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Table of Contents
- Pirates Punch is the epitome of what it means to take a refreshment because sweet and fruity, it tastes just like the tropics.
- Pirates Punch
- On a recent trip down the coast to Amelia Island, Florida, I had the pleasure of ordering a pitcher of this iced delight for the friends at my table. A perfect recipe for those hot summer days and wonderful for a party too.
- Do You Have What’s Needed To Make Pirates Punch? Check The List!
- How This Cocktail Came About…
- Modifying The Norm To Make It Not Entirely Average…
- How Do You Make Rum Punch Or Pirate’s Punch?
- What To Serve With Pirate’s Punch?
- Can A Refreshing Strawberry Gin Smash Be Served As A Frozen Drink?
- Can Pirates Punch Be Made Ahead?
- If You Like This Recipe…
- Pirates Punch Recipe
Pirates Punch is the epitome of what it means to take a refreshment because sweet and fruity, it tastes just like the tropics.
All images and text ©Jenny DeRemer for Not Entirely Average, LLC
Pirates Punch
Pirates Punch is a rum punch made with two types of rum and amaretto. It incorporates various fruit juices and tropical fruits for garnish. It’s often referred to as Hurricane Punch or Planters Punch here in the American South. It works well for large parties because it may be doubled, tripled, or quadrupled very easily with excellent results.
On a recent trip down the coast to Amelia Island, Florida, I had the pleasure of ordering a pitcher of this iced delight for the friends at my table. A perfect recipe for those hot summer days and wonderful for a party too.
Pirates Punch is so smooth and so sweet that you can hardly taste the alcohol. This is both good and bad depending on what your day brings. For my group, it eventually lead to a bit of over consumption by a few of us (eh hem) and some good interpretations of drunken pirate talk. Go figure.
We were all a bit overheated when we arrived to Amelia Island due to 99+ degree temps, so settling back in the air-conditioning with a few pitchers of Pirate’s Punch and some shrimp cocktails fit the bill. That, and our waiter was full of haunted stories and pirate lore which made for a great first evening!
Do You Have What’s Needed To Make Pirates Punch? Check The List!
pineapple juice
cranberry juice
orange juice
dark rum
white rum
amaretto
assorted fruits for garnish such as maraschinos, pineapple wedges, and mango or guava chunks
optional
toasted coconut flakes mixed with lime zest to rim the glass
How This Cocktail Came About…
Amelia Island, Florida and a big old hurricane…these are the only two reasons I even know of or tried to replicate this punch. So, with me you know there’s always a story involved. I won’t bore you in this post but to say the hurricane evacuation was worth the scare because the experiences I had in Amelia Island will forever be with me.
Modifying The Norm To Make It Not Entirely Average…
So, I have made this cocktail several times using different fruit juices and combinations thereof other than what’s specified herein to applause. I would say to make it your own, grab whatever is available and equally appealing. I have also substituted coconut rum for the white rum. It was okay, but it was no longer a true Pirate’s Punch at that point. When it’s a party, sometimes it doesn’t matter 🙂
How Do You Make Rum Punch Or Pirate’s Punch?
In a large pitcher, combine juices, both dark and white rums, and amaretto. If you have a pitcher with an ice core, by all means put it to use for this cocktail, otherwise serve with glasses filled with ice.
Garnish individual glasses with fruit such as pineapple wedges, orange slices, or maraschino cherries I like to mix a small dish of zested lime and toasted coconut flakes to rim my glasses with – adds a festive touch!.
This recipe makes a pitcher for 8 or you can easily double the batch and refrigerate. In this recipe, I’ve doubled the juice to lessen the effect, as this is a lot of alcohol, but if you want to walk the plank, just cut the juice in half, haha!
What To Serve With Pirate’s Punch?
This rum cocktail is sweet, so the foods you select should lean toward savory. For a snack option which is savory, I enjoy a batch of my Smoked Gouda & Ricotta Fritters or a “flight” of Mom’s Deviled Eggs
Some sweeter suggestions would include Creamy Pink Grapefruit Bars or Church Street Cheesecake Squares because these are only mildly sweet. In fact, I think Pirates Punch might make a very nice, featured cocktail at a backyard party with the savories AND sweets I’ve just mentioned as options on the groaning board!
Can A Refreshing Strawberry Gin Smash Be Served As A Frozen Drink?
Absolutely! Another fun way to serve this would be slushy, similar to a granita. A slushy rum punch cocktail could be achieved by creating the slush from the fruit juices being allowed to freeze only half way. Use the tines of a fork to grate the slush into shavings and add to a glass with both rums and the amaretto.
Can Pirates Punch Be Made Ahead?
YES! Pirates Punch may be made ahead and refrigerated until ready to serve. Just mix all of the ingredients except for the fruit. If you do wish to ‘spike’ the fruit, add it and allow it to overnight in the punch. Really all that’s left is to garnish some glasses and dive in!
If You Like This Recipe…
…you might also like:
Pirates Punch
Equipment
- Large pitcher
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cranberry juice chilled
- 8 ounces orange juice chilled
- 8 ounces pineapple juice chilled
- 4 ounces Bacardi 8 Dark Rum
- 4 ounces Bacardi White Rum
- 2 ounces Disaronno Amaretto
Instructions
- Fruits like pineapple and orange wedges, and maraschino cherries for garnish, optional but worth adding to the Pirates Punch.
- In a large pitcher, combine juices, both dark and white rums, and Disaronno. If you have a pitcher with an ice core, by all means put it to use for this cocktail, otherwise serve with glasses filled with ice.
- Garnish individual glasses with fruit such as pineapple wedges, orange slices, or maraschino cherries if desired
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hey, Jenny! What a surprise to see this recipe in my email this morning! Just a few notes about Pirate’s Punch: My cousin and her husband, Patsy and Aubrey Williams owned not only the Palace Saloon in Fernandina Beach, but also all the liquor licenses in the county. It was owned by Aubrey’s father and then Patsy and Aubrey took it over. In the ’80’s, Patsy died, and soon after, Aubrey put the Saloon up for sale. Planter’s Punch. Heaven. Even the family didn’t know exactly what was in it! BUT, Patsy and Aubrey would fill up quart jars of the stuff and take it to my grandmother, was a teetotaler except when it came to this drink! haha So this has been drunk in my family all my life! It is certainly delicious!! Glad you got a taste (if not original) when you were in Amelia Island!! This rendition is a good one, though! Think this weekend is a good weekend to fill a pitcher!!
Nikki! We LOVE Amelia Island and Fernandina! And this punch coupled with a colossal shrimp cocktail will hit the spot EVERY TIME! How crazy great is it that your cousin owned the Palace??? It’s like the oldest bar in America or something, right? I’m so glad you shared this with me. The more you share, the more I believe we were separated at birth! x – Jenny
Yum sounds delicious! And dangerous! ha!
xo Jessica
There is a rather large pitcher of this with a big old wooden spoon in it in the fridge as I type this…lol!
Yum! This sounds so good and refreshing for summer! Saving to my Pinterest!
Xoxo- Emily from Fabulously Overdressed
…Emily, a double batch fills a pitcher! 😉 x Jenny