Planter's Punch Cocktail

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 05/6/21
Tested by
Sean Michael Johnson
Photo of Sean Michael Johnson
Tested by Sean Michael Johnson
Sean is an award-winning bartender with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He is the head bartender at the two-Michelin-star restaurant, Gabriel Kreuther, crafting cocktail menus that have caught international attention. To date, he has made over 1 million cocktails, and counting.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Planter's Punch Cocktail

The Spruce / Madhumita Sathishkumar

Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail

Planter's punch is a classic rum drink that first appeared in print in a 1908 edition of the New York Times. Like many other drinks, its origin is disputed: One claim refers to the Planter's House Hotel in St. Louis, and another tells of its invention in Jamaica. But no matter where it was created, it is known as a cheerful cocktail that is designed to be garnished with a variety of fruits, as many as your glass will hold. Top with berries, cherries, citrus, or tropical fruit—whatever may be in season.

The planter's punch takes the name "punch" in the traditional sense. Rather than the party-sized serving associated with the word today, the definition of a classic punch is that of a fruity mix spiked with liquor and garnished with lots of fruit. This means that every single ingredient in this punch, including the rum, grenadine, and pineapple juice, can be replaced with whatever you like, so feel free to give it your personal spin. Though it is optional, adding a splash of club soda creates a livelier drink.

"A Planter’s Punch is one of those recipes that morphs and changes with the whim of the times and ingredients you might have on hand. This is a great cocktail to begin to understand “punches” on a larger scale, and this recipe is a starting point to concoct a Planter’s Punch of your very own." —Sean Johnson

Planter's Punch Cocktail Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 ounces dark rum

  • 2 ounces pineapple juice

  • 1/2 ounce lime juice

  • 1/4 ounce grenadine

  • 2 ounces club soda, optional

  • Seasonal fruit, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Planter's punch ingredients

    The Spruce / Madhumita Sathishkumar

  2. Pour the rum, pineapple juice, lime juice, and grenadine into a mixing glass filled with ice cubes. Shake well.

    Combined planter's punch ingredients in a glass

    The Spruce / Madhumita Sathishkumar

  3. Strain into a highball glass filled with ice cubes.

    Strain planter's punch into a highball glass

    The Spruce / Madhumita Sathishkumar

  4. Top with club soda, if you like, and garnish with seasonal fruits. Serve and enjoy.

    Planter's Punch Cocktail

    The Spruce / Madhumita Sathishkumar

Tips

  • There are no rules when it comes to garnishing the planter's punch. Choose whatever fruits look good at the market and pile them on.
  • While this recipe is for a single serving, the measurements can easily be increased to serve more. Keep the ingredients in proportion, multiplying each for the number of servings needed. Mix it up in a pitcher and store in the refrigerator until it's time to serve. Add club soda and ice to the pitcher at the last minute or to the individual serving glasses.

Recipe Variations

  • The fruit juice is where you can really play with this recipe. At some bars, you will find a "bar punch mix" used instead of individual juices. Pineapple juice is a favorite, though orange and passion fruit juices are common as well. This is also the perfect drink to use a bottled fruit juice blend, but make sure it includes at least one tropical fruit.
  • Though the dark rum adds a richness to the background, a light rum will work just fine. Spiced and flavored rums can also give the drink a new twist.
  • If you want to skip the rum, you can make a nonalcoholic planter's punch that is quite tasty as well.
  • Instead of grenadine, pour 1/2 ounce pomegranate juice and 1/4 ounce simple syrup. Lime juice works as well, though it changes the flavor. You can also use any other fruit syrup, such as strawberry, raspberry, or a tart sour mix.
  • If you like, substitute the club soda with ginger ale or a citrus soda.
  • Consider adding 1/2 to 3/4 ounces of orange curaçao or another orange liqueur, or finish it off with a few dashes of aromatic or orange bitters. You might even add a twist with favorite tiki cocktail ingredients like 1/2 ounce of orgeat syrup (to replace the grenadine) or a splash of pimento dram.

How Strong Is a Planter's Punch?

If you pour an 80-proof rum in this recipe, the alcohol content will be in the 14 percent ABV (28 proof) range. Adding club soda makes it even milder, just around 10 percent ABV (20 proof). Either way, it's a relatively light cocktail.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
164 Calories
0g Fat
17g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 164
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 4mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 17g 6%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 12g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 41mg 204%
Calcium 14mg 1%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 146mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)