50 Punch Recipes

1. Cantaloupe Scoop 1/2 cantaloupe into balls and freeze. Puree 1 cubed cantaloupe, 1/4 cup honey and 2 tablespoons lime juice. Strain into a punch bowl; skim off the foam. Add 1 liter seltzer and the frozen cantaloupe balls.

2. Guava-Passion Fruit Mix two 13 1/2-ounce cans unsweetened coconut milk with 1 cup each sugar and water; freeze in a ring mold. Mix 4 cups each guava nectar, passion fruit nectar and orange juice in a punch bowl. Add the ice ring and some diced mangos.

3. Honeydew-Tapioca Simmer 1 cup pearl tapioca in 6 cups water until soft, 40 minutes. Drain and add to a punch bowl. Stir in three 13 1/2-ounce cans unsweetened coconut milk and 1 1/2 cups sugar. Cube 1 large honeydew melon; puree half of the melon with 3 cups water and add to the bowl. Chill. Add the remaining honeydew cubes. Serve over ice.

4. Tropical Scoop 1 pint each lime and mango sorbet into a ring mold; add 1 cup maraschino cherries, top with 1 cup coconut water and freeze. Mix 3 cups each orange juice, pineapple juice, coconut water and lemon-lime soda in a punch bowl. Add the sorbet ring, some mint sprigs and 1 thinly sliced lime.

5. Virgin Sangria Mix 4 cups hot, strong hibiscus tea with 1/2 cup sugar and 6 crushed juniper berries; let cool. Combine in a punch bowl with 4 cups assorted sliced fruit (such as apples, oranges and kiwis) and 2 cups each orange juice and lemon-lime soda. Serve over ice.

6. Blood Orange Mix three 11-ounce cans blood orange soda and 4 cups grapefruit juice in a punch bowl. Add some orange slices. Serve over ice.

7. Strawberry Lemonade Toss 1 pound halved strawberries with 1 1/4 cups sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla in a bowl; let sit 30 minutes. Puree half of the strawberry mixture with 1 1/2 cups lemon juice; combine with 6 cups water in a punch bowl. Add the remaining berries. Serve over ice.

8. Strawberry-Rhubarb Freeze halved strawberries in ice cube trays with water. Simmer 6 cups water, 3/4 cup sugar and 1 1/2 pounds chopped rhubarb over medium heat until very tender, 25 minutes. Let cool, then strain the syrup into a punch bowl. Add 2 cups each seltzer and ginger ale and the strawberry ice cubes.

9. Cran-Strawberry Puree 6 cups cubed seedless watermelon; strain and freeze in a ring mold. Mix 4 cups sliced strawberries, 2 cups each cranberry juice and lemon-lime soda, and 3 thinly sliced apples in a punch bowl. Add the ice ring.

10. Raspberry-Basil Limeade Freeze 4 cups water with 1 pint raspberries and 1 cup basil leaves in a ring mold. Simmer 10 cups water, 4 cups basil leaves and 1 3/4 cups sugar over medium heat, 10 minutes. Let cool, then strain the syrup into a punch bowl. Add 1/2 cup lime juice and the ice ring.

11. Blueberry-Mint Limeade Make Raspberry-Basil Limeade (No. 10), replacing the raspberries with blueberries and the basil with mint.

12. Cherry-Vanilla Limeade Freeze 4 cups water and 1 sliced lime in a ring mold. Mix 6 cups cream soda, 1 1/4 cups each lime juice, cherry juice and water, and 1/2 cup sugar in a punch bowl. Add the ice ring.

13. Spicy Ginger-Lime Simmer 7 cups water and 2 cups sliced ginger over medium-low heat, 20 minutes. Let cool, then strain into a punch bowl. Add 3 cups each ginger beer and lemon-lime soda, and some crystallized ginger and lime slices. Serve over ice.

14. Cucumber-Pineapple Puree 6 cups chopped pineapple, 6 sliced celery stalks, 1 chopped peeled seedless cucumber, 1 cup each water and sugar, and 1/2 cup lime juice in batches. Strain into a punch bowl; skim off the foam. Add some sliced cucumbers. Serve over ice.

15. Mint-Honey Freeze 4 cups water and 1 cup mint leaves in a ring mold. Bring 10 cups water, 4 cups mint sprigs and 3/4 cup honey to a boil. Remove from the heat and let stand 20 minutes. Strain into a punch bowl. Chill. Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice and the ice ring.

16. Pomegranate-Green Tea Mix 8 cups hot strong green tea with 1/2 cup sugar; let cool. Combine in a punch bowl with 4 cups pomegranate juice. Serve over ice.

17. Peach Iced Tea Freeze 3 cups water and 1 pound frozen peaches in a ring mold. Mix 5 cups each chilled strong black tea and peach nectar in a punch bowl. Add the ice ring.

