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Red White and Blue Patriotic Punch is the perfect party drink for the 4th of July – with red, white, and blue fruit that will be the hit of any party or picnic!
When I first posted this recipe over 9 years ago, I knew it would become one of my favorite easy party drinks – and it’s one I love to make every summer to this day! This delicious easy punch is great to make ahead of time so the fruit juice comes together – it’s great for big 4th of July parties! Its totally easy to make, and if you want an adult version you can dump in a bottle of your favorite wine (or booze).
Don’t want all the extras in a recipe post? We provide a skip to recipe button in the top left corner, as well as a clickable table of contents, just below, to help make this page easier to navigate.
At Sweet C’s, I add lots of tips in all of my recipes – because I am a home cook without any formal training, and I find I am more confident making dishes when I understand why it works, and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe. My goal is for even the most beginner home cook to feel empowered in the kitchen.
Table of contents
Check out my web story about this punch!
How to Make 4th of July Punch
To make this recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Apple Juice: This forms the base of your punch, providing a sweet, fruity flavor. Its natural sugar content balances well with the carbonated Sprite and tartness from the berries. Additionally, the color contributes to the patriotic theme.
- Sprite: The Sprite adds a fizzy, refreshing element to the punch. Its lemon-lime flavor blends well with the other ingredients, and the carbonation adds a nice bubbly texture.
- Frozen Strawberries: These add a lovely red color to your patriotic punch, contributing to the red, white, and blue theme. Their sweet and slightly tart flavor pairs nicely with the apple juice and Sprite, and as they thaw, they infuse the punch with more flavor.
- Frozen Blueberries: The blueberries contribute the ‘blue’ element to your patriotic punch. They have a slightly tart and sweet flavor that complements the other ingredients. As with the strawberries, they’ll slowly infuse the punch with more flavor as they thaw.
- Apples: Sliced apples not only provide a nice crunch and added sweetness to the punch, but when cut into rounds, they also give a decorative, festive touch. You can even use a star-shaped cutter to core them for an added patriotic feel. Their subtle flavor doesn’t overpower the other components of the punch, allowing them to be a festive and functional garnish.
Prep Fruit
Wash fresh fruit well. Slice apples into rounds, then use a cookie cutter or trace a star using a knife tip, and cut apples into star shapes.
Layer
With your apple stars cut, add frozen strawberries to the bottom of you pitcher, and cover with juice and sprite (in equal parts).Next, add your apple stars in on top of the strawberries. You’ll want to line them around the sides of the pitcher so you can see them as a middle layer.
Add Fruit
Next, fill it up with more juice and sprite. Add frozen blueberries on top as a floating layer, and serve!
Enjoy!
I like to serve this fun and patriotic 4th of July Fruit Punch in little mason jars with a simple piece of twine around it- and tuck a little flag toothpick in the twine.
Tips and Tricks To Perfect Patriotic Punch & FAQs
Make it Adult. The recipe we’re making below is non-alcoholic, but if you’d like to make an adult version, we’re adding tips below:
- To make this red white and blue punch an adult version, add a bottle of wine, some tequila, vodka, or rum.
- Just be warned- fruit soaks up alcohol!
- Our general rule of thumb is to add about 2 cups of alcohol of your choice to the fruit punch recipe for a balanced kick.
Some ideas to add to this punch to make it an adults-only 4th of July sangria:
- Add 2 cups tequila and stir well
- Add 1 1/2 cups vodka + 4 oz Saint Germain or other Elderflower liqueur
- Add 1 bottle sweet white wine or moscato + 4 oz peach schnapps
- Add 2 cups vodka
What juice to use in Patriotic Punch. We’re calling for basic apple juice in this recipe, but adding other juices that work well below:
- White grape juice
- Pear juice
- Light lemonade (country-time style)
- Ginger ale
What fruit to use in Patriotic Punch. For this punch, we’re calling for a classic apples, strawberries, and blueberries combination similar to a sangria – but you can switch up some of the fruit you pick based off what you have on hand. You’ll want to pick a white fruit that is large and easy enough to slice into star shapes – we recommend apples, dragonfruit, or pineapple.
Simply slice 1/2″ to 1″ thick slices of fruit and cut a star shape or use a star shaped cookie cutter to punch out a star shape of the fruit. Be sure to save any side bits for fruit salad!
Some of our favorite fruits that taste great – and keep up the patriotic red white and blue punch theme that is perfect for the 4th of July – are listed below:
- Pomegranate perils – red
- Raspberries – red
- Blackberries – blue
- Concord grapes – blue
- Dragonfruit sliced into stars – white
- Pineapple sliced into stars – white
Recipe FAQs
You can pre-make the punch, without sprite, up to a day before serving when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Add sprite when ready to drink, as it will go flat if left out too long.
YES! We used a knife to cut stars out of apples, but you can use a cookie cutter to make it even easier!
Cut apples right before adding to punch, as the sprite will keep them from turning brown.
What to Serve With Fruit Punch
BBQ Grilled Chicken or Ribs: The smoky, rich flavors from barbecue sauce can balance out the sweetness of the fruit punch.
Burger or Hot Dog Sliders: Miniature versions of these cookout classics would go well with a festive punch.
Grilled Corn on the Cob: This sweet and savory side dish would complement the flavors in the fruit punch.
Pasta Salad: A tangy, vinaigrette-based pasta salad could provide a nice contrast to the sweet punch.
Spicy Shrimp Skewers: The spiciness of the shrimp can balance out the sweetness of the punch, and skewers are perfect for a casual, festive meal.
Caprese Skewers: These skewers, with mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, and basil, offer a refreshing and light appetizer.
Potato Salad or Coleslaw: These are classic side dishes that are often served at cookouts and would pair well with fruit punch.
Desserts: Consider light desserts like fruit skewers or angel food cake to complement the punch without overwhelming sweetness.
If you’re looking for other recipes to celebrate this 4th of July, please check out more of our favorite red, white, and blue recipes below:
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Patriotic Punch
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 64 oz bottle of apple juice
- 1 2 liter bottle of Sprite
- 1-2 cups of frozen strawberries, depending on size
- 1 cup frozen blueberries
- 2 apples, sliced into 1 1/2″ thick rounds
Instructions
- Wash apples well, and cut into thin round shapes.
- Start off by cutting star shapes into your apples. I freehanded star shapes using a knife blade and just softly scoured the surface of the apple to make a rough star shape, then cut it out and used it as a "stencil" to cut more stars- but if you have a star-shaped cookie cutter, that works great, too!
- With your apple stars cut, add frozen strawberries and blueberries to the bottom of your pitcher, and cover with juice and sprite (in equal parts).
- Next, add your apple stars in on top of the strawberries. You'll want to line them around the sides of the pitcher so you can see them as a middle layer.
- Next, fill it up with more juice and sprite.
- To make this an adult version, add a bottle of wine, or some tequila, vodka or rum. Just be warned- fruit soaks up alcohol. Don't go eating tons of fruit!
- Serve in jars decorated with flags, strawberries, or cupcake liners – or just serve in glasses – and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Amazing work!! Looking for more from you.