Learn how to make one of our family's favorite traditions, the Grinch Punch recipe. A fun, festive green punch inspired by the Grinch himself. We love the tasty combination of lime sherbet, pineapple juice, Hawaiian punch and more!
Why This Recipe is the Best
This Grinch Punch is the ultimate festive drink for kids and adds a playful pop of color to any holiday gathering. It’s bright, bubbly, and loaded with fun Christmas cheer—perfect for class parties, movie nights, or a special treat on Christmas Eve. We especially love how easy it is to throw together with just a few ingredients and no need for added food coloring.
The green Hawaiian Punch and sherbet give it that signature Grinchy hue while keeping the flavors sweet and citrusy. Whether you're serving it for Christmas or reusing it for St. Patrick’s Day, this drink is a hit with little ones and adults alike!
Christmas themed parties are so fun! Try making our Grinch Truffles, and Grinch cookies with this fun drink for the ultimate kids' party.
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Key Ingredients
Grinch Punch is a Christmas Punch for kids! It has fun flavors added together to get that mean green Grinch look and then of course red sprinkles for more festive fun.
- Hawaiian punch- Green berry rush is the best to use because of its strong green color.
- Lemon Lime Soda- Use your favorite lemon lime soda like Twist Up, or with Sprite. You can even use ginger ale.
- Pineapple juice- Use 100% pineapple juice for the best flavor.
- Sherbert- Going with the green theme, use lime sherbet. If you don't like sherbet use vanilla ice cream.
- Red sanding sugar- This optional garnish is a fun way to make the glasses look extra festive.
How to make Grinch Punch Recipe
Learn how to make the Grinch Punch recipe with these simple step by step instructions.
- Ring the rim of a clean glass with lemon juice.
- Dip the lemon juice rimmed glass in a bowl of red sanding sugar. Set aside.
- In a punch bowl or large pitcher add the Hawaiian Punch, Lemon Lime Soda, and Pineapple Juice. Stir to combine.
- Add the lime sherbet and serve immediately. Use a ladle so you don't make a mess with the red sanding sugar.
Hint: Be sure to add the red sanding sugar right before serving. If you do it too far in advance, it will become a big mess.
Common Mistakes
We learned this the hard way—stirring Grinch Punch with a spoon while serving can make it look muddy and unappetizing. Instead, it's best to gently ladle it into cups or pour directly from a pitcher or punch dispenser to keep the vibrant color intact.
Top tip
This drink is best when starting with chilled beverages so that the ice cream doesn't melt. If you don't have room in your refrigerator, try placing them in a cold garage or even outside if it's between 33-50°F.
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Recipe
Grinch Punch Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ gallon green berry rush Hawaiian punch
- 1 liter lemon lime soda or ginger ale for a little extra flavor
- 2 cups pineapple juice
- 1 quart lime sherbet see note 1
- red sanding sugar optional, to garnish the glasses
Instructions
- Chill all beverages (so your ice cream doesn't melt too fast). Place Green berry Hawaiian punch, lemon lime soda and pineapple juice in a large serving bowl. Stir to combine. Add sherbet and serve immediately.
To serve:
- Ring a rim of a glass with lemon juice. Dunk into a bowl with about ¼" of red sanding sugar and twist around to create the red rim. See photos above for a visual.
- If using the red sugar-rimmed glasses, we highly recommend that you spoon the drink into the cup instead of pouring it. This will help prevent the sugar from getting wet and streaking down the sides of the cup, making a mess.
Notes
- If you can't find lime sherbet, this still works great with vanilla ice cream, or even feel free to make it without either one.
- We HIGHLY recommend starting with chilled beverages so that the ice cream doesn't melt. If you don't have room in your refrigerator, try placing them in a cold (above freezing) garage or even outside if it's 33-50°F.
- For a large crowd, use
- 1 gallon Green berry Hawaiian punch
- 2 liters lemon lime soda
- 4 cups pineapple juice (1 46 ounce can)
- ½ gallon lime sherbet
Nutrition
How To Serve
If you're serving Grinch Punch for a crowd, a large punch bowl or a drink dispenser works best to keep it easily accessible. A punch bowl is great for ladling out festive servings, while a pitcher works well for smaller gatherings.
For an extra fun touch, garnish each cup with red sanding sugar around the rim, red heart sprinkles, maraschino cherries, or a dollop of whipped cream to bring out the festive Grinch theme!
For other Holiday drinks, try our Christmas Punch, Thanksgiving Punch, and our traditional Fruit Punch.
Substitutions and Variations
Try some of our favorite substitutions and variations for different fun flavors!
- Kool-aid- If you prefer you can also use lemon-lime kool aid instead of the Hawaiian punch.
- Cranberries- For a more adult beverage look, garnish with cranberries.
- Without sherbet- If sherbet isn't your thing, or you can't find it at your local grocery store, you can just add vanilla ice cream.
- With ginger ale- Substitute Lemon-Lime soda with ginger ale at a 1:1 ratio.
Storage
To make sure the drink is well-carbonated and that the sherbet doesn't melt right away, be sure to serve it soon after preparing. Leftovers will store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You will need to stir before serving and the texture and consistency and carbonation will be different.
Can you make it ahead of time? – You can make it ahead of time, but we strongly encourage you to wait to add the carbonated beverages and the sherbet until right before serving.
Cole says
So yummy!