How do I make punch? (nonalcoholic)

[Jean in Newcastle]

Stupid question probably, but how do I make punch?  I have to bring some to an event. 

[chocolate-chip chooky]

Here it would include something fizzy, some fruit juice, some tinned fruit, and maybe some fresh mint on top. Then lots of ice and put it in a big bowl with a ladle for serving.

[Kidlit]

Simplest

My favorite sherbet punch (fruit and color optional)

Variation of tea punch

Coffee punch

Fruit tea (could be served as punch)

 

[Eos]

I love this simple punch: 1 1/2 quarts of grape juice mixed with 1 gallon ginger ale, lots of ice if you can have it but it works fine without if the two drinks are cold.  You won't have to worry about sherbet or fruit.

[marbel]

I haven't made punch in years and don't have a favorite recipe. These look good to me:

https://www.bhg.com/recipe/drinks/june-bug/

https://www.bhg.com/recipe/drinks/chai-punch/

https://www.bhg.com/recipe/pineapple-ginger-punch-1/

https://www.bhg.com/recipe/drinks/watermelon-cooler-punch/

If you have a Bundt pan, make an ice ring instead of using cubes! (Assuming you're serving from a punch bowl and not a pitcher.) 

ETA there's a bunch here that sound good. Now I want a reason to make punch!

https://www.southernliving.com/food/drinks/non-alcoholic-punch-recipes

 

Edited June 20, 2023 by marbel

[almondbutterandjelly]

Sherbet or sorbet and Sprite

[kbutton]

Not a punch fan, but my grandmother sometimes made one I liked with pineapple juice, maybe cranberry juice, and a splash of almond extract. You mix 50:50 with 7-Up. If you are interested, I might be able to find the recipe. She sometimes had frozen fruit for people to add to their cups if they wanted to. 
 

[MercyA]

A favorite recipe from my childhood church:

Sunshine Punch

2 (6 oz.) cans frozen orange juice, thawed

2 (6 oz.) cans frozen lemonade, thawed

6 c. water

1 (46 oz.) can pineapple juice

1 c. sugar, or less

2 (12 oz.) bottles / cans ginger ale

Mix concentrates. Add water and pineapple juice. Stir in sugar. May freeze and serve partially thawed. Add ginger ale after thawed. Makes 4 quarts.

[Terabith]

I’m not sure it can be punch without sherbet.  

[kbutton]

2 hours ago, MercyA said:

A favorite recipe from my childhood church:

Sunshine Punch

2 (6 oz.) cans frozen orange juice, thawed

2 (6 oz.) cans frozen lemonade, thawed

6 c. water

1 (46 oz.) can pineapple juice

1 c. sugar, or less

2 (12 oz.) bottles / cans ginger ale

Mix concentrates. Add water and pineapple juice. Stir in sugar. May freeze and serve partially thawed. Add ginger ale after thawed. Makes 4 quarts.

You might even be able to find and orange pineapple blend as a base—that sounds yum.

[MercyA]

I love punch!!! Especially with white cake, butter mints, and mixed salted nuts. Mmmmm.

[gardenmom5]

There are lots of recipes online.
just think about what flavors you'd like.
I've also seen as simple as water, with mint leaves, or cucumbers, or lemon slices, etc. in it.

[gardenmom5]

4 hours ago, Terabith said:

I’m not sure it can be punch without sherbet.  

or if it's not "red".

what flavor is it?  red.

[Terabith]

12 minutes ago, gardenmom5 said:

or if it's not "red".

what flavor is it?  red.

Are you crazy???  No!  Punch is never red!  It's GREEN!  

[Jean in Newcastle]

Uh oh  I didn't realize that I was asking a controversial question - like cupcakes.  (Which may or may not be served with the punch. . .)

[Kidlit]

I'm partial to green punch (with green sherbet, natch)

[ikslo]

I’m partial to rum punch. 
 

I see green sherbet and think, ah, okay, it’s a kid’s party. Got it. 