18. Horchata Pulse 4 cups water, 1 cup uncooked white rice, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon in a blender just until the rice is chopped, 1 minute. Chill overnight. Strain into a punch bowl. Add 5 cups cubed cantaloupe and 1 cup toasted pecans. Serve over ice.

19. Cherry-Root Beer Float Arrange 12 maraschino cherries in a ring mold. Scoop 1 1/2 quarts softened vanilla ice cream into the mold and smooth the top; freeze. Mix 2 liters root beer and 3/4 cup grenadine in a punch bowl. Add the ice cream ring and more cherries.

20. Shirley Temple Mix 2 liters lemon-lime soda with 2 cups cherry juice, 1/2 cup grenadine and one 10-ounce jar maraschino cherries with their juice in a punch bowl. Serve over ice.

21. Cherry Cola Make Shirley Temple Punch (No. 20) using cola instead of lemon-lime soda.

22. Apple-Grape Mix 6 cups lemon-lime soda, 4 cups grape juice, 2 cups apple juice and 1/4 cup lime juice in a punch bowl. Serve over ice.

23. Sparkling Apple Freeze 4 cups apple juice and 1 thinly sliced apple in a ring mold. Pour two 750-ml bottles sparkling apple cider into a punch bowl. Add the ice ring.

24. Pineapple-Pomegranate Mix 6 cups pineapple juice, 3 cups lemon-lime soda and 1 cup pomegranate juice in a punch bowl. Add some pomegranate seeds. Serve over ice.

25. Sparkling Flowers Freeze 4 cups water and 10 to 12 edible flowers in a ring mold. Mix one 750-ml bottle sparkling apple cider and 4 cups white grape juice in a punch bowl. Add the ice ring.

26. Lily Pad Freeze 4 cups water and 8 gummy frogs in a ring mold. Mix 1 liter lemon-lime soda, 3 cups cranberry juice and 1 cup each grape juice and blackberries in a punch bowl. Add the ice ring.

Boozy Punches

27. Bloody Mary Puree 6 cups chopped celery with 3/4 cup lemon juice; strain into a punch bowl. Add 8 cups tomato juice, 2 cups vodka, 2 tablespoons each horseradish, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce, and 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika. Add some lemon slices and celery leaves. Serve over ice.

28. Spicy Strawberry Toss 1 pound chopped strawberries with 1 1/4 cups sugar in a bowl; let sit 30 minutes. Puree half of the strawberry mixture with 1 1/2 cups lemon juice; combine with 4 cups water and 2 cups pepper-flavored vodka in a punch bowl. Add the remaining berries. Serve over ice.

29. Raspberry-Wine Freeze 4 cups water and 2 sliced oranges in a ring mold. Simmer one 750-ml bottle red wine, 3 cups water, 2 cups sugar, two 10-ounce packages frozen raspberries, 1/2 cup each orange juice, lemon juice and Chambord (or other raspberry liqueur), 2 cinnamon sticks and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla over medium heat, 15 minutes. Let cool; strain into a punch bowl. Add 6 cups seltzer, 1 pint fresh raspberries and the ice ring.

30. Red Sangria Mix one 750-ml bottle red wine, 1 1/2 cups each orange juice, pomegranate juice and lemon-lime soda, and 3/4 cup rum in a punch bowl. Add 3 sliced plums, 2 sliced oranges and 1 sliced green apple. Let sit 2 hours. Serve over ice.

31. White Sangria Mix one 750-ml bottle white wine, 3 cups ginger ale, 2 sliced peaches, 1/2 cup each sugar, vodka and elderflower liqueur, and 2 pints raspberries in a punch bowl. Add 2 cups assorted sliced fruit (such as plums, oranges and apples). Let sit 2 hours; stir. Serve over ice.

32. Mango-Peach Sangria Freeze 3 cups water and 1 pound frozen peaches in a ring mold. Mix one 750-ml bottle white wine, 4 cups mango nectar, 1 liter lemon-lime soda, 1 1/2 cups each white rum and peach-flavored vodka, 1 cup orange juice and 1/4 cup each lemon juice and lime juice in a punch bowl. Add the ice ring.

33. Grapefruit-Prosecco Freeze 4 cups cranberry juice in ice cube trays. Mix 1 liter ginger ale, 2 cups grapefruit juice and 1/2 cup each sugar and lime juice in a punch bowl. Add one 750-ml bottle prosecco and the cranberry ice cubes.

34. Cantaloupe Sangria Cube 1 cantaloupe and freeze 1 hour. Puree 3 cups of the frozen cantaloupe with 1 cup ginger ale, 2 slices peeled ginger and 1/2 cup each sugar and lime juice. Transfer to a punch bowl. Puree the remaining frozen cantaloupe with 3 cups ginger ale in batches; add to the bowl along with one 750-ml bottle white wine. Serve over ice.

