published about 4 hours ago
Throw together this festive punch with four types of alcohol, ginger beer, and brandied cherries.
Serves12
MakesMakes about 12 cups
Prep5 minutes
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My granny’s holiday desserts had no shortage of green and red maraschino cherries. True, they were a garnish of the times, but I also think she just really enjoyed them. As a kid, I was always fascinated by how clear and bright they looked even after they were baked. Whenever I put a slice of fruit cake on my plate, it was like looking into a kaleidoscope.
When deciding what flavors I wanted in a boozy holiday punch, I wanted to evoke the flavors of my granny’s fruit cake. With brandied cherries as a starting point, bourbon and Southern Comfort whiskey seemed to be the most obvious choices for their flavor notes and Southern granny vibes. I added amaretto for some nuttiness. Grand Marnier ups the ante on fruit with notes of orange while ginger makes things warm and spicy. Put it all together in a punch bowl, and voilà — a kaleidoscope of Southern comfort.
Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe ; Food Stylist: Rachel Perlmutter
Throw together this festive punch with four types of alcohol, ginger beer, and brandied cherries.
Ingredients
- 2 cups
(475 ml) Southern Comfort Original whiskey
- 2 cups
(475 ml) bourbon
- 2 cups
(475 ml) Grand Marnier
- 4 cups
cold ginger beer, divided
- 1 cup
(238 ml) amaretto
- 1/2 cup
syrup from maraschino or brandied cherries
- 6 dashes
Angostura or orange bitters
- 1
medium orange
- 8
maraschino or brandied cherries, plus more for serving
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Ice
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Candied ginger, for garnish (optional)
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Place 2 cups Southern Comfort whiskey, 2 cups bourbon, 2 cups Grand Marnier, 2 cups of the cold ginger beer, 1 cup amaretto, 1/2 cup syrup from maraschino or brandied cherries, and 6 dashes Angostura or orange bitters in a 10-cup or larger pitcher. Gently stir to combine.
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Halve and thinly slice 1 medium orange. Add a handful of the orange slices and 8 maraschino or brandied cherries.
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To serve, fill a 10- or 12-ounce glass (such as an old-fashioned glass) halfway with ice. Add 3/4 cup of the punch and top with more cold ginger beer. Garnish with a maraschino or brandied cherry, orange slice, and a small piece of candied ginger if desired.
Recipe Notes
Substitutions: Substitute ginger ale for ginger beer for a sweeter punch.
Make ahead: The base of the punch can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 6 hours: Place the Southern Comfort, bourbon, Grand Marnier, amaretto, and cherry syrup in the pitcher. When ready to serve, add the ginger beer, orange slices, and cherries, and stir to combine. Serve as directed, adding 2 dashes Angostura or orange bitters to each glass.
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