Cold Duck Punch

The Cold Duck Punch is a straight-up party starter designed for a crowd. It’s an easy-drinking, low-ABV concoction that blends sparkling wine, lemonade, ginger ale, and fruit sherbet. This isn’t a craft cocktail you’ll find at a speakeasy; it’s the kind of bubbly, sweet, and refreshing punch that disappears quickly at backyard barbecues, potlucks, or any casual gathering where you need to serve a lot of people without breaking the bank or your back.

Cold Duck Punch

4.56 from 9 votes

Calories: 70kcal

Prep Time: 3

Total Time: 5

Ingredients

▢ 1 Bottle(s) Champagne
▢ 1 Can(s) Lemonade
▢ 2 Liter(s) Ginger Ale
▢ .5 Gallon(s) Sherbet

Instructions

▢
Mix all liquids in a large punch bowl. Float the sherbet on top.

Estimated Nutrition:

Calories: 70kcal (4%)Carbohydrates: 10g (3%)Sugar: 10g (11%)

Punch

Where it came from

The name “Cold Duck” originally referred to a blend of red and white sparkling wine, which saw a surge in popularity in the United States during the 1960s and 70s. This punch, likely a spin-off of that trend, capitalizes on the festive fizz of sparkling wine and the ease of pre-made mixers. It’s a product of an era that favored convenience and volume over complex mixology, perfect for home entertaining.

This drink sits squarely in the punch category, a broad family of large-format cocktails designed for sharing. Its closest relatives might be other sparkling wine punches or even non-alcoholic party mixes, where the focus is on a refreshing, sweet, and effervescent profile. What sets the Cold Duck Punch apart is the inclusion of sherbet, which adds a creamy texture, fruitiness, and a fun, visual element as it slowly melts into the drink.

You won’t be ordering a Cold Duck Punch at a high-end cocktail bar. This is a drink for informal settings: a summer cookout, a holiday open house, or a casual get-together with friends. It’s the kind of punch you’d serve from a large bowl, letting guests help themselves, making it ideal for hosts who want to offer a festive drink without playing bartender all night.

What it tastes like

On the first sip, the Cold Duck Punch hits you with a sweet, fizzy, and distinctly citrusy note from the lemonade and ginger ale. As the sherbet melts, it introduces a creamy, fruity element that rounds out the initial tartness. The finish is light and refreshing, with the sparkling wine providing a subtle, dry counterpoint to the overall sweetness, preventing it from being cloying. It’s undeniably sweet, fruit-forward, and very easy to drink.

Given one 750ml bottle of Champagne at roughly 12% ABV in nearly five liters of total liquid, the Cold Duck Punch clocks in at a very low ABV, around 1.8%. To put that in perspective, a standard light beer usually sits at 4-5% ABV, and most cocktails are 15-25%. This means you can drink a fair amount of Cold Duck Punch before feeling much of a buzz, making it more akin to a spiked soda than a strong cocktail.

The technique

Building this punch is straightforward: grab your largest punch bowl. Ensure all your liquid ingredients are well chilled before you start. Pour in the Champagne, lemonade, and ginger ale, giving them a gentle stir to combine. The final touch is to scoop your sherbet directly onto the surface of the liquid. Serve immediately to enjoy the fizz and the gradual melting of the sherbet, or keep it in the fridge if guests are arriving shortly.

The single most important technique for any punch, especially one with sparkling components, is temperature control. Use pre-chilled ingredients and, if possible, a large ice ring or frozen fruit to keep the punch cold without over-diluting it. Adding the sherbet just before serving also helps maintain the chill and preserves the fizzy texture. If you let it sit out warm or dilute it with too much regular ice, you end up with a flat, watery mess.

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Ingredient Spotlight

The bottles that make or break this drink.

Champagne

Use: Any dry or Brut sparkling wine works well here. Prosecco or Cava are solid, more affordable options than true Champagne, and their crispness balances the sweetness. Look for something around 11-12% ABV.
Skip: Avoid anything labeled “sparkling wine product” or overly sweet Moscato D’Asti, unless you want an intensely sugary drink. Also, don’t use flat white wine; the bubbles are key.
Why: The sparkling wine provides the essential fizz and a dry, vinous backbone that keeps the punch from being purely a sugar bomb. It’s the “duck” in the Cold Duck.

