Fruit Punch Recipe: Made with Sprite (or lemon-lime soda), pineapple juice, kool-aid, sugar, and water! So simple and easy and one of the best punch recipes there is!
Quick Overview: Makes 2 gallons; Excellent for a party, kids or to make, and ready in only 5 minutes! The perfect Christmas punch or all-year-around punch!
Why you’ll love this recipe
It’s quite fun to be sharing one of the BEST punch recipes with you all today.
Perhaps it’s because:
- this recipe has gone VIRAL on Pinterest and Google for being one of the favorites.
- it’s one of the most delicious childhood memories that I had as a little girl.
- because it’s literally is the best punch I’ve ever had.
- or because it’s SO SIMPLE!
We’ll go with all four and roll with it!
More Punch and Drink Recipes You’ll Love:
Hawaiian Fruit Punch
If you loved Hawaiian fruit punch as a kid, I think you’re really going to love this one too! Not only does it have a similar flavor but it conquers that sweet-tooth craving if you’re wanting something for the kids at snack time or to serve at a birthday party!
How to Make this Fruit Punch Recipe
As always, there’s a full, printable, recipe card at the bottom of this post, but I’d love to walk you through the recipe with photos and extra tips to help you make the punch recipe that so many have made and given 5 stars to!
Punch Recipe Non-Alcoholic
This recipe is for a non-alcoholic version but if you’re looking to make it alcoholic, it can be done easily!
Here are some suggestions to make it a cocktail:
- add vodka (coconut, coconut rum for rum punch, etc.)
- combine wine/fruit for a sangria
- mix with sparkling champagne
Punch Ingredients:
Using a handful of ingredients, and AFFORDABLE ingredients at that… it’s easy to whip up this punch recipe for a crowd and double, triple, or quadruple it. (Think family gathering, holiday parties, play dates, summer time picnics, potlucks and so much more!)
This Fruit Punch Recipe Uses:
- Sprite (or lemon-lime soda)
- Pineapple Juice
- Packets of Kool-aid (Orange, lemon, strawberry and cherry)
- Sugar
- Water
Sweet Fruit Punch
It. Is. Sweet.
With sugar in the soda, sugar in the pineapple juice, and the added sugar in the recipe, you can count on any sweet tooth loving this punch recipe, and it’s a fruit punch recipe that your guests (kids and adults) will LOVE.
But if you want to cut back on the sugar a bit (I sure as heck wouldn’t recommend it), you always can. Give it a whirl the way we have it first, and then adjust it the next time.
With packets of kool-aid, lemon-lime soda (I use Sprite), and pineapple juice, this recipe combines some of the tastiest flavors around.
Tips for How to Serve Punch:
If you’re serving this for a large crowd, making it ahead of time is ideal! However, here are some tips to make it the BEST…
Add Sprite Just Before Serving:
Don’t add the lemon-lime soda, or Sprite until right before serving. This is to retain the carbonation of the soda, to give the punch a little “fizz.”
Serve in a Pretty Drink Dispenser
If you’re like me, then you may love to serve this in a drink dispenser; for a party or just to have at home!
However, it can be served over ice, so if placing in a punch bowl before the party is more your style, that’s absolutely ok!
Garnish Your Punch
For each serving, it’s fun to garnish with a cute drink stirrer or actually, a sprig of rosemary looks FABULOUS for the holidays. OR rim the glass like I did for the Red Apple Martini’s here.
If serving in the Summer, easily garnish with mint, or additional fruit/leafy garnish like I did at our Favorite Things party HERE!
Expert Tip
If you plan to make your punch ahead of time, freeze some of it into ice cube trays (I’d say 1-2 trays) and before the party starts, empty the punch cubes into the punch so when they melt… it won’t water down your punch!
This way it will keep it cold, and still flavorful!
Substitutions
YES! This recipe is incredibly easy, and “forgiving,” in case you’re short an ingredient, or want to change things up a bit. Feel free to experiment a little and add or take away anything you like! Now THAT’S simple.
More Recipes You’ll Love
Did You Make This?
Snap a pic and hashtag it #Fantabulosity — I love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter!
📖 Recipe
The BEST Fruit Punch Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 package each Kool-Aid mix: Orange, Lemon, Cherry and Strawberry (small packets of each flavor – and the pkgs. that say it will make 2 quarts)
- 1 Gallon water
- 3.5 cups sugar super fine if possible, but not necessary
- 1 46 oz. can pineapple juice
- 1 2 liter bottle lemon-lime soda
Instructions
- Mix together all ingredients EXCEPT lemon-lime soda.
- Right before serving, add in the lemon-lime soda
- Serve chilled or over ice.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
Amanda says
Love this! I am adding it to my list of frugal entertaining ideas as nothing in this recipe costs too much. I can’t wait to make it!
Jessica says
Aw thank you so much!!!
Michelle says
Hello, this is great punch I make it all the time adding rainbow sherbet to it… Guest bring jugs and bottles just to take some home with them.
