Sparkling Pineapple Punch

This punch starts with a cinnamon simple syrup that gives the whole drink a warm, spiced backbone you won’t find in a straight juice-and-soda mix. Simmering cinnamon sticks in sugar water for 15 minutes pulls out that deep, woody flavor, and chilling the syrup before mixing keeps the punch cold from the first ladle.

The assembly happens right before serving. Cinnamon syrup, lime juice, chilled pineapple juice, sparkling water, and sparkling white wine all go into the punch bowl together. Mixing at the last minute keeps all that fizz alive. Pour the sparkling ingredients in gently rather than splashing them to hold onto as many bubbles as possible.

The lime juice is the quiet hero here. It sharpens the sweetness and keeps the punch from tasting flat or one-note. Without it, you’d just have sweet pineapple soda.

Kitchen Tips

• Make the cinnamon syrup a day ahead and refrigerate; one less thing to do before the party
• Chill every ingredient thoroughly before combining; adding ice to punch dilutes it fast
• For a non-alcoholic version, replace the sparkling wine with ginger ale or more sparkling water
• Float thin pineapple rings and lime wheels in the bowl for a polished presentation

Variations

• Add a splash of coconut rum for a tropical cocktail punch
• Use sparkling apple cider instead of wine for a fall-themed version
• Stir in a few dashes of Angostura bitters for a more complex, cocktail-style flavor