Patriotic Punch

It’s time for a festive cocktail don’t you think? Today we are making patriotic punch just in time for the fourth of July. The recipe makes a whole pitcher and it’s absolutely delicious so it won’t last long. To get the red, white, and blue accents we are using maraschino cherries, blueberries, and little stars cut out of apple slices! I used the cutest mini cookie cutters to get the stars and they’re an adorable addition to this cocktail (or to put out for your kids’ lunches for the pickiest eaters!) Making this cocktail couldn’t be easier. We’re just pouring all the ingredients into a pitcher and serving the cocktails over ice. Let’s get started! This recipe makes a single pitcher, but if you’re having a really big gathering, feel free to double or triple the recipe!

Ingredients for Patriotic Punch

• Cherry juice: giving us that signature red color, a little sweetness, and cherry flavor.
• Raspberry liquor: gives the drink a little extra kick as well as fruity flavor.
• Vodka: this is a spiked patriotic punch after all! I always use Tito’s Vodka.
• Cherry sparkling water: I use the Bubly brand, but feel free to use any brand that you like!
• Lime and lemon juice: a little tart to balance out the sweetness!
• Ginger beer: one of my favorite cocktails is a Moscow Mule, so I put ginger beer in a lot of cocktails!
• Grenadine: I only added a little bit as I was adding the maraschino cherries, but it does add a hint of delicious sweetness.
• Blueberries, maraschino cherries, and apple stars: These may not add flavor to the drink but they do make it festive and are the perfect garnish!

This cocktail just requires you to pour all the ingredients into a pitcher, mix, and serve over ice! To make the apple stars, I cut apples into large slices and cut out the stars using mini cookie cutters. They were so easy and absolutely worth it to add a cute and festive touch to the cocktail recipe. Most of my cocktails have a mocktail option, and while you absolutely can omit the vodka and raspberry liquor and serve as is, I recommend adding a little something extra to maximize the fruit flavor. Muddled raspberries or even a large scoop of raspberry jam blended well into the cocktail would be a great addition. If you’re going to add muddled raspberries, keep in mind that unless you strain the drink, you will have bits of raspberry in the cocktail. If you add a scoop of jam, I recommend dissolving it in the cherry juice before adding the rest of the liquids.