Knockout Punch Recipes for Every Holiday Party

Punch is the perfect party beverage. It frees the host up to mingle since everyone serves themselves, and the punch bowl table provides the perfect place to make new friends. If you’re looking to host a holiday party of your own, you’ll definitely want to put out a winning bowl of punch for your guests to enjoy. These punch recipes cover virtually every taste preference, from liqueurs and wine all the way up to the hard stuff. For big parities, mix up two or three different batches.

TKO Caribbean Punch

Sweet, tart, bitter, fizzy, and festive — this punch is the perfect combo for party fun.

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup water

1 46-ounce can pineapple juice, chilled

2 cups (16 ounces) dark rum

1½ cups (12 ounces) Campari

1¼ cups fresh lime juice (from 8 to 10 limes)

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

1 750-milliliter bottle Prosecco, chilled

Large ice cubes

Orange and lime slices, for garnish

Step 1

Combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook and stir occasionally for about four to five minutes, or until the sugar has completely dissolved. Remove the mixture from the heat and let it cool completely. Chill for at least one hour.

Step 2

Mix together the pineapple juice, rum, Campari, lime juice, salt, and chilled simple syrup in a large bowl. Stir in the Prosecco and ice cubes just before serving. Garnish with orange and lime slices.

Slow Cooker Mulled Wine

Ease the chill in the air and fill your home with tantalizing aromas with a simple slow cooker punch.

1 bottle red wine

1 cup apple cider

1 cup cranberry juice

⅓ cup sugar

1 cup fresh cranberries

2 oranges (peels and juice)

2 whole cinnamon sticks

1 tablespoon whole cloves

1 tablespoon star anise

Step 1

Add wine, cider, cranberry juice, sugar, cranberries, the peel from one orange, the juice of one orange, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and star anise to a slow cooker. Mix well to thoroughly combine. Cook on high until warm (about 30 minutes).

Step 2

Ladle mixture into mugs or glasses. Garnish each serving with a piece of orange peel.

Bourbon Milk Punch

This drink is sweet and creamy, so you might want to offer a few extra shots of bourbon to the not so faint of heart. Double the recipe for larger gatherings.

Caramel sauce, for rimming glasses

2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar

2 pints (4 cups) vanilla ice cream

1 cup bourbon

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for garnish

Whipped cream, for garnish

Step 1

Pour the caramel sauce into one shallow dish and the cinnamon-sugar mixture into another. Set both aside for later use.

Step 2

Place ice cream, bourbon, vanilla, honey, and cinnamon into a blender and blend on high until smooth.

Step 3

Dip the rims of your glasses into caramel and allow the excess to drop back into shallow dish. Then dip the glasses into cinnamon sugar and set aside. Pour punch into the prepared glasses and garnish with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.

Rosé Afternoon Punch

This punch is ideal for cozy gatherings with a few good friends after a holiday brunch.

1 750-milliliter bottle rosé

⅓ cup vodka

3 12-ounce cans blackberry-flavored sparkling water

2 tablespoons honey

1 lime, sliced

Juice of 1 lime

½ cup blackberries, plus more for garnish

¼ cup raspberries, plus more for garnish

¼ cup sliced strawberries

Ice

Step 1

Place all ingredients in a large pitcher and stir well with a large wooden spoon.

Step 2

Serve over ice and garnish with berries.

Margarita Punch

A cup or two of this south-of-the-border favorite, and Jack Frost will definitely keep his distance.

1 bottle champagne or Prosecco

1 2-liter bottle seltzer water

3 cups frozen strawberries

1½ cups tequila

1 cup triple sec

1 cup sliced fresh strawberries

2 limes, thinly sliced, some reserved for garnish

½ cup fresh lime juice

¼ cup kosher salt

Step 1

Combine seltzer and champagne in a large punch bowl.

Step 2

Put frozen strawberries, tequila, triple sec, and lime juice in a blender and mix well. Pour the resulting mixture into the punch bowl. Top it all off with fresh sliced strawberries and stir to combine.

Step 3

Rim your glasses with lime wedges and dip them in salt. Fill them with punch, garnish with lime round, and serve.

Frosty Mocha Punch

Coffee lovers will never miss their caffeine when they’re drinking this rich, creamy punch.

1 750-milliliter bottle coffee-flavored liqueur

1 750-milliliter bottle vodka

1 750-milliliter bottle Irish cream liqueur

6 quarts eggnog, preferably homemade

Step 1

Thoroughly chill the coffee liqueur, vodka, and Irish cream in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours.

Step 2

Carefully pour the coffee liqueur and vodka into a 12-quart punch bowl and stir to combine. Whisk in the Irish cream, followed by the eggnog. Whisk everything together until evenly blended and slightly foamy.

Step 3

Serve immediately in stemmed glasses.

Cran-Apple Sangria

Apples add a nice texture to this festive favorite. Use a punch bowl and double the recipe if your guests are particularly thirsty.

½ cup whole cranberries

2 apples, diced and tossed with lemon juice

1 cup apple cider

¼ cup cranberry juice

1 750-milliliter bottle white wine

1 cup seltzer water

Thinly sliced apple, for garnish

Step 1

Place fresh fruit in a medium-size pitcher or punch bowl.

Step 2

Add the wine, cranberry juice, apple cider, and seltzer to the fruit. Stir gently to cover the fruit.

Step 3

Cover the pitcher or bowl and refrigerate for at least one hour. Garnish with thin apple slices.