Halloween punch

This kid-friendly, alcohol free Halloween punch is so easy and looks so effective, it'll be the talking point of this year's spooky celebrations.

I've used cranberry juice to achieve the perfect shade of blood red, topped up with sparkling lemonade for a deliciously refreshing punch.

The decorations are quick and easy to put together: lychee eyes with blueberry pupils, jack'o'lantern clementines, and delicious gummy snakes! So simple yet so effective!

Here's how to make this fabulously spook Halloween punch.

Instructions

Pour the cranberry juice into a punch bowl.

Top up with the lemonade

Cut the clementines to resemble jack-o'-lanterns.

Drop the clementines into the punch, allowing them to float.

Drape the jelly snakes around the outside of the bowl.

Take the lychees and push a blueberry into the centre of each one to resemble eyes, then drop them into the punch. (Note: consider the age and ability of children as small pieces can present choking hazards)

Enjoy!

Pointers, tricks and troubleshooting tips for the perfect Halloween Punch

Is Halloween Punch easy to make?

Yes! This recipe involves no 'real' cooking. All you'll do is mix your ingredients in a punch bowl and garnish the punch with some fruit.

The trickiest part of this recipe is carving pumpkin faces into the clementines, but if you've carved a Halloween pumpkin before, you're sure to be a star. Just make sure you have a very sharp knife, so it cuts as neatly as possible.

Once your garnishes are ready, you'll let them sink to the bottom of the mixed punch bowl and finally drape some jelly snakes around the bowl.

This recipe is a great way to make a quick showstopper centrepiece for your Halloween table. It's also easy to customise to your own tastes or make more grown-up with some alcohol! So whoever you have at your witch's cauldron this Halloween, this potion is sure to be a hit!

Will I need any special equipment to make Halloween Punch?

The only specific equipment you'll need for this recipe is a big glass bowl or punch bowl for serving your punch.

You can use a ceramic or plastic bowl if you don't have a glass bowl. Though if you can, I recommend using a glass bowl as it lets you see the eyeballs and clementines at the bottom of the punch.

You'll also need a knife to cut the clementines into Jack-O-Lanterns.

There's always a complete list of suggested equipment on the recipe card below my recipes if you're in doubt. 

What are lychees?

Lychees are a small, red fruit with white flesh. They're native to China but widely available in supermarkets these days.

You'll usually find fresh lychees in larger supermarkets or in Chinese supermarkets. Though most UK supermarkets sell canned lychees, either with canned fruit or on the 'world foods' aisle.

If you can't find any, you could try using de-stoned apricots or another small pale fruit to replicate eyeballs. Green grapes may be a little small, but you could give them a try.

Where can I get lychees? 

You'll usually find lychees in the fruit and veg aisle of large supermarkets. Sometimes lychees are kept in a 'world foods' aisle, with various Chinese and South East Asian ingredients.

Is Halloween Punch suitable for vegetarians?

Yes. Despite containing (jelly) snakes and (fruit)eyeballs, this recipe is suitable for vegetarians!

Just make sure you buy vegetarian jelly snakes, as some jelly candy can contain pork or beef gelatine.

Remember to check anything extra that you intend to serve with your Halloween Punch.

Is Halloween Punch suitable for vegans?

As long as you use vegan jelly snakes (or other jelly candy), this Halloween Punch should be completely vegan!

However, animal-derived products can be used to thicken, colour or flavour sweet and savoury food, so it sneaks into the most surprising ingredients!

So double-check all ingredients labels and ensure your jelly snakes contain no gelatine or other animal-derived ingredients.

Also, don't forget to check anything extra that you intend to serve with your Halloween Punch.

Is Halloween Punch gluten-free?

As long as you use gluten-free candy (most kinds are), then this recipe is suitable for a gluten-free diet.

Double check all of your ingredients labels to make sure that they are gluten-free. Don't forget to check anything extra that you intend to serve with your Halloween Punch.

Is Halloween Punch keto-friendly?

No, this recipe is full of sugar, candy and high-sugar fruits, so it isn't suitable for a ketogenic diet, sorry!

You could try making a Halloween punch by mixing keto-friendly drinks and skipping the garnishes.

Is Halloween Punch suitable for those on a FODMAP diet?

No. This recipe contains high FODMAP ingredients such as lemonade, lychees and Clementines. However, some fruits and cranberry juice containing sweeteners is suitable for a low FODMAP diet. So it would be easy to swap out the high FODMAP fruit and candy for a low FODMAP Halloween Punch.

Is Halloween Punch healthy?

This punch contains a fair amount of sugar, so it's not the healthiest recipe. However, it is made with fruit juice and fresh fruit, so it does contain some vitamins and minerals.

As always, moderation is key!

Is Halloween Punch safe to eat while pregnant?

This recipe is perfectly safe for a pregnant person. However, it does contain a fair amount of sugar, which could be a point of concern.

Pregnant people are more sensitive to changes in blood sugar and developing a temporary form of diabetes called Gestational Diabetes.

As always, if you have any concerns, please speak to your healthcare professional

Make sure that all of your ingredients are in good condition and that you prepare this meal safely and hygienically.

A Mummy Too does not offer medical advice. Please seek help from a medical professional if you need further information or have any concerns.

Is Halloween Punch suitable for babies and toddlers?

This punch isn't suitable for babies or toddlers, as it contains a fair amount of sugar. You shouldn't give sugar to babies and children under 5; the NHS explains why here. 

A Mummy Too does not give medical advice. Please speak to a health professional if you have any questions or concerns.

The NHS has some fantastic resources on their website on what to feed babies and young children.

What goes well with Halloween Punch?

