Cherry Citrus Punch
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A fruity, white wine punch with cherries, citrus, rum, and a textured mix of fresh and preserved fruits. Adjusted ingredient volumes and swapped out grape juice and Triple Sec for pineapple juice and Cointreau. Stirred and chilled. Serve over ice with fruit garnish. Slightly shorter preparation time than usual.
Prep:
10 min
Cook:
20 min
Total:
30 min
Servings:
12 servings
#fruit punch
#white wine punch
#cocktail recipe
#summer drinks
#rum cocktails
#citrus punch
White Moscato meets a fruity medley. Cherries soaked in syrup lend a tart softness. Rum adds warmth, pineapple juice swaps the usual grape for tropical sweetness. Cointreau replaces Triple Sec with deeper citrus notes. Plums sliced thin, oranges just as they are, add bite and perfume. Fresh cherries tossed in at the end for bursts of juiciness. The punch rests in the fridge a short while. Chill, pour, ice. No frills fuss.
Ingredients
- 1 bottle 650 ml white Moscato wine or white port
- 1 jar 380 ml sour cherries pitted in light syrup
- 120 ml aged spiced rum
- 150 ml fresh pineapple juice
- 45 ml Cointreau orange liqueur
- 2 plums pitted, thinly sliced
- 2 oranges unpeeled, cut in thin rounds
- 200 ml fresh or frozen pitted cherries
- Ice cubes as preferred
About the ingredients
Reduced wine amount slightly for balance. Sour cherries remain central—pitted, syrup included for natural sweetness and liquid depth. Swapped grape juice for pineapple juice; fresher, tangy, less sugary. Replaced Triple Sec with Cointreau; richer, subtler bitterness. Plums thinly sliced to release flavor but keep integrity. Oranges left unpeeled to provide a slight bitterness from the rind. Fresh cherries add texture and color contrast. Rum lowered to emphasize fruit over alcohol burn. Ice always optional depending on serving preference—dilutes slightly but cools intensely. Keep syrup to anchor sweetness so punch doesn’t dry out.
Method
- Pour Moscato wine into large pitcher or bowl
- Add sour cherries with syrup, stir gently
- Pour in rum then pineapple juice, blend briefly
- Stir in Cointreau carefully to mix flavors
- Add sliced plums and orange rounds next
- Toss in fresh cherries last without crushing
- Chill 15-20 minutes for flavors to mingle
- Serve over plenty of ice cubes if wanted
Cooking tips
Start with the base wine in a large vessel—big enough to give ingredients room to mingle. Stir cherries in with their syrup to dissolve any sediment. Pour in rum cautiously; too fast will cause imbalance. Next pineapple juice, mix carefully to not bruise fruits added later. Orange liqueur last to preserve its aromatic citrus oils. Lay in sliced plums and oranges; they float and infuse slowly. Fresh cherries come after—last fruit in, to retain freshness and avoid mush. Cover and chill 15-20 minutes, avoiding longer steeping which can overwhelm citrus peel. When serving, ice may be added directly in glass or pitcher depending on crowd size and preference. No stirring after ice to prevent dilution. Drinks can be prepared earlier but flavor changes after 24 hours.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Use a large pitcher or bowl for mixing. Room needed to stir without crushing fruits. Adds texture, prevents mushy bits. Gentle movements important with cherries and plums especially. Syrup in jar cherries provides sweetness and liquid base. Keep it, don’t drain off entirely.
- 💡 Add rum slowly. Rapid pouring can disrupt syrup and fruits. Balanced rum amount emphasizes warmth not burn. Pineapple juice replaces grape juice—more tart, less sugary. Stir to combine but avoid bruising fruit slices, especially thin plum rounds. Orange rounds left unpeeled, flavor from rind-bitter, aromatic oils present.
- 💡 Cointreau last. Orange liqueur fragile aromatic oils dissipate fast. Stir gently to retain bright citrus flavor. Fresh cherries last to keep bursts of texture intact, firm, no mush. Chill 15-20 minutes, no more to avoid overpowering bitterness from orange rind. Good flavor mingle without oversteeping citrus peel.
- 💡 Ice optional. Adding at serving cools but dilutes punch if stirred after. Add ice straight to glasses or large bowl if preferred. Dilution might soften flavors so consider timing. Reduced wine volume keeps balance with syrup and juice, preventing too watery or overly boozy punch. Adjust fruit quantities depending on sweetness of components.
- 💡 Thinly sliced plums help release aroma but retain structure; not mush. Oranges sliced with peel to add slight bitterness, complexity, texture. Keep fresh cherries whole, add last for pops of juiciness and contrast. Syrup from sour cherries anchors sweetness, depth. Chill enough for flavors to mingle but short—20 mins max.
Common questions
Can I swap white Moscato for another wine?
Yes, but adjust sweetness. Moscato low alcohol, naturally sweet. Other whites might be drier. Might need to add syrup or juice to balance. Port works if sweeter style preferred. Avoid very dry or oaky wines.
How long can punch be stored?
Up to 24 hours in fridge best. Flavor changes after that, citrus bitterness increases. Fruits soften, might turn mushy. Stir gently before serving if sitting overnight. Ice added later, not in storage to prevent dilution.
What to do if punch tastes too strong?
Add more juice or water. Ice as diluter but only at serving. Consider lowering rum or syrup next time. Balancing acidity from pineapple juice helps. Avoid adding more wine which can unbalance sweetness.
Alternative fruits to add?
Plums and oranges form base. Try berries or peaches for texture. Consider citrus variations, lemons or limes thinly sliced but watch bitterness. Use preserved fruits cautiously, syrup content affects sweetness. Fresh fruits added last for juiciness, don’t crush.