[Terabith]

Okay, I figured I'd take this topic to the experts.  I posted about it on my facebook, because I have a lot of friends who are clergy.  But I also posted it to a United Methodist clergy board, because I think UM church ladies are probably the REAL experts.  

So far I'm hearing that lime sherbet, sprite, and pineapple juice is the best.  However, there's a contingent of people who like pineapple sherbet, sprite, and orange juice concentrate blended with bananas.  

Obviously, both recipes should be frozen to almost slushy texture.  

[Faith-manor]

My go to was orange juice, Squirt, and floating pieces of lemon. Some folks add cherry koolaid, but I refuse. That stuff stains tablecloths.

[ktgrok]

2 hours ago, gardenmom5 said:

There are lots of recipes online.
just think about what flavors you'd like.
I've also seen as simple as water, with mint leaves, or cucumbers, or lemon slices, etc. in it.

water is not punch 🙂

[marbel]

17 minutes ago, Terabith said:

Okay, I figured I'd take this topic to the experts.  I posted about it on my facebook, because I have a lot of friends who are clergy.  But I also posted it to a United Methodist clergy board, because I think UM church ladies are probably the REAL experts.  

So far I'm hearing that lime sherbet, sprite, and pineapple juice is the best.  However, there's a contingent of people who like pineapple sherbet, sprite, and orange juice concentrate blended with bananas.  

Obviously, both recipes should be frozen to almost slushy texture.  

Bananas?? I've had a lot of different kinds of punch but I've never been encountered bananas! I thought I could not be surprised by any food combination but there ya go, I am stunned. 

[Terabith]

Just now, marbel said:

Bananas?? I've had a lot of different kinds of punch but I've never been encountered bananas! I thought I could not be surprised by any food combination but there ya go, I am stunned. 

That one is from an Illinois Methodist pastor.  

I've often been surprised by Illinois food.  

Like pork steaks.  Never heard of them until I met him.  

[ktgrok]

sprite, orange sherbert, and lemonade concentrate are what I think I'm used to. Does that sound right?

[ktgrok]

Oh, or rainbow sherbert, HIC fruit punch, and sprite. 

[Faith-manor]

Just now, Terabith said:

That one is from an Illinois Methodist pastor.  

I've often been surprised by Illinois food.  

Like pork steaks.  Never heard of them until I met him.  

Hey, if you break out the Methodist Cookbook ie. "Potluck Manual", you are going to see some stuff. Some really well, just stuff. Methodists created the whole " hated for casserole, never met a cream soup we didn't like" genre of cooking. Former Methodist here. We wear that badge with way to much pride! 😂

[Jean in Newcastle]

34 minutes ago, ktgrok said:

sprite, orange sherbert, and lemonade concentrate are what I think I'm used to. Does that sound right?

Nothing sounds right. I didn’t grow up in a punch culture. But it’s what I was asked to bring so I’m expanding my horizons. 

[marbel]

I wonder, @Jean in Newcastleif you want to look up big batch mocktails or nonalcoholic cocktails. I guess they are not punch - no sherbet - but it sounds like you are looking for a festive, nonalcoholic drink? Probably not as sweet as punch - maybe more seltzer/club soda than sweet soda? 

Edited June 20, 2023 by marbel

[importswim]

I love equal parts peach white grape juice and ginger ale with frozen raspberries and peaches (to keep it colder instead of ice). Tastes yummy!

Edited June 20, 2023 by importswim

[Jean in Newcastle]

53 minutes ago, marbel said:

I wonder, @Jean in Newcastleif you want to look up big batch mocktails or nonalcoholic cocktails. I guess they are not punch - no sherbet - but it sounds like you are looking for a festive, nonalcoholic drink? Probably not as sweet as punch - maybe more seltzer/club soda than sweet soda? 

I honestly don’t know what I am looking for. I’m speaking at a multi church women’s event and picked what I hoped would be the easiest thing to bring on the sign up list. Now I sort of wish that I had chosen something else!  

