Food and Recipes Drinks Cold Ambrosia Party Punch Be the first to rate & review! Ambrosia punch may not be your typical recipe, but you're going to love the classic flavors. By Jasmine Smith Published on November 17, 2023 Recipe tested by Southern Living Test Kitchen Recipe tested by Southern Living Test Kitchen The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been publishing recipes since 1970, four years after the first issue of Southern Living Magazine appeared on newsstands. The Southern Living Test Kitchen team includes a team of professionals with deep expertise in recipe development, from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians. Together, the team tests and retests, produces, styles, and photographs thousands of recipes each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen facility located in Birmingham, Alabama. Learn more about the Southern Living Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Greg Dupree; Food Stylist: Micah Morton; Prop Stylist: Ginny Branch Active Time: 10 mins Total Time: 10 mins Servings: 12 Nothing gets a party started like a beautiful bowl of punch. Whether you serve it spiked or alcohol free, a festive punch always puts a smile on the faces of your party guests. In this recipe, we’ve taken one of our favorite Southern salads—ambrosia—and transformed it into a big-batch punch that’s perfect for the holidays. Simply set out a spread of your favorite appetizers with this sparkling punch, and your holiday gathering will be the talk of the town. What Is Ambrosia? In Greek mythology, ambrosia was known as the food of the gods. In the South, it falls into fruit salad territory, often including citrus, pineapple, coconut, and maraschino cherries. Curious to learn more about ambrosia? Read about its origins and evolution in the South. What's in Ambrosia Punch? Like classic ambrosia, this punch pulls in the flavors of citrus, pineapple, cherries, and coconut. In lieu of whole fruit (expect for garnish), we use orange juice, coconut water, pineapple juice, and maraschino cherry juice. Does Ambrosia Punch Contain Alcohol? Because many folks choose not to drink and there’s always children aplenty at Southern parties, our Test Kitchen created this punch to taste delicious without any alcohol at all. But if you’d like to spike the punch, add a bottle of sparkling rosé wine, or serve it on the side, and let guests help themselves. Ingredients 4 cups orange juice 3 cups chilled coconut water (such as Vita Coco) 1 1/4 cups chilled pineapple juice 1/4 cup syrup from maraschino cherries (from 1 [10-oz.] jar), plus cherries for garnish 1 small lemon, thinly sliced crosswise 1 small orange, thinly sliced crosswise Fresh mint leaves 1 (750-milliliter) bottle chilled sparkling rosé or 3 (11 1/2-oz.) cans sparkling-lemon beverage (such as Sanpellegrino) Directions Stir together orange juice, coconut water, pineapple juice, and syrup in a punch bowl or large pitcher. Garnish with lemon and orange slices, cherries, and mint leaves. Pour about 3/4 cup punch into each cup; top with about 1/4 cup of sparkling rosé or sparkling-lemon beverage. Rate It Print