Food and Recipes Party Food and Drink 24 Alcoholic Punch Recipes To Liven Up Any Party Long live the punch bowl! By Southern Living Editors Southern Living Editors Since 1966, the editors of Southern Living have been carrying out the mission of the brand: to bring enjoyment, fulfillment, and inspiration to our readers by celebrating life in the South. We inspire creativity in their homes, their kitchens, their gardens, and their personal style. We are a friend they can trust, a guide to the seasons, a helping hand during the holidays, and a relentless champion of the Southern way of life. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on November 21, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Photographer: Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn If it's been a while since your old-school punch bowl saw the light of day—or lights of a party—let these easy punch recipes serve as inspiration to bring it out for your next gathering. A word of warning: All of these are alcoholic punch recipes, or ones that we strongly recommend making boozy, so label them accordingly on the bar. You can always check out our non-alcholic punch recipes if you're searching for something family-friendly. If you're looking for Christmas punch recipes, we've got plenty of festive options here, including our Texas Santa Punch and Sparkling Pomegranate Punch. Need a big-batch Thanksgiving cocktail? Our Thanksgiving Rum Punch and Bourbon Apple Cider Thyme Punch have all the cozy flavors of fall. If you're hosting a bridal shower or ladies' luncheon, don't go without serving a signature sparkling punch recipe. With these countless easy punch recipe options, your guests won't go thirsty at a single party this year. 01 of 24 Sparkling Pomegranate Punch Laurey W. Glenn This holiday-occasion punch can be adorned with a fancy ice ring from a bundt pan. Ginger ale and vodka balance out prosecco and simple syrup to keep the punch just sweet enough. This fizzy, fruity cocktail features both pomegranate and cranberry juices. 02 of 24 Triple B Milk Punch Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Bourbon, brandy, and buttermilk are what give this holiday punch its famous name. Have you ever heard of a more heavenly combination? The addition of lemons, oranges, cinnamon sticks, and star anise makes this milk punch as spicy as it is sweet. 03 of 24 Whiskey-Apple Cider Punch Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Deliciously sweet and tangy with all the flavors of fall, this big-batch punch was made for your tailgate party. Use frozen cranberries when stirring together this sipper, but be sure to let them thaw first. Garnish with slices of Granny apples. 04 of 24 Pineapple-Sweet Tea Punch Johnny Autry; Prop and Food Styling: Charlotte L. Autry Sweet tea will always be a hit at a Southern bash, but this boozy sweet tea-based punch just might change the game. Black iced tea, pineapple juice, and vodka come together to make the most refreshing summer punch we've ever had. Prep the ingredients up to two days ahead of time and stir together just before the party. 05 of 24 Champagne Punch Hector Sanchez Luncheons, showers, or Saturday brunch always benefit from a pretty sparkling punch. If you love a good mimosa, you'll be obsessed with these over-the-top, yet incredibly simple, champagne mixes. And you can add any juice you like to the basic, four-ingredient recipe. 06 of 24 Thanksgiving Punch With Rum Hannah Zimmerman/Southern Living Quick enough to make right before guests arrive, this refreshing punch will get your Turkey Day festivities started on the right note. This punch is perfect for make-ahead preparations, too. Our recipe includes apple cider, cranberry juice, ginger beer, cloves, and cinnamon sticks. 07 of 24 Cranberry Sangría Punch Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Karin Olsen; Food Styling: William Smith This wintry twist on a sangria recipe has a beautiful ruby-red color. The cranberry-and-orange-flavored punch will go fast, so make two batches for your Christmas party. It can be prepared in advance to take a load off your shoulders—just add the champagne before serving. 08 of 24 4th Of July Punch Jennifer Causey There's nothing better than an ice-cold, refreshing sipper on a hot, humid Southern day. Especially when it's a tropical punch that features watermelon, pineapple, and lime juice. With this recipe, you get to choose your punch poison: vodka, rum, or tequila all go great. 09 of 24 Cheerwine Holiday Punch Jason Driscoll This recipe came to us from Charlotte, North Carolina native and mixologist Bob Peters. Two Southern favorites—Cheerwine and bourbon—meet in this festive recipe. Be sure to add spices! This is your chance to get creative with the cinnamon, cloves, star anise, or nutmeg. 