Is there anything more festive than a brimming bowl of punch? Once relegated to high school dances, ladies’ retro luncheons and the cobwebbed-corners of Victorian nostalgia—the rum-based punch drink is now making a comeback.
Bartenders love punch because they get to show off their mixology skills, creatively combining herbs, bitters, spices and unique blends of alcohol and artisan juices. And people throwing parties love punch, too. Why? Punch is practical and low maintenance.
When you’re hosting a party, shaking individual cocktails to-order is difficult and time consuming. Break out your favorite fruit juices, sparkling sodas, spices, bitters and champagne, and punch your way to a smashingly good time. These four punch bowl recipes will leave your guests wanting more.
Pomegranate Champagne Punch
No party is complete without champagne, and this simple and easy punch recipe takes the bubbly seriously. At the same time, the pomegranate juice adds a sweet-tart note and festive color to this sparkly concoction. And remember, pomegranate is considered a superfood. The delicious, ruby red fruit is packed with powerful antioxidants.
Pomegranate Champagne Punch
| Servings |
| 12servings |
| Servings |
| 12servings |
- 1/2 cup Water
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 2 750 mL bottles Brut Champagne chilled
- 1 1/2 cups White Rum
- 1 1/4 cups Pomegranate Juice
- 1 Lemon sliced thinly
- Fresh Mint Leaves for garnish
- Ice
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- Pour water and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring water and sugar to a boil, and then simmer for five minutes, stirring frequently until all the sugar is dissolved. Cool the syrup.
- In a large punch bowl, combine brut champagne, white rum and pomegranate juice. Add syrup to sweeten.
- Add lemon slices, mint leaves and pomegranate seeds to the punch. Add ice to the bowl to keep punch chilled.
Aperol Gin Punch
Did you know that the idea of punch originally came from India? The earliest recipes featured sugar, lemon and spices. But that was only the beginning. Soon punch became a social ritual. The British Navy drank it. Victorian parlor games were designed around it. Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote a famous poem about the sweet, convivial concoction —“On Lending a Punch-Bowl”—and in “A Christmas Carol,” Bob Cratchit drinks a Bishop, a hot punch mixture featuring wine, spices, bitter oranges and sugar. There’s something about punch’s non-fussiness that appeals to people. Or to put it another way: the punch bowl brims with friendship, happiness and good cheer. A punch recipe with spiced and piney gin is the perfect way to celebrate any special occasion.
Aperol Gin Punch
| Servings |
| 15servings |
| Servings |
| 15servings |
- 5 cups Gin
- 3 cups Aperol
- 1 cup Yellow Chartreuse
- 1 3/4 cups Lime Juice freshly squeezed
- 2 1/2 cups Grapefruit Juice freshly squeezed
- 3/4 cup Orange Juice freshly squeezed
- 1 1/4 tsps Orange Bitters
- 1 750 mL Sparkling Wine chilled
- 2 Oranges sliced in thin rounds
- Ice
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- In a large punch bowl, combine gin, Aperol, Yellow Chartreuse, lime juice, grapefruit juice and orange juice. Stir.
- Add orange bitters, several cups of ice and chill for 15 minutes.
- Top punch with sparkling wine. Garnish with orange slices. Serve drinks over additional ice.
When you host a party, make sure there are plenty of festive choices for non-drinkers and younger guests. Tasty “mocktails” are all the rage, so don’t leave your guests out in the cold just sipping water or soda. Get creative… and ring their bell with a fancy concoction. Real glassware and fun garnishes will take your mocktails to the next level.
Wassail Punch Bowl
This warm, party punch is perfect for guests of all ages. The soft blend of spices, fruit and citrus is delicious. More importantly, this recipe is quick and easy to make; with a 10-minute prep time, wassail punch can be whipped up in the few free minutes between getting ready for the party and inviting your first guest inside. And if you’re curious as to what “wassail” means, it’s a salutation that wishes good health. We can drink to that.
Wassail Punch Bowl
| Servings |
| 12cups |
| Servings |
| 12cups |
- 4 cups Hot Brewed Tea
- 4 cups Cranberry Juice
- 4 cups Unsweetened Apple Juice
- 2 cups Orange Juice
- 1 cup Sugar
- 3/4 cup Lemon Juice
- 3 Cinnamon Sitcks
- 12 Whole Cloves
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- In a slow cooker, combine hot brewed tea, cranberry juice, apple juice, orange juice, sugar and lemon juice. Stir.
- Place cinnamon sticks and cloves in a cheesecloth. Tie the cheesecloth with a string to form a bag, and then add the cheesecloth to the slow cooker.
- Cook on high until the punch begins to boil, about 45 minutes to an hour. Discard the spice bag. Serve punch in mugs.
Whether you’re getting together for a special occasion with adult beverages or celebrating sans the spirits, these creative punch recipes will get the party started. Cheers!
