Winter Punch Recipe
A beautiful winter punch recipe. Made from prosecco, winter citrus, gin, and rosemary sugar. It's simple to pull together, beautiful, easy-drinking, but not overly-strong. you can use
It's a bit unclear how it happened, but well over a decade has passed on this site without a punch recipe. Punch, in theory, is a wonderful thing. One of the most communal beverage experiences, everyone ladling from a single bowl, it's brilliant. A good bowl of punch magnetically draws a party close, becoming the best sort of centerpiece. Pretty, festive, and ready to drink - it's too bad so many punches go off the rails. It's also funny that while I have opinions about punch, I never have a great answer when friends ask for a favorite punch recipe. So, I thought it was just the time of year to pull together one I'd be excited to share. I knew I wanted to make a winter punch here, but not holiday per see. Citrusy, with a hint of herbaceousness, avoiding the warming, spicy angle completely. I went for an all-purpose punch - a bowl that could liven up parties, brunches, showers - something that would be suitable to ring in the new year. It would be a punch that wouldn't wreck the imbiber if he or she happened to go a few sips too far. I imagined it the palest pink (pink grapefruit?), or soft yellow (pomelo?). A little sweet, a little sour, dance on the tongue, light up the eyes...here's where we landed.
I knew we'd want a couple of big ice floats, so I dug around the pantry for anything that might lend an interesting shape. Enameled metal cake pans did the job brilliantly. I filled two of them 3/4 full and left them in the freezer over night. A quick dunk in a bowl of warm water released them from their molds, no problem.
Happy holidays all, and cheers! .+*!~*. xo -h
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Winter Punch
Use whatever citrus you like here, we did a blend of 2/3 cara cara orange juice + 1/3 grapefruit juice. The cara cara lent the beautiful blush color, but you can also get that from pink grapefruit. On the gin front, I used St. George Botanivore gin for its green herbaceousness. And don't bother splashing out on the sparkling wine, something tasty, but not overly-pricey is just fine.
1 750-ml bottle of prosecco
2 cups / 480 ml freshly squeezed citrus juice, strained
1 cup gin
1/2 cup rosemary simple syrup (below), or to taste*1 - 2 tablespoons fresh ginger juice (grate peeled ginger and press through a strainer to collect the juice)
sparkling water to taste, 1-2 cups, or so
a few rosemary sprigs
plenty of ice
In a large bowl combine the prosecco, citrus juice, and gin. You'll build and adjust the flavor balance from here. Add most of the 1/2 cup rosemary syrup, stir well, and taste. Add more if needed. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the ginger juice, stir, taste, and add more if needed. Dilute with sparkling water (your guests will thank you!!), stir, taste again and adjust with more syrup or ginger juice if you like. Serve in a punch bowl with plenty of ice, and a few rosemary sprigs, keeping in mind that the ice will dilute the punch more over time. This recipe is easily doubled or tripled depending on how many people you're serving.
*To make rosemary simple syrup: 1 cup of water, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons of fresh rosemary needles in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer for 3-5 minutes, or long enough for the sugar to dissolve. Remove from heat and let infuse for 10 minutes. Strain into a jar until ready to use. You can also use honey in place of the sugar.
Prep time: 10 minutes
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Made this for NYE--twice! Traveled to two parties, and brought almost enough ingredients for both (had to buy odwalla for the second). Despite the not-as-delish citrus in the second batch, both were a total hit. THANKS!
Had this Christmas Eve and loved it so much am making it again right now for New Year's Eve. Totally knocked out the champagne pomegranate punch we usually have tonight. Found that even a little more ginger juice, three T, hit it right for our tastes. And the leftover rosemary syrup was wonderful in bourbon colins cocktails the next day!
HS: Love hearing it Julie! Thanks for the note and happy new year!
Very creative ice floats. Though 10+ years in the making, you introduced us to a great punch that goes beyond the holidays. And your words got me reminiscing of parties past. Great job!
This was a hit at my Christmas Eve celebration! I added thin slices of blood orange, a sprig of rosemary, and a handful of cranberries to the ice floats--it looked so beautiful sitting on my bar.
Great idea! I will definitely adopt the ice making solution with molds, we need a lot of fresh drinks for the holidays here down in the southern hemisphere, temperatures are above 30ºC. The punch looks delicious!
Please make your books available for the kindle. I have so many paper books they are taking over the house. I might get yours if they were on the kindle. I might get them anyway, you have some good recipes. Thank you.
