My Favorite Party Drink Recipes

It’s amazing how tastes and smells are tied to memories with family and friends. My family has two favorite drink recipes that I’m so excited to share with you!

My grandmom discovered the best cold drink recipe one Christmas many years ago. She was always willing to try something new when hosting a gathering, and this particular year her new drink recipe became a new Christmas tradition. My family has now claimed this mocha punch as a staple at every baby or bridal shower that we host as well. It is so good and so easy! Just be sure to have the recipe ready to share because everyone will ask for it.

The second recipe takes me back to my childhood with feelings of warmth in the cold months and preparing to serve friends or family. This is a warm cider that we always called wassail. It would be prepared at least an hour before whatever event it was being made for and would fill our home with the smells of Christmas.

As a child, I had the job of putting the cloves in the orange before it was cooked. I remember imagining that I was Laura Ingalls Wilder getting the orange ready for Ma and I loved getting lost in my little house world in my mind with my hands busily at work. When the drink was served to our guests, I always felt a sense of pride that I had helped make this delicious treat for everyone to enjoy.

I share the memories to encourage you to include your children in your hosting when you can! At times, especially when they’re young, including them in the process will be much more work than help. But when you can take the extra time and effort to include them in the process, you’re blessing them greatly. You’re not only giving them the skills to one day actually help you host, and even host on their own, but more importantly you’re preparing their hearts to serve and allowing them to feel the joy of being a blessing to others from an early age.

I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I have and create many memories with the friends and family that you have the privilege of serving.

Mocha Punch

1 ½ quarts water

½ Cup Nestle’s chocolate quick

¼  Cup instant coffee

½ Cup Sugar

Boil water, adding ingredients.  Stir.  Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

¼ gallon vanilla ice cream and

¼ gallon chocolate ice cream (add by scoops)

Float 1 cup whipped cream dollops

Top with shaved chocolate

Makes 24 servings 

Apple Cider/Wassail

Whole cloves

1 large orange

2 quarts (8 cups) Apple juice or cider

3 T. lemon juice

4 cinnamon sticks

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Insert cloves, about ½ inch apart, into orange. Place in shallow baking pan, bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Pierce orange in several places with 2-pronged  fork. In large saucepan, combine apple juice, lemon juice, cinnamon sticks and baked orange. Simmer covered for 30 minutes.  (Or combine and heat in crock pot) Remove cinnamon sticks and orange. Pour into heatproof punch bowl. Serve hot.

16 (1/2 cup) servings