Sherbet

Use: Orange, rainbow, or lime sherbet are classic choices. Pick a flavor that complements the lemonade and ginger ale. The goal is a fruity, creamy texture.
Skip: Do not use regular ice cream. Ice cream is dairy-based and can curdle when combined with the acidity of the lemonade and sparkling wine, leading to an unappetizing texture and appearance.
Why: Sherbet serves multiple purposes: it adds a creamy, fruity flavor, provides a fun visual element as it floats and melts, and helps to keep the entire punch cold without diluting it immediately like ice cubes would.

Three Variations

Three real ways bartenders riff on this drink. Same idea, three different jackets.

Fruity Fizz

Add fresh fruit for extra flavor and flair.: Toss in sliced lemons, oranges, fresh berries, or melon balls to the punch bowl. These add visual appeal and a burst of fresh fruit flavor as they infuse the punch.

Boozier Bird

Give it a proper kick with added spirits.: If the low ABV isn’t cutting it, add a bottle of vodka, gin, or light rum to the mix. It will increase the potency without drastically altering the core sweet and fizzy profile.

Seasonal Sparkle

Swap mixers for a different flavor profile.: For a fall or winter version, swap the lemonade for cranberry juice and the ginger ale for a lemon-lime soda. This creates a festive, berry-forward punch.

What if I don't have…

Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.

No Champagne?

Use Prosecco, Cava, or any other dry sparkling wine. A sparkling cider (hard or soft) could also work for a different flavor profile.

No Lemonade?

Substitute with lemon-lime soda like Sprite or 7-Up, or use fresh lemon juice balanced with simple syrup.

No Ginger Ale?

Use another clear soda like lemon-lime, or club soda with a splash of ginger syrup for a similar effervescence and spice.

No Sherbet?

Use frozen fruit (berries, sliced peaches) to keep it cold and add flavor, or a scoop of sorbet. Just remember to avoid dairy-based ice cream.

No punch bowl?

Any large pitcher, beverage dispenser, or even a very clean stock pot will do the trick for mixing and serving a crowd.

Frequently Asked Questions

Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.

What is in a Cold Duck Punch?

A Cold Duck Punch typically contains sparkling wine (like Champagne), lemonade, ginger ale, and fruit sherbet.

What kind of Champagne should I use?

Any dry or Brut sparkling wine, such as Prosecco or Cava, works perfectly. There’s no need for an expensive bottle here.

Can I make Cold Duck Punch ahead of time?

You can mix the liquids (Champagne, lemonade, ginger ale) a few hours ahead and keep them chilled. Add the sherbet just before serving to maintain its texture and the drink’s fizz.

Is Cold Duck Punch alcoholic?

Yes, it contains sparkling wine, but it’s very low in alcohol due to the large volume of non-alcoholic mixers. It’s more of a spiked refresher than a strong cocktail.

Why is it called “Cold Duck”?

The name comes from “Cold Duck” sparkling wine, a blend of red and white sparkling wines that was popular in the mid-20th century. This punch is a nod to that tradition, though it typically uses standard Champagne or sparkling wine.

Can I use ice cream instead of sherbet?

It’s not recommended. Ice cream is dairy-based and can curdle when it comes into contact with acidic ingredients like lemonade and sparkling wine, which can ruin the drink’s texture and appearance.

How do I keep Cold Duck Punch cold?

Use pre-chilled ingredients, and consider making a large ice ring or freezing fruit to add to the bowl. The melting sherbet also contributes to keeping it cool.

Can I make a single serving?

While possible, this punch is designed for large batches. Scaling down the recipe for a single serving can be tricky to get the proportions right, and you lose the fun of the melting sherbet in a large bowl.

From the Drink Lab catalogue

Drink Lab has been collecting cocktail recipes since 2013. Some we wrote ourselves, plenty came in from readers, and the rest got passed across a bar somewhere along the way.

Last updated May 8, 2026 · 1 min read