on a table

picture of pumpkin puree, apple cider, orange juice, pomegranate seeds in a punchbowl

Once you’ve gathered your ingredients, we will use the following method:

Mix – Mix all the ingredients together in the bowl you plan to serve the punch in. Refrigerate until ready to serve. See tip #2 below for tips on how to keep the punch cold without watering it down when serving.
Enjoy!

Tips and Tricks For Perfect Pumpkin Pie Punch:

Making punch is super simple – but here are some tips and frequently asked questions you didn’t even know you needed!

Fresh vs. Canned Pumpkin. Fresh pumpkin has a different flavor (more like butternut squash) than canned pumpkin. If you want to use fresh puree you can cut a pumpkin in half, clean out the seeds, then place it on a roasting pan with the flesh down and bake it at 375 degrees until a knife inserted into the outer skin inserts easily (about an hour). Then scoop out the inside and mash it to make a puree.

Serve pumpkin patch punch cold without watering it down. One way to serve any punch cold without watering it down is to make punch flavored ice cubes. I just mix apple cider and orange juice (you will likely have leftovers of these) together and pour them into 4 ice cube trays (or as many as needed). Freeze ahead of time then add them just before the party starts. You can add fresh fruit or pomegranate to the ice cubes for a fun look. You can freeze any of the ingredients in this punch recipe into ice cubes except the liquor, which does not freeze well.

FAQ’s:

I am making this off season and can’t find apple cider, what can I substitute?

You can substitute apple juice for apple cider. If you make that substitution I recommend mixing ¼ cup of applesauce into your punch. It will give it more of a distinct unfiltered apple cider flavor.

How long will leftovers keep?

If you have leftover punch you can store it in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. I like to add leftover punch to the blender with ice cubes to make a nice iced pumpkin alcoholic beverage.

Can I make this without alcohol?

Of course – this punch is just as delicious without the booze as it is spiked. Simply omit alcohol when making, for a crisp, sweet, refreshing pumpkin punch!