[marbel]

Strawberry lemonade could be nice and simple. Use sparkling lemonade for bubbles, or half lemonade/half seltzer. Freeze mint leaves and bits of strawberries in ice cubes/ring.

[Kidlit]

1 hour ago, importswim said:

I love equal parts peach white grape juice and ginger ale with frozen raspberries and peaches (to keep it colder instead of ice). Tastes yummy!

This sounds delicious!

[marbel]

Wait - you're speaking at this event and you have to contribute to the refreshments?! Wow when I was doing that sort of thing (not speaking but organizing speakers) I would never expect any of the speakers to have to deal with food/drinks. 

[ktgrok]

1 hour ago, importswim said:

I love equal parts peach white grape juice and ginger ale with frozen raspberries and peaches (to keep it colder instead of ice). Tastes yummy!

ooh...that sounds amazing!

[ktgrok]

I'm now thinking we need to start having punch regularly. Maybe instead of poetry tea time we have poetry punch!

[Jean in Newcastle]

13 minutes ago, marbel said:

Wait - you're speaking at this event and you have to contribute to the refreshments?! Wow when I was doing that sort of thing (not speaking but organizing speakers) I would never expect any of the speakers to have to deal with food/drinks. 

Well no one said that I had to but it’s a relatively small group that’s organizing it so I signed up too. 

[marbel]

Just now, Jean in Newcastle said:

Well no one said that I had to but it’s a relatively small group that’s organizing it so I signed up too. 

You are a nicer person than I am. But I already suspected that. 💗

[Miss Tick]

9 minutes ago, ktgrok said:

I'm now thinking we need to start having punch regularly. Maybe instead of poetry tea time we have poetry punch!

Betcha don't make it through one event without someone hyped up on sugary punch (and red dye? green dye?) deciding to try their pugilistic skills 😂

[marbel]

OK, I have no idea why I'm so invested in this but I found what I think is the perfect punch. Super simple, not too sweet: 

• 1 (12-oz.) can frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed

• 4 cups white cranberry juice cocktail

• 1 qt. club soda, chilled

• Garnish: fresh mint sprigs

https://www.southernliving.com/recipes/pink-sparkling-punch

[TechWife]

PTA punch

1 - 2 liter bottle of Sprite or 7up

1/2 gallon of red fruit Hawaiian Punch 

1/2 gallon of lime sherbet

Put the sherbet in as one piece - it will slowly dissolve. Pour the punch and 7up over it. 

[LuvToRead]

I made some mock mai tai's a couple of weeks ago.  (I think...it was something I found on pinterest).  Anway - it was a blend of pineapple/orange juice and Sprite.  The recipe also called for grenadine but I thought it was better without.  It won't be super pretty, kind of a bland yellow color which may be a bit of a turn off.  But I thought it tasted good and was refreshing.    You could probably do two bottles of Sprint to one carton of juice.  Any combo will taste nice.  I think in my are most people do red Hawaiian punch and Sprite.  Sherbet punches are not very popular here.  

Punch can be a as simple as a fizzy sweet something (Sprite, 7 up, ginger ale) plus some other sweet fruity thing (prepared Kool-Aid, Hawaiin Punch).

[barnwife]

5 hours ago, Terabith said:

Are you crazy???  No!  Punch is never red!  It's GREEN!  

I don't know what this nonsense is about green or red punch. It's clearly either orange or pink. 

But always, always with sherbet.

[chocolate-chip chooky]

Sherbet? As in the powder that fizzes in your mouth? Sherbet in punch is new to me.

And none of you include tinned fruit? Our punch would always have fruit floating in it.

Our recipe would be something like this:

Lemonade (eg Sprite)

Gingerale

Pineapple juice

Tinned mixed fruit

Maybe a splash of orange cordial

Mint leaves

 

Always orange-ish coloured. I've never seen red or green.

I'm really interested in the sherbet thing. I just can't imagine it in a liquid, unless what I call sherbet is something different.

