Fruit Punch

Fresh strawberries sit in sugar and honey for a couple of hours, breaking down into a syrupy, berry-soaked base that gives this punch real fruit flavor instead of the artificial stuff. Once the berries have released their juices, white wine and 7-Up go in for fizz and body.

The layered build matters here. Macerating the fruit first means the sugar draws out the strawberry juices, creating a concentrated syrup that blends seamlessly with the wine. Dump everything in at once and you just get fruit floating in soda.

A last-minute dash of cognac or triple sec right before serving adds warmth and complexity without making the punch too boozy.

Pro Tips

• Chill all ingredients before combining. Warm punch goes flat fast and the fizz from the 7-Up fades within minutes at room temperature.
• Slice the strawberries instead of leaving them whole so they release more juice during maceration.
• Add an ice ring made from frozen fruit juice instead of plain ice cubes. Regular ice dilutes the punch as it melts.
• For a non-alcoholic version, skip the wine and cognac, and use sparkling grape juice instead.

Variations

• Tropical punch: Add chunks of fresh pineapple and mango to the maceration step.
• Rosé version: Swap white wine for dry rosé for a pink, slightly fuller-bodied punch.