This punch is great on its own, or you could serve it with some Halloween-themed snacks like my Witches Finger Breadsticks or Halloween Jalapeno Poppers.

Can I make the Halloween Punch with cloudy or homemade lemonade instead of clear lemonade?

You can use cloudy or homemade lemonade if you prefer. However, if you use cloudy lemonade, you won't be able to see the pumpkins at the bottom of the bowl.

While this is a completely aesthetic choice, I do think seeing the garnishes are what really makes this punch special! So use clear lemonade if you can, but it's not the end of the world if you can't.

Can I make the Halloween Punch with diet/sugar-free lemonade?

Sure! Diet soda is a great way to lower your sugar intake. It won't affect the recipe instructions, and the impact on flavour will be minimal.

If you use diet-soda or sugar-free drinks, bear in mind that some people have sensitivity to artificial sweeteners (causing headaches). So you may want to warn guests if you think someone may have trouble with sweeteners.

My Halloween Punch is too sweet/not sweet enough; what can I do?

This punch should be perfectly balanced for sweetness, but if you change the ingredients and find it too sweet or not sweet enough, there are a few fixes below.

If your Halloween Punch is too sweet:

• Add 100% pure cranberry juice to balance out too much sweetness with tartness.
• Add some lemon juice to balance excess sweetness with some sourness.
• Dilute the punch with some sparkling water.

If your Halloween Punch isn't sweet enough:

• Add some sugar, honey or agave nectar to sweeten it up.
• Use a sweeter fruit juice such as pineapple juice.

Can I make the Halloween Punch with alcohol?

Yes! Just add your favourite spirits to the punch bowl. Vodka, gin, rum, whisky (bourbon, not scotch), tequila could all work well. Just make sure there are no kids around!

Can I make the Halloween Punch with sparkling water instead of still water?

Yes! Just add some sparkling water to the punch bowl when you're ready to serve it. You could also use sparkling fruit juice if you want an extra fizzy punch.

Where did you get the jelly snakes?

Jelly snakes are usually available all year round from the candy aisle of large supermarkets, online or in dedicated sweets shops.

I used jelly snakes because you can drape them over the edge of the bowl, but if you can't find any, you could use liquorice or fizzy laces or even another spooky-shaped candy.

How should I store Halloween Punch?

You should make this punch for serving. Once you mix the ingredients in the punch bowl and leave it out for a while, the lemonade will go flat, and the fruit and candy will begin to disintegrate. So it's not worth saving any leftover punch or making it ahead.

Can I make Halloween Punch ahead?

Mixing the punch takes seconds, so there's no need to make it ahead. I would recommend mixing the punch just before you want to serve it to keep it fresh and lightly sparkling.

However, you could make the clementine and lychee garnishes the day before. Just make sure you store them in a sealed lunchbox in the fridge to keep them from spoiling or drying out.

Can I freeze and defrost Halloween Punch?

You could freeze this punch without the eyeballs and snakes, but the flavour won't be as fresh when you defrost it. Plus, it only takes seconds to put together this punch, so it's not really worth doing.

Can I make these Halloween Punch in a different quantity?

If you want to make more or less Halloween Punch, go ahead! This recipe makes 8 glasses, so you could double or half the ingredients to make 16 or 4 glasses. However, I find this serving size is good because it uses full bottles of lemonade and cranberry juice.

Can I make Halloween Punch in a stand mixer such as a KitchenAid or Kenwood Mixer?

You could mix your punch ingredients in your stand mixer...but that seems like overkill! Pouring your liquids into the punch bowl and giving it a quick stir should be perfectly fine.

Can I make Halloween Punch with a food processor?

Again, there's no reason to use anything but a spoon and a bowl to mix your punch.

How can I make sure my Halloween Punch turn out perfectly?

There are a few key things to remember when making this punch:

• Use fresh, good-quality ingredients. This punch is only as good as the ingredients you use!
• Don't overmix. Stir until everything is combined, but don't overdo it or your punch will be too foamy.
• Serve immediately. If you leave your punch sitting, it will get stale and the light carbonation from the lemonade will disappear.

How can I add/change the flavours in these Halloween Punch?

There are lots of ways you could change the flavour of this punch. Here are a few ideas:

• Try using different fruit juices instead of cranberry juice, like apple or grapefruit juice.
• Add some fresh herbs for a unique twist. Mint or rosemary would be lovely in this punch, especially if you make an adult version with gin.
• Swap out the lemonade for sparkling water or club soda for a less sweet punch.
• For an adult version, add a shot of vodka, rum, or gin to each glass.

Why is it called punch?

There are a few theories on where the word punch came from. One is that it's derived from the Hindi word "panch," meaning "five." This refers to the five essential ingredients in early punches: alcohol, sugar, lemon, water and spice.

Another theory is that the word comes from the Sanskrit word "panca," meaning "five." This also refers to the five essential ingredients in early punches.

The most likely explanation is that the word punch comes from the Flemish word "ponsen," meaning "to strike." This refers to the practice of using a ladle to strike the surface of the punch, which was thought to release the flavours and aromas of the ingredients.

Regardless of its origins, the word punch has been used to describe a wide variety of mixed drinks for centuries. And this Halloween Punch is just one delicious example!

Who invented punch?

No one knows for sure who invented punch, but it's thought to have originated in India in the early 1600s. At that time, the British East India Company was trading with India, and sailors brought back recipes for this refreshing drink.

Punch quickly became popular in Britain, and by the mid-1700s, it was all the rage in America as well. George Washington even served punch at his inauguration ball in 1789!

Over the years, punch has undergone many changes. Today, this refreshing drink has endless variations, from fruity punches to spiked punches. But one thing remains the same: punch is always a hit at parties!

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