How to make Apple Cider Punch with Elderberry

This post is sponsored by Sprouts Farmers Market. As always, all opinions, thoughts and recipes are my own.

Individual Apple Cider Punch with Elderberry is a delicious beverage to sip all fall long. Made with four simple ingredients, this apple-elderberry drink is easy to mix and enjoy. Makes 1 drink.

Love an easy mocktail recipe? Try Blood Orange Mocktail Mule and Virgin Margarita (Margarita Mocktail)!

Glasses of Individual Apple Cider Punch are lined up in front of pears and apples

Fall is arriving, and as the mama of two littles, I’m worried about sniffle season and keeping us all well.

We probably know someone who uses elderberry syrup as a health booster.

My friends at Sprouts Farmers Market asked if I’d be interested in creating a beverage with Nature’s Way Sambucus Syrup. (Elderberries grow on sambucus trees. Sambucus syrup is elderberry syrup.)

So here we are!

Why I love this recipe:

If you’re looking for an easy punch recipe to make and sip this season, this 4-ingredient goodness could not be simpler to make.

It calls for easy-to-find ingredients. It’s gorgeous to look at and feels fancy. (Hi. Hello. I love a fancy-looking mocktail that’s actually REALLY easy to make.)

It also tastes wonderfully crisp! Combining the flavors of apple cider, pear and cinnamon, this punch is delicious without the addition of the elderberry.

But when you add a little bit of elderberry syrup, the flavors sing even more and the color of the drink changes, turning it from a caramel color to a deep red.

More apple cider drinks: Apple Cider Margaritas / Apple Cider Moscow Mule / Spiked Caramel Apple Cider / Gin Apple Pie Cocktail / Spiced Apple Cider

Looking for another drink? Head over to my Drink Recipe Index for more ideas.

Close up of a bottle of Nature’s Way Sambucus Original Syrup in front of the other punch ingredients

What you’ll need to make this recipe:

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Let’s talk ingredients!

In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.

Here’s what you’ll need to make this Apple Cider Punch recipe:

Cinnamon simple syrup—you’ll need a combination of water, granulated sugar and a cinnamon stick to make this. I have more details below, as well as in my How to Make Simple Syrup post.
Apple cider—unfiltered and full of flavor, apple cider is excellent for this punch recipe.
Pear juice—I grabbed a bottle of this at Sprouts. You can make your own if you can’t find a bottle by blending a few pears together before straining them.
Elderberry Syrup—you can find Sambucus Original Syrup at your local Sprouts Farmers Market in the vitamin section. And you can purchase all the ingredients of this recipe there, too.

Cinnamon simple syrup is poured into the punch glass

How to make Apple Cider Punch with Elderberry

Make the Cinnamon Simple Syrup

Combine the water and granulated sugar in a saucepan. Turn on the heat to medium-high.

Dissolve the sugar. Let the water come to a simmer, and stir occasionally until the sugar has completely dissolved.

Add the cinnamon stick. Remove from the heat, and let it sit for 30 minutes to 2-3 hours to infuse.

Pro tip!

The longer the cinnamon is in your simple syrup, the stronger the cinnamon flavor will be.

If you want a more subtle cinnamon syrup, let the cinnamon infuse for 30 minutes. If you like it stronger, let that cinnamon infuse for up to 2-3 hours.

Remove the cinnamon stick, and strain the simple syrup into a mason jar.

Store in the fridge for 2-3 weeks, or until you’re ready to mix your drink.

Apple cider is poured into a glass to make the mocktail

Mix an individual Apple Cider Punch

Measure the apple cider, pear juice and cinnamon syrup into a cocktail glass.

Stir to combine.

Drizzle in the Elderberry Syrup, then stir once again to combine.

Add ice, and serve immediately!

Nature’s Way Sambucus Original Syrup is poured into a glass with the other ingredients

Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips

Fall entertaining is always so much fun!

I’ve got some great tips and tricks for you to make this drink in a flash, whether you’re serving just a few folks or a crowd.

