Red Party Punch

This kid-friendly Red Party Punch will be a staple in your recipe box for birthdays, showers, and all kinds of holidays. Lime sherbet added at the end creates a sweet frothy topping.

Red Party Punch

This is one of those old school recipes that gets a lot of love at our house around the holidays. The bright red color is perfect for Christmas. But it’s not limited to any holiday or event. Chances are, you’ve probably had a version of it at a birthday party or a shower. It’s kid-friendly. Although you can change that very easily if you’re looking for a sweet, spiked drink for New Year’s Eve. Everyone needs a recipe for Red Party Punch, if you ask me. It is unsophisticated by design, but what it lacks in refinement it makes up for in vibrant, happy color and fruity sweetness. It’s like a cup of hummingbird nectar for people.

Key ingredients.

Crack open a large can of pineapple juice, along with packets of strawberry Kool-Aid and a 2-liter of ginger ale. These ingredients, along with cold water and granulated sugar make up the red punch.

Room to grow.

Stir the ingredients together in a large punch bowl or large container that has a wide mouth. You need something that has wide surface area for the sherbet to spread out and foam. The sherbet foam will grow outward and upward – it’s fun to watch!

Red Party Punch

Place scoops of sherbet in the punch then top it all off with a touch more ginger ale. The addition of ginger ale will make the sherbet foam and grow a beautiful frothy layer that tastes like dessert!

See what I mean about the surface area? Look at all that beautiful sherbet foam. This red party punch is fun to serve in small punch cups with a heaping topping of froth.

Red Party Punch

The flavor of this punch is similar to Hawaiian Punch, except with a fun carbonated fizz. And with an extra dollop of sweetness on top. You can use your choice of Kool Aid flavor for this punch, but I think strawberry tastes best and gives the brightest red color.

If you’re looking for other nonalcoholic punch recipes, check out my Mocha Party Punch. It’s creamy like a milkshake, although quite caffeinated.

Adorable North Pole City frosted glasses by Catstudio, who creates all kinds of geography-inspired products.

Red Party Punch

Heather Baird
This kid-friendly red party punch is great for birthday parties, showers, and holidays. We love making it at Christmastime because of its festive red color. See the recipe notes for variations and suggestions for serving it as a mixed drink with champagne.
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Dessert, Drinks
Cuisine American
Servings 25

Equipment

  • large punch bowl
  • ladle

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 packets strawberry Kool-Aid unsweetened drink mix 0.13 oz. each
  • 4 cups water
  • 46 oz. pineapple juice not from concentrate 1 large can
  • 2 liters ginger ale
  • 1 quart lime sherbet frozen dessert softened

Instructions
 

  • In a large punch bowl, combine the sugar and powdered drink mix. Add the water and stir until the sugar is dissolved and the punch base is consistently bright red.
  • Stir in the pineapple juice. Add in half of the ginger ale. Stir briefly.
  • Place scoops of sherbet on top of the punch. Pour the remaining ginger ale over the sherbet. Give the mixture a brief stir and let the sherbet foam rise naturally.
  • Serve this sweet dessert punch in small 4 oz. punch cups, topped with some of the frothy foam.

Notes

Variations:
Any flavor of Kool-Aid can be used, but I think strawberry tastes best and gives the brightest red hue. Cherry would also make a fine red punch.
Swap the lime sherbet for pineapple or orange – your choice! Lime is pretty for Christmas, but all flavors seem to dissolve into a pink foamy head on top of the punch.
The foam will dissipate as you dip servings from the punch bowl. Expect this. It’s just the nature of sherbet-topped punch.
This recipe doubles well to serve 50 people.
Swap the ginger ale for an equal amount of champagne or prosecco for a toast-worthy New Year’s Eve drink.
Keyword Ginger ale, lime sherbet, pineapple juice, Strawberry Kool-Aid
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Follow:
1 Comment
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Diane
Diane
1 year ago

Would this punch be sweet enough without the sherbet?