Christmas is coming and if you’re hosting a Christmas drinks party, what people will be drinking should be the least of your worries. That’s why we’ve compiled four recipes for festive punches and drinks. Make mulled wines, refreshing sorrel punches, or a non-alcoholic version and let your guests indulge in a large punch bowl full of these holiday drinks.
Jamaican Sorrel Punch (Hali Bey – The Kitchn)
You will need…
- 8 cups water
- 6 ounces sorrel (dried hibiscus flowers)
- 5 ounces of sliced fresh ginger
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 scrapes from a whole nutmeg (optional)
- 1 cup Jamaican white rum (optional)
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups simple syrup
- 2 oranges (1 juiced, 1 sliced)
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- Orange slices, for garnish
Recipe
- Boil the water in a large saucepan over high heat and remove it from the heat once it has boiled. Add the sorrel, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg, then cover and let it sit for an hour.
- Using a fine mesh strainer, strain the mixture over a bowl, and discard the dried sorrel and spices.
- Pour the rum, simple syrup, orange juice, and lime juice into the strained mixture and stir. Pour the mixture into a pitcher or punch bowl filled with ice. To serve, add a slice or two to a cup before pouring the sorrel punch.
Under-the-Mistletoe Punch (Tristan Willey – Bon Apetit)
You will need…
- 1⅓ cups raw sugar
- 3 tablespoons allspice berries, cracked
- 2 tablespoons whole cloves
- 2 3-inch cinnamon sticks
- 750 ml Amontillado Sherry
- 750 ml bottle Dry Vermouth
- 1 ¾ cups cranberry juice
- 1 ¾ cups of fresh lemon juice
Recipe
- Bring raw sugar, allspice, cloves, cinnamon, and one-third of a cup of water to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once the mixture is simmering, remove it from the heat. Let the spices steep for 10 minutes and strain them through a fine-mesh sieve into a small measuring glass or bowl (you will have around two-thirds of a cup of syrup when done). Once the syrup has rested, cover and chill until cold, at least 30 minutes.
- Stir the spiced syrup, sherry, vermouth, cranberry juice, and lemon juice in a large pot or bowl.
- Start with a layer of orange wheels along the bottom and fill one-quarter full of crushed ice to hold them against the sides. Create another layer of orange wheels and add just enough crushed ice to hold them against the sides. Continue until the dispenser is full. Pour the punch over the ice and let it fill up to the top. Serve in glasses filled with ice, garnished with cranberries, cinnamon sticks, and orange wheels.
Mulled Wine (Ali – GimmeSomeOven)
You will need…
- 1 (750 ml) bottle of dry red wine
- 1/4 cup brandy (or orange liqueur)
- 1 orange, sliced into rounds (also peeled, if you would like a less-bitter drink)
- 8 whole cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 star anise
- 2 to 4 tablespoons Syrup, honey, or maple syrup to taste (or your desired sweetener)
- optional garnishes: citrus slices (orange, lemon and/or lime), extra cinnamon sticks, extra star anise
Recipe
- In a pot, add the wine, brandy, orange slices, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, and 2 tablespoons of syrup, and stir to combine. Cook the mix on medium-high heat until it’s just simmering. Reduce it to low and let steep for 15 minutes to 3 hours.
- With a fine mesh strainer, remove and discard the orange slices, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and star anise and taste the mulled wine to determine if it needs more sweetness. The punch is best served warm in heatproof mugs, topped with the garnishes of your choice.
Non-Alcoholic Fruit Punch Recipe (Jesseca – OneSweetAppetite)
You will need…
- 4 cups cranberry juice
- 1.5 cups pineapple juice (or pineapple coconut, if you can find it)
- 1.5 cups orange juice
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 3 cups of chilled Ginger Ale
- Sliced lemon, lime, strawberries, and oranges
Recipe
- Stir together the cranberry juice, pineapple juice, orange juice, and lime juice in a large pitcher. Chill until you are ready to serve. Add sliced fruit and ginger ale just before serving.
What better way to take your Christmas party to the next level than with these punches? Check out our Instagram and Youtube Channel for more fun content.
