Cranberry Citrus Paloma Punch is a fresh large-batch holiday cocktail made with ripe grapefruit and citrus juices, cranberry, tequila and soda.
You’ll be the hit of all your holiday parties when you arrive with a big ‘ole punch bowl full of this light fizzy punch.
Big batch paloma punch
Inspired by both the Paloma cocktail and retro party punches this large batch cocktail is fresh, fruity, fizzy and delicious!
Traditionally Palomas, the most popular tequila-based cocktail in Mexico, are made with tequila and grapefruit soda. This winter punch version plays off the same combination of flavors but adds in fresh cranberry puree to give it even more flavor and color and make it perfect for winter parties when both citrus and cranberry are in season.
The tart cranberry, lime and grapefruit balance the sweetness from the fresh squeezed orange juice and grapefruit citrus soda for a light refreshing holiday punch.
Large batch cocktails like this punch are perfect for parties because they’re an excellent way to feature a fun themed beverage without playing bartender all night. Simply mix it all up ahead of time and let your guests serve themselves!
Ingredients
- Fresh cranberries – to make cranberry puree, or substitute 100% unsweetened cranberry juice. There’s always an open but barely used bag of cranberries in my fridge over the holidays and I love that this delicious punch makes good use of them in three ways. Whole cranberries in the ice, pureed cranberries in the punch and ground cranberries in the garnish.
- Grapefruit juice – fresh squeezed or unsweetened bottled juice
- Orange juice – fresh squeezed or purchased
- Lime juice – fresh squeezed
- Tequila – blanco preffered
- Squirt® – or other lemon lime soda
- Ice
Step by step instructions
Simply build this big batch cocktail directly in the punchbowl.
- Prepare ingredients. Puree cranberries, squeeze grapefruit, orange and lime juices.
- Add ice to punchbowl and top with pureed cranberry, grapefruit, lime, orange juices.
- Add tequila, including more or less than the recipe calls for depending on your tastes and what sort of holiday soiree you’re throwing. I suggest anywhere from 1.5-3 cups tequila.
- When ready to serve top with a 2 liter bottle of lemon lime soda.
- Enjoy!
Cheers!
How to serve
To keep Cranberry Citrus Paloma Punch cold all night use large ice cubes. Throw some citrus and cranberries in and the punch will stay pretty and the fruit won’t clog up your guest’s glasses.
Use whatever you have to make big ice cubes – glass storage dishes, cupcake tins, etc. p.s cupcake tin ice cubes fit perfectly in traditional punch glasses.
Serving a crowd of drinkers and non drinkers? Punches are a perfect non alcoholic beverage option or mocktail, that you can also choose to turn into a cocktail if desired. If you’re serving a variety of people simply leave the tequila out for a non-boozy winter citrus punch. Then leave a bottle or two of tequila nearby for guests to spike their glasses.
For a complete diy bar include garnishes like citrus slices, cocktail straws and rim salt or sugar. It makes big batch cocktails feel more personalized and special.
How to make pink rimming salt
Playing on the traditional pairing of salt and tequila Sweet Cranberry Salt is a great accompaniment to the tart punch. Simply pulse a few fresh cranberries with sugar and salt until like wet send and place on a plate next to the punch bowl. Add lime zest and/or chili powder for even more flavor and an extra 2 liter of Squirt next to the punch bowl to freshen up Cranberry Citrus Paloma Punch as needed.
Ingredients
Cranberry Citrus Paloma Punch
- ½ cup cranberry puree or 1 cup 100% cranberry juice, unsweetened
- 2 cups grapefruit juice fresh squeezed or unsweetened
- ½ cup orange juice fresh squeezed from 2 medium naval oranges
- 1 cup lime juice fresh squeezed from 6-8 limes
- 2 cups tequila blanco
- 2 liters Squirt®
- 4 cups ice
Fresh Cranberry Puree
- ¾ cup fresh cranberries
- 2 tablespoons water
Sweet Cranberry Salt
- 3 fresh cranberries
- ¼ cup salt
- ¼ cup sugar
Instructions
- Prepare cranberry puree by blending cranberries until smooth, adding water as needed to get the mixture moving.
- Pulse salt, sugar anda few cranberries in a food processor or blender about 5 times until it’s the texture of wet sand to make Sweet Cranberry Salt. Set aside.
- Build punch in the bowl of your serving dish. Fill with citrus and cranberry ice then add cranberry puree and citrus juices.
- Serve with a salt rimmer (dish of salt) and a halved grapefruit to salt the rim.
- Punch can be made ahead of time by combining citrus juice and cranberry puree and storing all ingredients separately. Add tequila, ice and Squirt before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Beth
My sister gave me her vintage cut glass punch bowl and I have been trying to come up with something to do in it! I can’t wait to try this for the holidays! It’s so beautiful! I love the way you did the ice too! What a nice touch! Great post!
ONE armed MAMA
Thanks so much Beth! I love a good big batch cocktail and they’re especially fun when served up with retro charm!
Crystal
I’m really disappointed that I won’t be getting any of this at the wedding I’ll be at tonight, because it looks great (and might make dealing with my family easier!).
ONE armed MAMA
hahahhahaha!! I hope the wedding wasn’t completely dry and you found something to quench your thirst 😉
Jacqueline
What a fabulous sounding punch. I’m going to pin it for my next party! Your photos are fab too!
ONE armed MAMA
Oh my gosh, Thank you sooo much Jacqueline!! And thanks for pinning 🙂 I appreciate it!
Katie Crenshaw | A Fork's Tale
The colors in this punch are BEAUTIFUL!! This is so perfect for entertaining. I am saving this recipe for my next dinner party!
ONE armed MAMA
Thanks, Katie!! It’s such a great change up from typical punch. I mean, everyone loves a good tequila cocktail, no?
Julie @ Running in a Skirt
I just cleaned out my kitchen and spent 10 minutes convincing my husband that we NEEDED to keep the huge punch bowl. THIS is why! What a gorgeous delish drink. Can’t wait to try this.
ONE armed MAMA
Right?! I’ve been searching all over for this punch bowl and I realized that it’s my mom’s and I already returned it to her ;( Time to either borrow it back or have fun searching for one of my own.
Robbie Taylor
How would it be possible to serve this in a huge drink dispenser for extremely large groups? Like a 3 gallon drink dispenser? Would you add all ingredients except the Squirt and then top it off with it once you have it in the cup? I would love to BIG BATCH this for my sons wedding reception! Look wonderful!!
ONE armed MAMA
Absolutely! This sounds like a perfect beverage for a wedding, at least the ones I like to be invited to! 🙂 This recipe makes around 1 gallon of punch, enough for twenty 6 ounce servings. I have a small punch bowl but typical punch bowls are around 2-3 gallons and would require a double or triple batch of punch. Depending on how involved you want the guests to be you could absolutely top it off with squirt in the cup, or simply triple the recipe and mix before serving. It will stay fizzy and delicious for quite a while.
ONE armed MAMA
What an amazing list of drool-worthy recipes! Honored that mine made it on here 🙂