This fruity, festive Champagne Punch is just as delicious as it is pretty. Loaded up with fresh berries, citrus, champagne, ginger ale, and a few flavorful liqueurs, this punch sure packs a punch. Serve this bright and bubbly drink for New Year's Eve, Easter, Christmas, Mother's Day, and more. Whether it's brunch or a special occasion, your guests won't be able to get enough of this Champagne Punch.

It's New Year's Eve already and I'll be honest, I had no intention of posting a recipe today-- let alone a last-minute recipe that you're going to want to make, like, right now. But would I really be closing out 2019 as my most authentic, messy, scrambling to the last second self if I wasn't rushing to put out a recipe that I remembered existed at the literal last moment? (The answer is no.)

2020 Morgan won't be like this. But 2019 Morgan still has a little bit of eleventh-hour excitement to share. And it's simply called Champagne Punch.

I first tried this champagne punch recipe at a friend's house for brunch, or at least something like it. That must have been 3 or 4 years ago now. In the time since, she has never been able to remember the exact ingredients, and I continued to forget to try my hand at replicating the recipe, until 2 days ago. Let me just say that it's been worth the wait.

Table of Contents

WHAT'S IN CHAMPAGNE PUNCH?

It's more complicated than the sort of punch you buy in a jug or make from powdered mix, I'll admit it, but this grown-up punch is so worth the few extra ingredients. All you need is:

Berries. You can use any sort you like-- strawberries, blueberries, even cranberries all work well-- but my favorite combination is a mix of raspberries and blackberries. These will go in the ice ring and on top of the punch.
Citrus. Again, feel free to get creative here, as this is just for serving and filling the ice ring. (If you're wondering what an ice ring is and why I've mentioned it twice already, don't worry, we'll get to that in just a minute.) I like to use a combination of oranges, limes, and lemons, but opting for just one would also be fine. Grapefruit or blood orange would also make great additions in the winter!
Mint. Not a necessity at all, but herbs do add depth and interest to drinks just as much as they do food. The cooling flavor of mint pairs great with citrus and berries, and the green leaves make for a beautiful addition to your punch bowl.
Triple Sec. This clear liqueur is actually orange-flavored. It's sweet and strong, and is a great addition to punch. If you don't have it on hand but have Grand Marnier or Cointreau, you could use those instead.
Brandy. Brandy is made from distilled wine, and it's often used in sangrias and, as you see here, punches. It might seem redundant to include both a wine-based spirit and champagne in this recipe, but brandy gives more depth to the punch and makes it stronger, as the champagne is diluted by the non-alcoholic ingredients.
Chambord. You can really use a variety of liqueurs here, but I like to use raspberry liqueur (AKA Chambord). This gives the punch a great berry flavor and some added sweetness.
Juice. For the best, deeply flavorful punch, I like to use a combination of unsweetened pineapple juice and cranberry juice. The end result doesn't really taste like either, but both of these juices work well in cocktails because they round out other fruity flavors. You can opt to just use pineapple juice or cranberry juice if you prefer, but keep in mind that the "pineapple juice only" version doesn't have that lovely fuscia-red color.
Ginger Ale. A favorite for mixed drinks and sangrias, ginger ale is great for diluting the rest of those boozy ingredients and turning that raided liquor cabinet combo into a sippable punch.
Champagne. Can't forget the champagne for the Champagne Punch, of course! 2 bottles of dry champagne will finish off the punch, making it fizzy, delicious, and perfect for using to toast.

WHAT IS AN ICE RING?

I told you I'd come back to the ice ring!

The ice ring in this recipe is entirely optional. The point of an ice ring is to look pretty while keeping the punch cold, melting slower, and watering down the punch less. An ice ring will keep your punch cold for an hour or longer.

Basically, if you add ice cubes to a big bowl of punch, they'll melt very quickly. However, a large chunk of ice-- like an ice ring-- will melt slower. It also includes less water because you've filled the ice ring with other frozen ingredients that keep the punch cool, such as berries, citrus, and mint leaves, so when it does eventually fully melt, it won't dilute the flavor of your punch. Lastly, those added citrus ingredients infuse flavor into the ice as they sit, so the water that does melt into the punch is flavored. It's an all-around great addition to any punch bowl!

I make my ice rings in a bundt pan, which gives them a beautiful shape and makes the add-ins easy to layer. In order to remove my ice ring from the bundt pan, I simply rinse the outside of the pan under warm water and then tilt it upside-down to release.

The ice ring will take about 4-5 (maybe even 6) hours to freeze, depending on how much you fill yours. If you don't have time, don't worry. Regular old ice will be just fine for your Champagne Punch!

WATCH THE CHAMPAGNE PUNCH VIDEO

MORE BIG-BATCH DRINK RECIPES

Champagne Punch

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Author: Morgan
Total Time: 20 mins
Yield: 10 1x

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Ingredients

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2 cups berries (e.g. raspberries and blackberries), plus more to serve
2 cups sliced citrus (e.g. oranges, limes, and lemons), plus more to serve
¼ cup fresh mint leaves, plus more to serve
1 cup triple sec
1 cup brandy
¾ cup chambord raspberry liqueur
1 cup unsweetened pineapple juice, chilled
1 cup cranberry juice, chilled
1 quart ginger ale, chilled
2 (750ml) bottles dry champagne, chilled

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Instructions

In a bundt pan or large bowl, layer the berries, citrus, and mint for the ice ring. Pour in just enough water to cover, and transfer to the freezer until solid, about 4-5 hours.
When ready to serve, combine the triple sec, brandy, chambord, juices, and champagne in a large punch bowl.
Run the outside of the bundt pan or bowl under warm water to help release the ice ring. Place in the punch bowl.
Top with additional fruits and mint, and serve.

Prep Time: 20 mins