A good idea for punch is to actually put punch in the ice molds instead of water. That way as the ice melts, it doesn't dilute the punch! Instead it actually adds more punch to the bowl as people keep pouring it out. :)
I just have to tell that I made your Glissade chocolate pudding for a christmas dinner with colleagues yesterday, and it was a huge success! I substituted the water with coffee, and added cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne pepper to get it more "christmasy". It was absolutely delicious!
HS: Love it!
This sounds and looks incredible! I had been looking at an idea for Christmas Eve drinks. Thanks Heidi for giving me the perfect drink to serve to my lovely Australian guests for their first Christmas away from home!
Just curious as to what alternatives you would use to make this "virgin". I would think ginger ale for prosecco, but not sure what to use to replace the flavors in gin.
Who doesn't love a winter punch? Thank you for posting this, this reminds me to add it to my list of things to make ;)
Brilliant and irresistible punch. Love it.
Oh heck yes (to all of it!) Happy Holidays love xx
I am dying this try this punch for the holidays. Loving the idea of prosecco and gin together with rosemary syrup!
Just need a punch bowl...
Heidi, One comment on punch in general. Grapefruit is known to affect the way many medications react. If it's in the punch bowl, a warning card may be needed as the other ingredients mask the taste.
Sounds absolutely delicious! Such a great idea for holiday office party!
Wahoo!!!! Prosecco AND gin- That right up my alley! Thanks Heidi and Merry Christmas. Turn up the sun in SF, we'll be visiting for New Year's Eve.
Looks very refreshing and not too sweet (unlike most of the instant-diabetes punches), I will probably give it a try these holidays!
I'm doing it. And thanks for the comment on honey in the syrup - it's made my mind up for me!
Perfect timing! We're planning our Christmas holiday drinks menu and this lovely winter punch looks like a welcoming addition to the list. Thanks!
Wow! An adult punch for Xmas day! I'm all over this!
I haven't given punch much thought in a while but you are so right that its communal quality is very special. Thinking thyme might also be a good herb choice!
Love the cups, love the bowl. I want them both. Can't wait to try the punch, Merry Christmas!
You had me at citrus & rosemary! I'm not usually a punch girl, but THIS I am excited about.
I wouldn't call this a good punch for a shower. The pregnant lady couldn't drink it. Not fair! :)
This sounds amazing. Would it be as good without the gin?
This sounds fantastic, Heidi! I love that you stayed away from the typical warm spices. Bright and cheery is the way to go :)
This looks perfect! Thank you for sharing, Heidi.
I haven't been to a party with punch in ages. I totally want to go or have one now. Thanks for sharing.
You introduced me to rosemary simple syrup 2 years ago...I think - and it has become a Christmas favorite to add to a bubbly wine. I am also a ginger fan and make my own ginger syrup for ginger soda. I'm thinking of keeping a jar of the mix minus alcohol and making a Christmas cocktail of the mix and wine or gin through the holiday weeks. This mix sounds both refreshing and warming - perfect - Thank you!
You had me at prosecco.... I love citrus paired with rosemary. Thanks for sharing this - I've got Christmas beverage checked off my list now!
Add almost anything to Prosecco and it will be a winner, however this combination looks incredible! I imagine ginger and rosemary bring in a welcome savoury note.
Love the idea of this Heidi - it's like a boozy version of the citrus and ginger juice from the Rose Bakery book. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and New Year.
I love the touch of rosemary you added; a summery flavor that looks very holiday-ish (you know, the green and the fact that it kind of reminds of a pine tree branch)
bubbly! gin! citrus! ginger! rosemary!! all the things i love in one bowl. brilliant! and so pretty too - it's a great idea to use beautiful (larger-than-regular-ice-cube) cake molds to make ice floats. can't wait to give it a go! thanks for sharing and happy holidays to you too! x
Lovely flavours - reminds me of your soup with the rosemary ginger butter which has become a firm favourite in our house. And a little of a French 75, but much easier on the head. Bookmarked!
I instantly loved the flavors of your punch. i think they have fallen out of fashion since the rise of the fruity boozy pop drink and the lack of school dances. Nothings says we are friends more than a drink over the punch bowl
this looks incredible.
I have never made punch but I like this idea of a wintery version, especially with the rosemary in it.
I just ordered a case of organic pomelos. I think some of them will end up in this!
This punch sounds brilliant! So much better than the typical soda and sherbet concoctions, and especially appropriate for those of us with orange trees in our backyards. :) Yay!
Well I've only posted 1 punch (and it was sangria so that's not technically punch) in 5 years. I need to get on that, too! :) This looks great - with the proseco, the ginger, rosemary..., mmm I bet this goes down super easily! pinned
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