10 of 24 Bourbon Apple Cider Thyme Punch Caitlin Bensel As we all know, "fall" in the South doesn't always mean cooler temperatures. This chilled cocktail will keep you cool while still making you feel like it's fall with its flavors. Thyme Simple Syrup adds an unexpected and welcome touch. 11 of 24 Sparkling Punch Photo: Jennifer Davick This pink cocktail recipe is a gorgeous addition to your bridal shower, or any just-because occasion when you feel like sipping on something pretty and pretty delicious. We use white cranberry juice and pink lemonade, then spike it with Champagne and orange liqueur. 12 of 24 Southern Planter's Punch This tropical punch is the perfect pitcher sipper for summer days on the porch or poolside. All it takes is your favorite rum, a few tea bags, and a combo of pineapple, lemon, and orange juices. Garnish with a twist of lemon. 13 of 24 Fizzy Cider Punch Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Karin Olsen; Food Styling: William Smith Apple cider put on its best party dress with this fizzy and fun recipe. The punch itself is quite simple—just cider, brandy, and prosecco. But you'll also need the thinly sliced apples to garnish—and to snack on later once they've absorbed a bit of the punch. 14 of 24 Spiced Orange-Bourbon Punch Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Karin Olsen; Food Styling: William Smith Forget about eggnog, this spiced, fruity punch can't be beat—especially when made with super freshly squeezed orange juice. Ginger beer and carbonated water give it some fizz. The simple syrup is flavored with a lineup of festive spices that will make it your signature holiday cocktail for years to come. 15 of 24 Retro Rum Punch Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller This five-minute recipe can be thrown together right before guests arrive. Spiced rum and white rum join forces in this old-school sipper you'll want a second serving of. Whole cranberries and pineapple chunks make it festive and fun. 16 of 24 Chocolate-Raspberry Milk Punch This decadent spin on milk punch will satisfy every fancy chocolate lover at your party. Simmering rinds with milk and cream imbues this milk punch with orangey flavor. It's like sipping on your favorite chocolate truffles in liquid form...yum. 17 of 24 Mississippi Bourbon Punch Photo: Ralph Anderson This punch starts with Muscadine wine, deliciously brightened up with grenadine, bourbon, fruit, and soda. Muscadine grapes sliced in half make an appropriate garnish. This cocktail was made to serve a crowd, so it's ideal for your next tailgate or holiday party. 18 of 24 Texas Santa Punch Alison Miksch Turn your holiday party up a notch with this ruby-red beverage. Float frozen cranberries and an ice ring in the punch bowl for a festive chill. Too much of this sweet-tart tequila-pomegranate punch will leave even Santa stumbling from the chimney. 19 of 24 Shoo-Fly Punch Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas Bright citrus and cozy bourbon make this cocktail a winner every time we serve it. However, it's the refreshing ginger beer, enhanced by ginger liqueur, that really takes this punch to the next level. A splash of bitters balances the sweetness. 20 of 24 Mint-and-White-Chocolate Milk Punch Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Heather Chadduck When you taste this white chocolate and vanilla-bean-infused creamy punch, you'll think you're drinking dessert. This wintry punch is a delicious option to serve at your annual White Elephant party. Prepare glasses ahead of time with a festive peppermint rim and spike with vodka just before serving. 21 of 24 Chatham Artillery Punch Will Dickey This punch is steeped in history and three different alcohols, plus champagne. Start the process by preparing the Oleo-Saccharum, a homemade lemon oil that was popular for cocktails in the 19th century. Don't worry—we'll walk you through it. 22 of 24 Easter Punch Photographer: Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn Though we love this pretty pink punch for springtime holidays, it's irresistible year-round. This tasty combination of strawberry lemonade, grapefruit juice, sparkling rosé, and fresh fruit will please your crew no matter the occasion. Serve with sliced fruit to soak up the flavors. 23 of 24 Harvest Punch Photographer: Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey Give fresh apples and cinnamon time to tango so that all of their rich flavors can blend together before pouring yourself a glass. Spiced apple flavors with a hint of citrus do a great job of masking bourbon, making this punch delightfully dangerous. Serve immediately after mixing. 24 of 24 Montgomery Punch Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller This punch is a staple for some circles in Alabama's capital city and with just one sip, you'll understand why. A festive ice ring adds a personal touch to the presentation of this bubbly punch, a blend of brandy, lemon juice, and sparkling wine. The addition of dessert wine helps to sweeten it. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit