Hot Pineapple Punch

A warm punch that’s tropical instead of the usual mulled wine or apple cider. Pineapple juice heated with sugar, lime juice, and nutmeg creates a sweet-tart base, then dry white wine goes in at the end for a boozy warmth that rounds out the acidity.

The wine gets stirred in off the boil and just heated through. Boiling it would cook off the alcohol and flatten the flavor. You want the wine warm enough to steam in the mug but not bubbling.

Lime juice adds a citrus sharpness that keeps 46 ounces of pineapple juice from tasting like a sugar bomb. That quarter cup of lime is doing important balancing work.

Each mug gets a cinnamon stick stirrer and a wedge of fresh pineapple, which looks festive and gives your guests something to snack on between sips.

Pro Tips

• Use unsweetened pineapple juice. Sweetened versions will be cloyingly sweet once you add the half cup of sugar
• Heat the punch gently after the wine goes in. Aggressive heat drives off the alcohol
• Freshly grated nutmeg makes a noticeable difference. Pre-ground nutmeg loses its potency fast
• Serve in heat-proof glasses or mugs. Regular glassware can crack from the hot liquid

Variations

• Replace white wine with dark rum for a stronger, more Caribbean-style punch
• Add a few whole cloves or star anise to the simmering juice for extra spice complexity
• Make it non-alcoholic by skipping the wine and adding ginger ale right before serving