[MrsMommy]

This is my "famous" punch recipe. My children have been known to try to come up with a reason we should have a party just so I'll make it. It gets really slushy, which I think is part of the appeal.

[Terabith]

Okay, in a minority opinion, the Episcopalians say that their nonalcoholic punch is:  1 6 oz can of orange juice concentrate, (thawed), 1 6 oz can of frozen lemonade concentrate (thawed), 1 liter of apple juice, 2 liters of ginger ale, and an ice ring.  

I still argue that this can't be punch because no sherbet, but what do I know?

[Terabith]

Then there’s this alcoholic monstrosity.  

[ktgrok]

15 minutes ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

Sherbet? As in the powder that fizzes in your mouth? Sherbet in punch is new to me.

 

I'm really interested in the sherbet thing. I just can't imagine it in a liquid, unless what I call sherbet is something different.

I have no idea what powder you are talking about, lol! Sherbert here is like ice cream, but with a fruit flavor. 

[marbel]

29 minutes ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

Sherbet? As in the powder that fizzes in your mouth? Sherbet in punch is new to me.

And none of you include tinned fruit? Our punch would always have fruit floating in it.

Our recipe would be something like this:

Lemonade (eg Sprite)

Gingerale

Pineapple juice

Tinned mixed fruit

Maybe a splash of orange cordial

Mint leaves

 

Always orange-ish coloured. I've never seen red or green.

I'm really interested in the sherbet thing. I just can't imagine it in a liquid, unless what I call sherbet is something different.

I looked up Australian sherbet. In the US it's a candy that I know as Pixie Sticks. Just a long paper tube full of powdery sugary sweetness. At least that's what I saw in the one result from my google search.

In the US sherbet is like ice cream, as Katie said, but a fruit flavor. Mmm one of my favorite frozen treats is a mix of vanilla ice cream and orange sherbet. (A creamsicle in ice cream form.) 

[katilac]

10 hours ago, Terabith said:

I’m not sure it can be punch without sherbet.  

It can't. 

5 hours ago, ikslo said:

I’m partial to rum punch. 
 

I see green sherbet and think, ah, okay, it’s a kid’s party. Got it. 

Sherbet and rum go together just fine, particularly orange sherbet and pineapple rum. 

4 hours ago, ktgrok said:

water is not punch 🙂

I don't mind a water refresher, but I'm going to side-eye you if you're supposed to bring punch and you bring water with mint leaves. 

4 hours ago, Terabith said:

That one is from an Illinois Methodist pastor.  

I've often been surprised by Illinois food.  

Illinois thinks salad is green Jello with chunks in it, so I'm not taking any culinary advice from them. 

4 hours ago, ktgrok said:

sprite, orange sherbert, and lemonade concentrate are what I think I'm used to. Does that sound right?

It would usually be pineapple juice vs orange juice around here, but that sounds good too. 

4 hours ago, ktgrok said:

Oh, or rainbow sherbert, HIC fruit punch, and sprite. 

No Hi C punch for an adult event; it's not nearly as cute when everyone's tongue gets stained bright red. It's also a biotch to get out of clothes if you spill. 

47 minutes ago, barnwife said:

I don't know what this nonsense is about green or red punch. It's clearly either orange or pink. 

But always, always with sherbet.

20 minutes ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

Sherbet? As in the powder that fizzes in your mouth? Sherbet in punch is new to me.

What the what? Pop Rocks fizz in your mouth. Sherbet is a frozen dessert with fruit flavors like pineapple, orange, raspberry. Kind of ice cream-ish but with fruit juice added. 

 

[Terabith]

I think the difference between sherbet and ice cream is that sherbet is maybe dairy free?  It's like ice cream and sold at ice cream shops, but it's lighter and not as rich.  

[katilac]

1 minute ago, marbel said:

 Mmm one of my favorite frozen treats is a mix of vanilla ice cream and orange sherbet. (A creamsicle in ice cream form.) 

Ooh, that sounds good. And you could make it into alcoholic punch by adding Mike's White Hard Freeze (really good creamsicle flavor).