Paula Deen Fruit Punch

Paula Deen fruit punch turns pineapple juice, lemonade and orange juice concentrates and fresh strawberries into a sweet, fizzy party drink in 20 minutes. Try this easy party punch for a baby shower, church supper or holiday table, since it's make-ahead, serves 10 and keeps the bowl cold and pretty.

Freeze the whole strawberries into the ring mold with juice ahead of time, because that ring keeps the punch cold. Skip it and plain ice cubes melt fast and water down the punch.

Paula boils the water and sugar into a simple syrup and lets it cool before it goes into the juices, so the sweetness blends in without any grit. The soda goes in only when you're ready to serve, so every glass is still fizzy.

Paula Deen Fruit Punch

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Course: BeverageCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Calories

260

kcal

A sweet-tart blend of pineapple, lemonade and orange juice gets a bubbly lift from lemon-lime soda. A frozen strawberry ring keeps the bowl cold and pretty without diluting the flavor.

Ingredients

• 2 pints hulled strawberries
  

• 3 cups sugar
  

• 1 (48 oz) can pineapple juice
  

• 2 (6 oz) cans thawed frozen lemonade concentrate
  

• 2 (6 oz) cans thawed frozen orange juice concentrate
  

• 1 liter bottle lemon-lime soda
  

• 3 cups water
  

Directions

• Mix the juices: Combine the orange juice concentrate, lemonade concentrate and pineapple juice in a large bowl. Stir well until the concentrates are fully blended into the pineapple juice.
• Make the syrup: Bring 3 cups water and the sugar to a boil in a heavy saucepan, then boil about 5 minutes until the sugar dissolves. Let the syrup cool completely before you stir it into the fruit juices.
• Freeze the strawberry ring: Place the whole hulled strawberries in a ring mold, then pour in enough of the fruit juice to fill it. Freeze it until solid and refrigerate the remaining juice.
• Assemble the punch: When you're ready to serve, pour the chilled fruit juice into a punch bowl and add the lemon-lime soda. Then unmold the strawberry ice ring and float it on top.

Tools for this recipe

• Cuisinart MultiClad Pro 3-quart saucepan, Pyrex 3-piece glass mixing bowl set, Bormioli Rocco glass pitcher with lid. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I make fruit punch ahead of time?

Mix the juices and cooled syrup a day ahead and keep them in the fridge. Freeze the strawberry ring the same day or earlier. Wait to add the soda until just before serving, since it goes flat if it sits.

How do I unmold the strawberry ice ring?

Run the outside of the mold under warm water for 10 to 15 seconds, just until the ring loosens. Flip it onto a plate, then slide it into the punch bowl.

Can I use a different soda or sparkling water?

Ginger ale works well and gives a slightly spicier fizz. Sparkling water also works if you want it less sweet. Add it right before serving either way.

What if I don't have a ring mold?

A bundt pan or a loaf pan will freeze the strawberries just fine. You can also freeze the strawberries and juice in ice cube trays and add them to the bowl. Cubes melt faster than one large block, though.

Why does the sugar need to be boiled into a syrup?

Boiling dissolves the sugar completely, so it stirs into cold juice without settling at the bottom. Cooling it first keeps the punch from warming up the juices.