Punch Recipes

Punches are the party cocktails. One big bowl serves 10+ people, the bartender gets to enjoy the party, and the drink keeps getting better as the ice melts and mellows it. This collection is every punch you’d serve, from the Caribbean-coded Rum Punch to the now-viral “Jungle Juice.”

Inside: Rum Punch (classic Caribbean ratio: sour/sweet/strong/weak), Planter’s Punch (overproof rum, lime, grenadine, orange), Jungle Juice (party-size batch cocktail), Sangria (red, white, sparkling , see each variation), Hurricane Punch (New Orleans style), Christmas Punch (cranberry, rum, ginger ale), Wedding Punch (elegant, batch champagne-based), Fish House Punch (18th century classic), and Kid-Friendly Punches for family parties.

Punch Bowl Rules

The ratio: 1 sour, 2 sweet, 3 strong, 4 weak (parts of lime, simple syrup, rum, water/ice). Or memorise it as 1:2:3:4.

Big ice: use a large ice block (freeze water in a bundt pan overnight). Melts slowly, dilutes less than small cubes.

Make ahead: most punches improve with 2-4 hours of mingling. Make ahead, chill, add fruit garnishes just before serving.

The glass: punch cup is the traditional serving vessel. Solo cups work fine. A ladle is non-negotiable.

Kid-friendly split: two bowls, one with booze, one without. Label clearly.