35. Pineapple Margarita Simmer 1/2 cup each water and sugar until the sugar dissolves; let cool. Combine in a punch bowl with one 750-ml bottle white wine, 2 cups each tequila and pineapple juice, and 1/2 cup each lime juice and orange juice. Chill. Add 3 cups seltzer and some lime slices. Serve over ice.

36. Limoncello Mix one 750-ml bottle limoncello, 6 cups seltzer, 2 cups ginger ale and1/2 cup lemon juice in a punch bowl. Add some lemon slices. Serve over ice.

37. Raspberry-Rum Lemonade Muddle the zest of 4 lemons (in wide strips) with 1 pint raspberries and1/2 cup sugar. Transfer to a punch bowl and add 2 cups lemon juice, 1 1/2 cups dark rum, 1 cup raspberries and some lemon slices. Add2 cups sparkling wine. Serve over ice.

38. Beer-Lemonade Freeze 1 1/2 cups lemonade, one 12-ounce bottle beer and 2 sliced lemons in a ring mold. Mix three 12-ounce bottles beer, 4 1/4 cups lemonade and 1 1/2 cups bourbon in a punch bowl. Add the ice ring.

39. Stout Float Scoop 2 pints softened vanilla ice cream into a ring mold and smooth the top; freeze. Whisk two 12-ounce bottles chocolate stout beer, one 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk and 3/4 cup sugar in a punch bowl. Add 6 cups cream soda and the ice cream ring.

40. Bourbon Slush Mix 1 quart milk, 1 1/2 cups bourbon, 1 cup each confectioners' sugar and cream, and 1 tablespoon vanilla in a baking dish. Freeze until slushy, 4 hours; transfer to a punch bowl. Dust with nutmeg.

41. Brandy-Peach Mix 5 cups water, 1 cup brandy, 3/4 cup dark rum, 2/3 cup lemon juice, 1/2 cup peach-flavored vodka and 1 1/2 cups sugar in a punch bowl. Serve over ice.

42. Spiked Sweet Tea Simmer 1 1/2 cups each sugar and water until the sugar dissolves; let cool. Mix 8 cups chilled strong black tea, 1 cup each lemon juice and bourbon, and the syrup in a punch bowl. Add some lemon slices. Serve over ice.

43. Coconut Mix two 13.5-ounce cans unsweetened coconut milk and 1 cup each sugar and water; freeze in a ring mold. Mix 1 liter ginger ale, 4 cups each guava nectar, passion fruit nectar and orange juice, and2 cups coconut rum in a punch bowl. Add the ice ring and some diced mangoes.

44. Spicy Passion Fruit Freeze 4 cups water and 1 sliced jalapeño in a ring mold. Mix 3 1/2cups each water and lemon-lime soda, 2 cups passion fruit puree, 1 1/2 cups each sugar and tequila, and 1/4 cup lime juice in a punch bowl. Add the ice ring.

45. Mai Tai Freeze 4 cups pineapple juice and 2 cups chopped pineapple in a ring mold. Mix 2 cups pineapple juice, 1 1/2 cups each white and dark rum, and 3/4 cup each lime juice, curacao and amaretto in a punch bowl. Add the ice ring and some maraschino cherries.

46. Pineapple-Rum Freeze 4 cups chopped pineapple. Mix 1 1/2 cups dark rum, 1 cup each orange juice and pineapple juice, 1/2 cup lemon juice and 1/3 cup each sugar and grenadine in a punch bowl. Add the frozen pineapple and some mint leaves.

47. Tangerine-Ginger Mix 6 cups tangerine juice, two 12-ounce bottles ginger beer and 1 1/2 cups Cointreau (or other orange liqueur) in a punch bowl. Add some tangerine and lemon slices. Serve over ice.

48. Lychee Combine 3 cups lychee nectar, one 20-ounce can lychees (drained) and 2 cups each cranberry juice and vodka in a punch bowl. Serve over ice.

49. Blackberry-Lime Toss 6 cups blackberries with 1 cup sugar in a bowl; let sit 30 minutes. Puree half of the blackberry mixture with1/2 cup lime juice and1/2 teaspoon bitters. Transfer to a punch bowl along with 1 liter each ginger ale and seltzer, 1 1/2 cups gin and the remaining blackberry mixture. Serve over ice.

50. Watermelon-Lime Cube 1 medium seedless watermelon; freeze half of the cubes. Puree the remaining cubed watermelon, then strain into a punch bowl. Add 2 cups vodka, 1 1/4 cups lime juice and1/2 cup elderflower liqueur. Add the frozen watermelon cubes, some mint leaves and lime slices.