Rum Punch Recipe (Caribbean Inspired Cocktail)

This rum punch recipe is one of my favorite Caribbean inspired cocktails. This easy colorful cocktail recipe uses Flor de Caña aged rum and a few simple different varieties of fruit juice. 

What is Rum Punch

Rum punch is a classic drink that originated in the Caribbean islands that's loaded with tropical flavors. It's a delicious fruity cocktail that's shockingly strong so be warned!

Traditional rum punch recipes always include rum (sometimes quite a few different kinds of rum), various fruit juices, and something sweet to balance out the tartness from the citrus. 

Whether it be of Jamaican, West Indies, or Bahamaian descent, a good rum punch recipe is super refreshing, making it perfect for warmer weather.  With that said, depending on its origin, different tropical rum punch recipes might also include spices like cinnamon, allspice, or even nutmeg.

This punch recipe is iconically known for it's ombre colors of yellow and red that make it stand out from typical cocktails. Since it's not shaken, there's no need for a cocktail shaker. 

You can serve these types of tropical rum drinks in large batches in a large rum punch bowl, in a large pitcher, or in a single glass with lots of ice.

This beautiful and strong drink is always a huge hit at all of our get togethers. And to be honest, it's been my family's go-to cocktail since I can remember.

The vibrant colors of yellow and pink always caught my eye when my mom would make her Jamaican rum punch recipe. And to me, it was always the most beautiful cocktail while also being the perfect party drink. 

Even as a kid, I was lured to its looks. My mom would make me my own a non-alcoholic version of traditional rum punch... which could be described it was a fancy fruit punch.  

And now as an adult, I love preparing a big batch of this Caribbean rum punch for my family and friends this time of year.

So whether you're planning your next party or just want something delicious on a hot day, you will love this classic rum punch recipe!

Backstory

A few weeks ago, I attended my second Fresh Air Retreat in Miami. I had such an incredible time and left feeling so inspired. 

We had such a great group of people and it was so nice to meet everyone outside of social media. Here's everyone who attended.

• HOST: Liz Della Croce from The Lemon Bowl
• HOST: Lauren Grier from The Curious Plate (and Fresh Air Retreat co-founder)
• Shannon Epstein - Fit Slow Cooker Queen
• Lexi Harrison - Crowded Kitchen
• Kylie Mazon-Chambers - Cooking with Cocktail Rings
• Michelle Hoover - Unbound Wellness
• Brita Britnell - Food with Feeling
• Kim Lee - Kim’s Cravings
• Aleka Shunk - Aleka’s Get-Together

The sponsors were also incredible and I feel so lucky to have been a part of this! 

We started out with a Happy Hour with Flor de Caña who makes delicious aged rum. And since I was one of the only people that drove to Miami, I was able to take a bunch of it home! Because I was given so much Flor de Cana, I wanted to create a new recipe that's made with simple ingredients to really showcase this delicious dark rum! 

The next sponsor was Minute Rice who hosted an incredible build-your-own rice bowl lunch for us! Learning about their microwavable rice bowls was such a game changer! I love that it takes just 60 seconds to have perfectly cooked rice for me and my family! You know you're about to see so many rice bowl recipes coming your way!

After that, my friend Ben from Grocer’s List, made an appearance. You might recognize this brand if you follow me on social media. They're the company I use to send automated responses when people request my recipes be sent straight to their inbox. If you're a food blogger, it's such a great way to get your social media followers your printable recipe card with ease. I can't recommend them enough!

Then we had the most incredible dinner at Serevene with the peeps form Visit Miami. We were lucky enough to do their tasting menu and I still can't get over how delicious everything was. From the tiny whipped mashed potato pots to the cotton candy foie gras, everything was mind bending and so, so, SO gorgeous!

We ended the trip with a grilling session with CURRENT who makes incredible electric smart grills. They're so chic and they connect to your wifi which makes it extra cool! Oh, and since i drove, I also got to take the grill home so i can't wait to show y'all how I'll use it!

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Rum: Since there are so many different rums, it can be hard to pick one. I always opt for Flor de Caña aged rum which is known as a dark rum. Since this is such a high quality rum (and in my opinion, the best rum!) I don't add any other rums to it. If you wanted to, you could add a mix of dark rum or spiced rum and some light rum (also sometimes called white rum).  You could also use coconut rum if you're into flavored rum. But to me, that tastes artificial. 
• Mango Orange Juice: You can use regular orange juice but I think the fresh mango orange juice by Simply Orange is the way to go. It tastes just like orange juice but with a hint of fresh mango. It's so good but if you can't find it, you can use regular orange juice. 
• Pineapple Juice: If you're not into pineapple juice, you could use passion fruit juice or another type of tropical fruit juice blend. 
• Lime Juice: If i had to use one fresh juice for this recipe, it would definitely be lime juice. They're super easy to juice and there's a big difference in taste between fresh squeezed vs the bottled stuff. 
• Grenadine Syrup: I always have maraschino cherries on hand because my daughter loves having a shirley temple.... So I just use the liquid in the bottle. But if you want to get fancy, you can make homemade grenadine which is essentially pomegranate syrup that's made from reducing pomegranate juice. If you wanted something different that still gave the vibrant red color, could also opt for cranberry juice.
• Ice: Since this rum punch cocktail is best ice cold, it's best to have plenty of crushed ice on hand. 
• Optional Add-ins: Want it even sweeter? Try adding a splash of simple syrup (aka sugar syrup), or ginger ale or a lemon-lime soda like sprite. For even more flavor, try adding a dash of bitters (I opt for angostura bitters), some ginger beer or a sprinkle of spice like cinnamon, nutmeg or allspice. You could also add some club soda for effervescence. 
• Garnishes: Try adding fresh fruit garnishes like orange slices, pineapple slices, a slice of lime, maraschino cherries, or pomegranate seeds with tiny cocktail umbrellas to make things more exciting. 

How to make it

Making this easy rum punch recipe is a total breeze! All you need to do to make it is gather your ingredients and grab a pitcher or punch bowl.

Once you've got everything out, add the fruit juice to your pitcher. I start with the mango orange juice, then the pineapple juice, then the lime juice. 

Give it a good stir and if it tastes delicious, then it's time to add the rum. If you're using different types of rum (such as dark rum, spiced rum, light rum or coconut rum), you'll add them all now. 

Now stir everything up and taste it once more. It still should be very tart but still tasty. The next step will sweeten it up.

​At this point, you'll want to slowly pour in the grenadine syrup. I recommend doing this along the side of the glass so it slides easily to the bottom and settles. This will give the ombre effect that you're looking for. 

At this point, you can serve it in tall glasses with plenty of ice. Then add your garnishes like a slice of lime, a cocktail umbrella and a maraschino cherry. 

What to serve with rum punch

I love serving a big tropical spread whenever I'm serving rum punches. Here are a few of dishes that go perfectly with my favorite drink.

• Teriyaki Salmon Sushi Bake for Two
• Easy Coconut Rice Recipe (Made In The Rice Cooker)
• Teriyaki Tuna Tostadas with Avocado & Spicy Mayo
• Asian Avocado Salad with Cucumbers and Furikake
• Teriyaki Turkey Burgers with Yum Yum Sauce
• Turkey Pastelon
• Garlic Cilantro Sauce

Recipe