Love the classic Manhattan cocktail? I’ve taken all the flavors and transformed them into a delicious punch for any occasion! Cherry, bourbon, and orange pair perfectly with bubbly sparkling water to make my Cherry Manhattan Punch!
Are you a classic cocktail drinker? I wasn’t until I binge-watched Mad Men but I am now. After watching their booze-induced meetings and the post-work happy hours I want to try each and every classic cocktail, no matter how silly the name sounds.
I mean, A Rob Roy? Really? Sounds like something from a spaghetti western and is actually a Manhattan made with Scotch Whiskey. A Grasshopper? Who wants to drink an insect? The Harvey Wallbanger? That sounds like something you only do in the bedroom…
These silly sounding ones are currently sitting at the bottom of my list while the ones at the top include the Manhattan, Old-Fashioned, and a Whiskey Sour. Let’s start with the Manhattan because I know Brooks will drink one, or four, with me!
Now we can get started with what is actually in a Manhattan?
Manhattan Cocktail Ingredients
rye bourbon/whiskey
sweet vermouth
dry vermouth
orange bitters
Maraschino cherry garnish
Intrigued yet?
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Now that we know what’s in a Manhattan, let’s make one! Here is the recipe:
Manhattan Cocktail Recipe
2 parts rye whiskey/bourbon
1 part vermouth (usually half sweet and half dry)
2 dashes of bitters
maraschino cherry garnish or slice of lemon peel
This and other recipes, call for a maraschino cherry garnish but not actually in the cocktail. I have found a few that say a dash of the maraschino cherry liquid helps to round out the cocktail and enhance the fruit flavors. Other recipes call for muddling the cherries in the glass and then adding the bourbon and bitters. Stirred, not shaken!
The subject of maraschino cherries is a tricky one. Some prefer Luxardo or frozen/canned cherries but I prefer the good old-fashioned, neon red maraschino cherry for the Manhattan. Now that I have the ingredients down, let’s make it a large batch punch!
I tried making this Cherry Manhattan Punch with plain cherry juice and orange sparkling water to keep the calories and sugar down, but it just didn’t turn out right. The sugar from the maraschino cherry did the trick.
Scrapping the “fancy-shmancy” stuff is exactly what you need to do when making a punch. Use a large jar of maraschino cherries when assembling the punch for two reasons:
You need all the cherries for garnishing the punch bowl/pitcher, and
You can use the juice instead of purchasing a separate bottle of grenadine.
All the flavors of the classic Manhattan cocktail, in a large-batch, beautiful red, punch full of plump cherries, caramel bourbon, and bright, orange sparkling water.
It is so much better for your wallet if you serve punch instead of individual cocktails! Much like having a signature cocktail or only serving a few choices of wine or beer, people are going to drink what you have available. That being said, if you are hosting a “Cocktail” cocktail party you need to have all the ingredients available for classic cocktails. If not, serve punch!
Here are a few of my faves that can easily be made into mocktail punches if you need to.
A cool Manhattan cocktail can be served as a party punch too. My Cherry Manhattan Punch is perfect for any party and is full of bright cherries and caramel notes from the bourbon!
Cherry Manhattan Party Punch
Yield: 10 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Love the classic Manhattan cocktail? Cherry, bourbon, and orange pair perfectly with bubbly sparkling water to make my Cherry Manhattan Punch!
Ingredients
4 ounces Grenadine or Maraschino Cherry Juice
8 ounces Bourbon
32 ounces Orange Sparkling Water
Maraschino cherries for garnish
Crushed ice or Ice Ring*
Instructions
In a large pitcher, combine the grenadine and bourbon.
Chill until ready to serve.
When ready to serve
Add ice.
Add orange sparkling water.
Add maraschino cherries for garnish.
Enjoy with friends!
Notes
*If serving in a punch bowl, you can make an ice ring out of orange sparkling water and cherries to make a pretty display.
*For best results, chill the grenadine and sparkling water ahead of time.
*If you like this recipe, please leave me a comment and rate it with some stars. Thank you!
This nutrition information was generated via a third party, Nutritionix, and can not be held liable for any discrepancies in the information provided.
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Freaky Friday Summer Edition
Freaky Friday was started in 2015 by Michaela over at An Affair From The Heart who is known for her Award Winning Crack Dip and so many sauerkraut recipes I can’t even count them all! If you haven’t heard of Freaky Friday before, it’s a blog swap where we are secretly assigned another person’s blog and we pick a recipe to make. Then on the specific Friday, we all post and see what each other made.
This round I was assigned to the blog Who Needs A Cape? which is run by Lori and Heather. They don’t wear superhero capes or try to be super moms. I love that they share real mom life struggles all while making great food!
This wasn’t easy either but when I saw their Sweet Manhattan Fizz Cocktail I knew I had to make it into this Cherry Manhattan Punch. Brooks will drink it too! Check out their extensive list of Christmas drinks for kids of all ages!
Check out their site and all the other Freaky Friday Participants:
If you like reading my posts and seeing my recipes, follow me on your favorite social media channel for behind the scenes photos and much, much more: Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!
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[…] Cherry Manhattan Party Punch […]
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[…] Take Two Tapas: Large Batch Cherry Manhattan Party Punch […]
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Saturday 28th of March 2020
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Sarah
Monday 5th of November 2018
Is there a way to incorporate some sweet vermouth into the recipe? I have some on hand so it would be nice to use it in the recipe and add some more booziness.
chubcheeks@bellsouth.net
Tuesday 6th of November 2018
Yes, you can! I would start with 1 ounce of it in the whole batch of punch and then slowly incorporate it. To keep the ratios of the original Manhattan, you can add up to 4 ounces. Let me know how it turns out!
Carolyn
Friday 27th of July 2018
This looks incredible, I love the color too, so pretty!
Connect with me!
I've been feeding crowds, large and small, since I could hold a spoon. Even though I love being in the kitchen, I love making memories with friends and family more!
Rosemary Infused Cranberry Bourbon Martini - Lisa's Dinnertime Dish
Monday 9th of November 2020
[…] Cherry Manhattan Party Punch […]
? No Churn Raspberry Moscato Wine Ice Cream
Saturday 27th of June 2020
[…] Take Two Tapas: Large Batch Cherry Manhattan Party Punch […]
Creamy Lemon Ice Cream - West Via Midwest
Saturday 28th of March 2020
[…] Take Two Tapas: Large Batch Cherry Manhattan Party Punch […]
Sarah
Monday 5th of November 2018
Is there a way to incorporate some sweet vermouth into the recipe? I have some on hand so it would be nice to use it in the recipe and add some more booziness.
chubcheeks@bellsouth.net
Tuesday 6th of November 2018
Yes, you can! I would start with 1 ounce of it in the whole batch of punch and then slowly incorporate it. To keep the ratios of the original Manhattan, you can add up to 4 ounces. Let me know how it turns out!
Carolyn
Friday 27th of July 2018
This looks incredible, I love the color too, so pretty!