Make the cinnamon simple syrup in advance. It keeps easily in the fridge, so knock that out well before your friends or family members come over.
Serve in a pitcher or punch bowl for a crowd… but don’t add the elderberry syrup: Nature’s Way Sambucus Original Syrup has a specific serving size that is determined by WHO is drinking it. (The serving size is different for a child and an adult.) Combine the juices and simple syrup in a large pitcher. Let your guests add their own elderberry syrup after they pour their glass if they so choose.
Cut the garnishes in advance, and drizzle them with lemon juice so they don’t brown. This drink looks so lovely with the thin apple slices and pear, but both fruits brown quickly. Drizzle lemon juice on them after slicing so they don’t oxidize, and let ‘em hang out.

Close up of a glass of Apple Cider Punch that hasn't been stirred or garnished

Frequently Asked Questions

Tell me more about Sambucus and elderberries.

Elderberries have been grown in Europe for centuries as a traditional remedy. They grow on Sambucus trees.

Some studies suggest that elderberries can help your immune system stay healthy, so some people consume elderberry products to support their immune systems in the fall and winter months.

Can I share this mocktail with my kids?

Nature’s Way Sambucus Original Syrup offers serving sizes on the bottle. The original syrup bottle has information about sharing it with kids.

Yes, you can share this with your kids. Sprouts also carries Nature’s Way Sambucus Syrup for Kids, too.

Why should I go to Sprouts to get these ingredients?

I love Sprouts and everything they offer. From their awesome produce prices to their awesome seasonal selections, I’m a fan.

I recently discovered their vitamin section. Yes, even though I’ve been going to the store for years, the vitamin section was always a mystery until recently.

A woman grabs a glass of Individual Apple Cider Punch with Sambucus

Quick tips for making Apple Cider Punch

Chill the juices in the fridge beforehand so your wellness beverage is ice cold!
Store the cinnamon simple syrup in a mason jar. You can make it well in advance and keep it cool in the fridge.
If you can’t find pear juice, use the same amount of apple cider in its place. You could also try this with orange juice, though the flavor will change!

Three glasses of Individual Apple Cider Punch with Sambucus are shown, with Pinterest text

More mocktail recipes to share:

Here’s how you can make this goodness…

1 drink

Apple Cider Punch with Elderberry

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Steeping Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Individual Apple Cider Punch with Elderberry is a delicious wellness beverage to sip all fall long. Made with four simple ingredients, including sambucus syrup, this apple-elderberry drink is easy to mix and enjoy.

Ingredients

Cinnamon Simple Syrup (Makes enough for 8 drinks)

½ cup water
½ cup granulated sugar
1 cinnamon stick

Apple Cider Punch

3 oz. apple cider
3 oz. pear juice
½ oz. cinnamon simple syrup
2 teaspoons Sambucus Elderberry Original Syrup

Instructions

Make the Simple Syrup

In a small saucepan, heat the water over medium-high heat.
Add the sugar, and stir until dissolved.
Remove from the heat and add the cinnamon stick.
Let steep for 30 minutes to 3 hours. (Keep in mind that the longer the cinnamon steeps, the stronger the cinnamon flavor will be.)
When the steeping is done, strain the syrup with a fine mesh strainer into a mason jar. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Make the Wellness Beverage

Slice apples and pears very thin with a sharp knife. Set aside.
In a glass, pour in equal measurements of apple cider and pear juice.
Measure in the cinnamon simple syrup.
Pour in the Sambucus Elderberry Original Syrup next, and stir with a spoon.
Add ice, and garnish with pear and apple slices.
Serve immediately, and enjoy one a day.

Notes

Easy Entertaining Tips

Make the cinnamon simple syrup in advance.
Turn it into a pitcher drink… but keep this in mind: Nature’s Way Sambucus Original Syrup has a specific serving size that is determined by WHO is drinking it. Take the juices and simple syrup and throw them into the pitcher, and let your guests add their own Nature’s Way Sambucus Original Syrup once they pour their glass.
Slice the garnishes in advance, and drizzle them with lemon juice so they don’t brown.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 138Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 12mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 0gSugar: 29gProtein: 0g

Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate.