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Fall is here and with it comes plenty of hosting duties. Football Sunday, Halloween (for adults and kiddos!), Thanksgiving, and Friendsgiving just to name a few. And, what a better way to celebrate than with a delicious cocktail? But, let’s make it easy on everyone and make it a crowd-serving, festive punch!
Making a big batch of punch is not only a fun way to serve several guests at once, but also becomes a stylish moment for your table. Served in a beautiful punch bowl with coordinating (or not-so-coordinating) glasses, a punch can become the star of your table. You can even glam it up with a stunning ice mold or let guests’ personalities show with a garnish bar. No matter what recipe you choose, you can use the colors and ingredients as inspiration as you plan your linens, such as Fall-Harvest Plaid or Buffalo Check.
If you’ve never made a punch before or are simply looking for some inspiration, we’ve gathered five delicious seasonal sips that are sure to impress your guests.
Warm Cider & Rum Punch
Courtesy of Martha Stewart
Ingredients
- 8 cups apple cider
- 1 apple, thinly sliced crosswise
- 1 orange, thinly sliced crosswise
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 -inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 cups dark rum
Directions
- In a large pot, combine apple cider, apple slices, orange slices, cinnamon sticks, and ginger. Bring to a boil over high; reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. (Keep warm over low, up to 2 hours.)
- Remove from heat and stir in rum. Transfer to a punch bowl; serve warm
Pumpkin Pie Sangria
Courtesy of Delish
Ingredients
- 1 bottle white wine, chilled
- 1 bottle sparkling cider, chilled
- 1/2 c. pumpkin pie vodka
- 1 pear, chopped
- 1 apple, chopped
- 1/4 c. sugar
- 1/2 tsp. pumpkin spice
- Cinnamon sticks, for garnish
Directions
- On a small shallow plate, combine sugar and pumpkin spice and mix to combine. Rim glasses with a piece of apple and dip glasses into mixture. Set aside.
- In a large pitcher, combine wine with cider and pumpkin pie vodka. Add chopped fruit and stir to combine. Pour into glasses and garnish with a cinnamon stick.
Bourbon Apple Cider Thyme Punch
Courtesy of Southern Living
Ingredients
- 4 cups apple cider
- 2 ½ cups (20 oz.) bourbon
- 1 (10-oz.) bottle club soda
- ½ cup Thyme Simple Syrup
- 12 dashes of Angostura bitters
- 1 Fuji apple, thinly sliced
- Thyme sprigs
Directions
- Stir together apple cider, bourbon, club soda, Thyme Simple Syrup, and bitters in a large punch bowl or pitcher.
- Serve over ice, and garnish with apple slices and thyme sprigs.
Bourbon & Coffee Punch
Courtesy of Thrillist
Ingredients
- 12 ounces brewed coffee
- 6 ounces amaro, any style
- 3 ounces bourbon
- 1½ ounces spiced honey syrup
- 12 dashes Angostura bitters
Directions
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl with two cups of ice and stir to combine.
- To serve, pour into an old-fashioned glass with ice. Garnish with whipped cream (or milk foam) and grated nutmeg.
Blood Orange + Blackberry Rum Punch
Courtesy of Elle Decor
Ingredients
- 1 cup blood orange juice
- 48 oz. natural blackberry soda
- 1 cup rum
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1 cup fresh blackberries
- 1 blood orange, thinly sliced
- Pansies to garnish (optional)
Directions
- In a large pitcher filled with ice, add all of the liquid ingredients. Stir gently to combine.
- Add several blackberries and an orange slice to each glass, and pour the punch into the glasses. Garnish with a pansy if desired, and serve immediately.
Sparkling Pomegranate Punch
Courtesy of Food & Wine
Ingredients
- 1 quart pomegranate juice
- 2 cups fresh orange juice, strained
- 2 cups chilled limeade
- One 750-milliliter bottle Prosecco
- Lime and orange slices, for garnish
- Ice
- 1 cup pomegranate seeds
Directions
- In a punch bowl, combine the pomegranate juice, orange juice and limeade.
- Pour in the Prosecco; float lime and orange slices on top.
- Ladle into 12 ice-filled glasses, sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and serve.