Jessica says
Yay!!! I’m so glad that you love it, and I’ll have to try adding sherbet to it sometime! Thank you for letting me know! 🙂
Toya Crawford says
I made this for Hollywood Game Night I hosted for my family! It was a huge hit. I doubled the recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Jessica says
Yay!!! I’m so glad that you loved it! Thank you so much for letting me know and leaving a review! XO
Gwen Weathers says
This was my mom’s recipe back in the sixties, but she added ginger ale also.
Jessica says
Oh fun!!! I may have to try it with ginger sometime!
Sarah Walker Caron says
What a pretty presentation! Love your jug that you’re using for this!
Jessica says
Thank you so much Sarah!
Kristyn Merkley says
This looks delicious!
Jessica says
Thank you Kristyn!!
Sarah says
I am adding this to my holiday party recipe list.
Jessica says
Yay! I hope you all love it as much as we do!
Krissy Allori says
Such a fun recipe! Perfect for all of the fall holidays and festivities coming our way!
Jessica says
Thank you Krissy! Yes it for sure is!
Jennifer says
Could I use all orange koolaid if I needed the punch to be orange for a school retirement party or do you think the flavor would be off?
Jessica says
Hi Jennifer! I’m sure it would taste different than using the other flavors, but I don’t think it would taste bad! It’s worth a shot! Good luck!!
Tina says
What can you use instead of the lemon line soda? Any suggestions would be great.
I don’t want it to be carbonated.
Jessica says
Hi Tina! I haven’t actually used anything but lemon-lime soda.Lemonade may be a good option! But I’m not sure!
Venise LeGrande says
you can use ginger ale, if that help you
Fannie Dixon says
What about ginger ale?
Jessica says
Feel free to try it! We never have, but I’m sure it would be just fine!
Tracy says
When you say small packs of kool-aid are you referring to the ones that make a 16 ounce bottle or the 1 gallon ones?
Jessica says
Hi Tracy! It’s the packets that makes 2 quarts! I hope that helps! 🙂 Thank you for asking!
Tom says
The ingredients list states “1 pkg of each kool-aid mix: Orange Lemon, Cherry & Strawberry (the small packets)”. Is Orange Lemon just one pack or was it supposed to have a comma between them making “Orange, Lemon” two packs of Kool-Aid? I’m confused on whether I need three or four packs of Kool-Aid. Thank for your help.
Jessica says
Hi Tom! So sorry for the confusion! I just switched a technical program around on my blog, and it didn’t copy over the punctuations the best! You’re right, it’s supposed to be one package of each! An orange, a lemon, cherry, and strawberry. 🙂 I hope that helps, and thank you for letting me know about that. I’ll go in and fix that asap!
Jennifer says
I can’t seem to find the actual recipe, with measurements…
Jessica says
I’m sorry Jennifer! The recipe is towards the bottom of the blog post! It’s a recipe card that lists all of the ingredients and amounts all together, and where you can even print it off if you like! Let me know if you can’t find it and I’ll see how I can help! Thank you for letting me know!
Shaunte says
Hey! The fruit in the punch is that grapes or cranberries? I can tell lemon and limes, but uncertain on the other. Thanks!
Jessica says
Hi Shaunte! We used cranberries, but you sure don’t have to! We just used those for garnish! 🙂 So feel free to use what you like!
Chris Himes says
I would add a 750ml or 1l of rum personally to taste/strength– you could do vodka instead. But probably add it slowly to the batch till it tastes right.
Corbie Shaw says
hello I have this same exact pitcher do you have anymore non alcoholic 2 gallon recipes I could try
Jessica says
Hi Corbie! I don’t actually… but I do have other drink recipes in the drinks category from the drop down menu, if that helps!!!
shelly says
I somehow missed the yield. How many 9oz cups will this recipe make?
Jessica says
Hi Shelly! Sorry about that! It should make close to 2 gallons! I hope that helps!
Coral says
Love the presentation with the bottle of wine. I have a friend who loves to make her own Sangria so this would be an awesome Christmas for her. Thanks for sharing.
Jessica says
You’re so welcome!!! Have so much fun making, and most importantly, giving it! 🙂 Thanks for coming by! XO
Erica says
How much alcohol would you add
Jessica says
Hi Erica! Well I’m not really sure. It would depend on which type, and how strong you like it I suppose! Or you can add a shot of your preferred alcohol in to a glass and mix it by the glass instead of making the whole batch alcoholic! That way you can taste test and try what you think works best!
Davina Duncan says
Why is it red? You have listed nothing red in recipe. Sprite sugar lemonade?
Jessica says
Hi Davina!The kool-aid packets make it red.
Marlene says
Because it has orange, lemon, cherry and strawberry Kool-aid cherry and strawberry make it red. This is a very very good Punch!
Jessica says
Oh I’m so happy that you liked Marlene! Thank you!