Pina Colada Punch
Submitted by impatient
Piña colada punch with homemade coconut milk, fresh pineapple juice, ginger-cassia tea, and rum or gin. Big-batch tropical party drink that serves a crowd.
YIELD
30 servingsPREP
25 minCOOK
15 minREADY
100 minForget the canned cream of coconut. This piña colada punch starts with shredded coconut blended with boiling water to make real, fresh coconut milk that’s lighter and brighter than any tinned stuff. The base also leans on a homemade ginger-and-cassia-bark spiced tea, which adds a warm, slightly spicy backbone that lifts the punch above the usual sweet sticky tropical drink.
Pineapple juice carries the fruit, and a heavy pour of light rum (or gin if you’re feeling chef-y about it) gives the boozy lift. The result is balanced, complex, and built for a crowd of 30, which makes it perfect for a backyard pool party, beach wedding, or a bring-some-tropics-indoors winter brunch.
Serve over crushed ice with cocktail picks of cherry and pineapple. The garnish is part of the drink, not just decoration.
Pro Tips
- Bruise the ginger pieces with the back of a spoon before simmering. Bruising releases the oils that flavor the tea.
- Press the coconut hard when straining. Most of the flavor lives in the milk you squeeze out.
- Chill the punch base for the full hour before adding rum. Cold liquor blends in smoother than warm.
- Use crushed ice, not cubes. Crushed ice cools the drink faster and dilutes less.
- Make the punch base a day ahead. The tea-coconut-pineapple blend deepens overnight in the fridge.
Variations
- Frozen blender style: blend individual servings with extra crushed ice for a slushy cocktail.
- Spiced rum: swap light rum for dark or spiced rum for a richer, deeper version.
- Mocktail: skip the booze and stir in 2 cups of sparkling coconut water at the end for a kid-friendly party punch.
Ingredients
Directions
Put ginger, sugar and cassia bark in a saucepan.
Add ⅔ cup water and bring to a boil.
Cover and simmer 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and add teabags.
Let stand 5 minutes, then strain into a bowl.
In a blender or food processor, blend coconut and boiling water 1 minute.
Let stand 5 minutes, then strain into tea mixture, pressing coconut to extract all moisture.
Add pineapple juice and chill 1 hour.
Add run or gin and stir well.
Serve over crushed ice in tall glasses.
Thread cocktail sticks with cherries and pineapple.
Add a cocktail stick and swizzle stick to each glass.
Garnish with pineapple leaves, if desired.
VARIATION: Add more rum or gin for a stronger flavored drink.
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