You Need to Drink This: Whiskey Sour Punch

From photojournalist Katie Currid (the freckled half of home and lifestyle blog “Freckle & Fair”), a whiskey sour punch straight from the family recipe book.

 recipe and photos by Katie Currid

I hope you’ve got socks on — not because you have smelly feet, but because they’re about to get knocked off.

This slushy whiskey sour punch is a family favorite. I realize my clan has a lot of family favorites, but really, we just super like to eat and may have annual festivities just to have specific food to look forward to.

My mom got this recipe from one of very favorite teachers when I was growing up, and it seems to sneak its way into lots of celebrations — graduations, bonfires, birthday parties. I think sometimes we make up reasons for parties just to have an excuse to make a giant batch. And yes, this punch is very sneaky — because the liquor taste is hidden just-so and you’ll be three glasses in before you realize you need a designated driver.

So, try a glass. I mean, really — try to just have one glass. Impossible. Some of my saucier friends even like to add Prosecco on top — like an extra boozy mimosa. Obviously, those friends are my favorite. 

Yields: 2 gallons

You’ll need:

Two 6 oz. cans frozen orange juice

Two 6 oz. cans frozen lemonade

4 tea bags

1 ½ cup sugar

9 cups boiling water

1 fifth of whiskey

Do this:

1. In a medium-sized bowl, mix 2 cups boiling water with the 4 tea bags and let steep for about 2-3 minutes. In a separate large bowl, mix 7 cups boiling water with sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved.

2. Add frozen juice to the tea mixture, mixing until the juice melts and is incorporated, and then add the newly mixed tea mixture into the sugar water. Empty the contents of the whiskey bottle into the bowl (and maybe take a swig or two).

3. Pour the punch into your desired container — I prefer a punch bowl because of its consistency, but a pitcher works great, too — and put it in the freezer (sorry, make some room!). Let sit 8 hours or overnight.

4. Put the punch out about 30 minutes before you intend to drink and serve with a ladle. And be careful — that whiskey will sneak up on you.

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Katie Currid is photojournalist currently available for commercial and editorial work in southern Europe, specifically in Germany, Switzerland, Slovenia, Austria, Liechtenstein and Croatia. She specializes in military coverage, in addition to lifestyles and agricultural work. She also runs a home and lifestyle blog, Freckle & Fair.