Summer Citrus Punch Cocktail Recipe
This one's all about combining fresh citrus with spirits for a summer drink that actually tastes like summer. It serves 6-8 people, and you can pull it together in under 15 minutes.
Equipment
- Large punch bowl or pitcher (2-quart capacity)
- Measuring cups and jiggers
- Citrus juicer or reamer
- Sharp knife and cutting board
- Long-handled spoon for mixing
- Ice bucket
- Serving glasses (8-10 oz tumblers work best)
- Fine mesh strainer (optional, for removing pulp)
Ingredients
Base Spirits:
- 2 cups vodka plain or citrus-flavored
- 1 cup triple sec or orange liqueur
Fresh Juices:
- 3 cups fresh orange juice about 8-10 oranges
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice about 6-8 lemons
- 1 cup fresh lime juice about 8-10 limes
Additions:
- ½ cup simple syrup
- 3 cups club soda or sparkling water
- 1 orange sliced into thin rounds
- 1 lemon sliced into thin rounds
- 1 lime sliced into thin rounds
- Fresh mint sprigs for garnish
- Ice cubes
Instructions
- Prepare the citrus: Wash all the fruit. Slice your oranges, lemons, and limes in half, then juice them. If you're not a fan of pulp, strain it out. Save some slices for garnish.
- Mix the base: In your punch bowl or pitcher, toss in the vodka, triple sec, all the juices, and the simple syrup. Give it a good stir to get everything mingling.
- Chill the mixture: Pop the whole thing in the fridge for at least an hour. It lets the flavors get cozy and ensures your punch is nice and cold.
- Finish the punch: Right before you're ready to serve, add the club soda. Stir gently—no one wants flat punch.
- Add garnishes: Float the citrus slices on top and throw in a few sprigs of mint. It looks fancy and smells great.
- Serve: Fill glasses with ice, ladle in the punch, and top each with a citrus slice and a little mint. That's it.
- Make the base up to a day ahead if you want, but wait to add the soda and garnishes until you're about to serve.
Notes
Feel free to tweak this recipe. If you want it less boozy, cut the vodka to 1 cup and bump up the club soda to 4 cups. For more sweetness, add extra simple syrup, a tablespoon at a time, until it tastes right to you.
Going alcohol-free? Just swap the vodka and triple sec for more juice and maybe a drop or two of orange extract for flavor.
If you're feeling festive, freeze orange juice with thin citrus slices in a ring mold. It keeps the punch cold without watering it down—kind of a party trick.
Leftover punch (just make sure there's no ice in it) will keep in the fridge for up to three days. The bubbles will fade, but the flavor sticks around.