Watermelon Punch Recipe

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 10/21/22
Watermelon Punch With Raspberry Lemonade

The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 12 mins
Total: 42 mins
Servings: 20 servings
Yield: 2 1/2 quarts

Watermelon punch is the ultimate summer party drink. It's even better when the punch bowl is the watermelon. It's a fun and easy way to add an extra wow factor to your backyard bash.

The punch itself is a delicious blend of homemade raspberry lemonade and fresh watermelon juice. Since it's made entirely with fresh fruit, the taste is bright, refreshing, and perfect for a hot day. While it's designed to be a nonalcoholic punch, you can certainly spike it with a cup of rum, tequila, or vodka.

With the average 15-pound watermelon, the recipe yields about 2 1/2 quarts (80 ounces) of punch. That's enough for 20 four-ounce servings or 12 six-ounce servings. It's easy to adjust the volume for different-sized watermelons.

Ingredients

For the Raspberry Lemonade:

  • 1 cup white granulated sugar

  • 5 cups cold water, divided

  • 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

  • 1 1/2 to 2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice, from 5 to 6 large lemons

For the Punch:

Steps to Make It

Make the Raspberry Lemonade

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for Watermelon PUnch
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  2. In a medium saucepan, make a syrup by combining the sugar with 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil while stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved.

    Making Syrup for Watermelon Punch
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  3. Add the raspberries, stir and mash the berries, and reduce the heat. Simmer for about 10 minutes, then remove from the heat and allow to cool completely.

    Making Raspberry Syrup for Raspberry Lemonade and Watermelon Punch
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  4. Strain the raspberry syrup using a fine-mesh strainer over a medium-sized bowl. Adding a layer of cheesecloth helps catch the tiny seeds; Gather it up and squeeze out the syrup.

    Straining Raspberry Syrup
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  5. Juice enough lemons to make 1 1/2 to 2 cups of fresh lemon juice. Strain out the seeds.

    Squeezing Fresh Lemon Juice for Raspberry Lemonade
     The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  6. In a pitcher, combine 1 1/2 cups each of raspberry syrup and lemon juice. Add 4 cups of cold water and stir well to combine.

    Fresh Raspberry Lemonade for Watermelon Punch
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  7. Store in the refrigerator until it's time to make the punch.

Make the Watermelon Punch

  1. Create a punch bowl out of the watermelon: If the watermelon doesn't stand up on its own, use a sharp, long knife to shave off a very thin layer of the rind on the bottom so it's a flat surface. With the watermelon sitting on its side, cut off the top two inches, this time cutting past the rind so you can access the red flesh inside. Set the watermelon on a plate.

    Cutting a Watermelon Punch Bowl
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  2. Scoop out all of the red flesh except the bottom few inches of watermelon, placing the fruit into a large bowl.

    Making a Watermelon Punch Bowl
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  3. In a blender, work in batches to blend the watermelon into a juicy pulp.

    Blending Fresh Watermelon JUice
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  4. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl and add the watermelon pulp. Use a spoon to move the pulp around to release more juice into the bowl underneath.

    Straining Fresh Watermelon Juice
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  5. In a large bowl or pitcher, pour 7 cups each of watermelon juice and raspberry lemonade. Stir well and add more of either ingredient to suit your taste. Chill until ready to serve.

    Mixing Raspberry Lemonade Watermelon Punch
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  6. For service, fill the watermelon punch bowl with the punch. Ladle into individual cups filled with ice. Offer fresh raspberries and lemon slices for a garnish.

    Fresh Watermelon Punch Ready to Serve a Party
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

Tips

  • A 15-pound watermelon produces between 8 and 10 cups of juice. The hollow bowl will hold about 10 cups of punch with a little room to spare.
  • Keep the raspberry lemonade and watermelon juice in equal proportion when adapting the recipe to larger or smaller watermelons.
  • Store any excess punch in the refrigerator to refill the bowl as needed.
  • Add large pieces of ice if you're serving the punch outside on a hot day.
  • You can make the raspberry lemonade a day or two in advance. Cutting the watermelon and preparing the juice can be done the night before. Any earlier and you're risking a ruined punch bowl. Cover the empty watermelon with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator.
  • The filled watermelon bowl is hefty and difficult to move. Don't fill it until you know exactly where you're placing it for the party.

Recipe Variations

  • Add sparkle and volume by topping the punch bowl off with club soda, ginger ale, or sparkling wine. Or offer a soda or wine option so guests can add it to their glass if they like.
  • Switch from raspberries to pineapple chunks or strawberries when making the syrup. Both fruits are excellent pairings for watermelon.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
66 Calories
0g Fat
17g Carbs
0g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 20
Amount per serving
Calories 66
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 10mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 17g 6%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 16g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 17mg 83%
Calcium 7mg 1%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 56mg 1%
*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.)