28 Big-Batch Party Drinks to Make for a Crowd

Apple-Cinnamon Winter Sangria

Fresh fruits often star in our summer sangrias, but come winter, what's a sangria-lover to do? Mix up a bold pitcher cocktail featuring easy-to-find dried fruit and combine it with popular sangria standbys. Honey and cinnamon lighten up the deep, rich flavors, making this one of our best sparkling party drinks ever.

Garden Tea Party Punch

Nondrinkers are used to being handed the usual glass of iced tea, lemonade, and the like. But we can do better! Here, refreshing iced tea meets fruit punch for one of our more festive nonalcoholic pitcher cocktails. Simply mix orange juice, lemon juice, club soda, and brewed tea for a fruity punch with a caffeine kick.

Spicy Beer Mary Cocktails

What's the latest in pitcher cocktails? Beer! Here, the fizzy favorite brings an extra layer of refreshment to a the ever-favorite bloody mary. The Old Bay Seasoning is optional, but it's such a fun way to garnish the rim, you won't want to skip it.

Coquitos

Think of Coquitos as Puerto Rico's answer to eggnog—but with an irresistible coconut twist (coquito means "little coconut" in Spanish). While the lush drink is often sipped around Christmas, it makes a fun quaff any time of year. In summer, try it as a dessert-in-a-glass after a grilled menu.

Watermelon Margaritas

Love watermelon? Ease some of that cool fruit into a zippy margarita that's just bursting with zesty citrus flavors. Ready to make the drink even more fabulous? Freeze some watermelon cubes for spectacular ice-cube stand-ins.

Smoky Raspberry Lemonade

Smoked cocktails look (and taste!) like something you'd need an advanced degree in mixology to pull off. But anyone can do it! By simply charring lemons on the grill, you'll can get the same effects. Add a touch of lavender, and you've got one fascinating summer sipper.

Summer Fruit Daiquiri

If you've ever been non-plussed by a frozen daiquiri, the problem might have been too much ice, which will water down the drink. Our version replaces some of the ice with frozen peaches, strawberries, and mangoes for a more intensely flavored sip.

The Aloha Shandy

A shandy is usually made with a 50-50 combination of lemonade and beer. Here, we've taken the sip to the next level by adding passion fruit juice. And instead of lemonade, we use fresh-squeezed lemon juice to make sure the drink remains as tart and refreshing as a shandy should be. It's a great option when you're looking for lower-alcohol party drinks.

Raspberry Mojito Punch

Mojitos are great party drinks but mashing up the mint-sugar combo drink by drink can be a major hassle. With this easy recipe, you fix enough of the mint mixture for eight servings all at once. You can even get it done in advance and keep it chilled with most of the other ingredients—no last-minute muddling needed!

Mint Julep Punch

Punchbowl recipes are making a comeback, so go poke around your mom's basement and snag a cool vintage vessel before your siblings get there first! Then, mix up a crowd-size take on refreshing mint juleps (which, by the way, have never gone out of style).

Pumpkin Eggnog

When pumpkin-spice season rolls around, slip the wildly popular flavoring into one of our most clever party drinks of the year. Serve it with your Halloween party menu, and you'll want to reprise it for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Eve. You'll have some canned pumpkin left over from the recipe—use it in this amazing Pumpkin Spice Latte Mug Cake.

Strawberry-Mint Lemonade

Some non-alcoholic party drinks lack oomph—that pleasing weightiness that spirits can bring to the glass. This pretty pitcher cocktail gets around that issue thanks to a strawberry-mint simple syrup, which adds roundness and body to the drink, without alcohol.

Hot Orange Mocha

Coffee party drinks are a great way to welcome guests into your home for a midday brunch. For evening gatherings, they make fun after-dinner sips. This one brings a bright, citrusy twist to the ever-popular coffee-chocolate combo. Add a little whiskey if you're looking for a spiked sip.

Bourbon-Citrus Sipper

Serving apple cider in a slow-cooker is hardly the latest thing, but citrus, baking spices and a touch of anise make this party drink really pop. Whether you add the bourbon or leave it out, serve this sipper on the chilliest nights of winter—it will make everyone merry and bright in no time.

Orange-Ginger Pomegranate Punch

When you're looking for party drinks that travel well beyond the ordinary, it helps to use off-the-beaten path ingredients. This recipe offers two: pomegranate juice, which offers a fascinating combo of depth and brightness, and rosemary-ginger syrup, which gives the punch a spicy-herb angle that's subtle but satisfying.

DIYers take note: Here's how to make your own pomegranate juice.

Orange-Mango Agua Fresca

Next time you're on the hunt for non-alcoholic party drinks for a brunchtime event, consider agua fresca. Popular throughout Mexico, these are generally made by combining fruit juice, lime juice, water, and a sweetener. Fresca means "fresh," and as the name suggests, these light, bright concoctions are more sip-worthy throughout the duration of a party than a simple glass of juice.

Mulled Cranberry Punch

If you love mulled cider—but you're looking for something a little more festive in your party drinks—take a look at this easy recipe. You can let the slow cooker work its magic on the intriguingly spiced, bright-tart ingredients for a warm, fruity punch that keeps guests returning for more.

Cafe Rompope (Mexican Coffee Eggnog)

Think of rompope as a little like a rum-spiked eggnog latte. It crosses the richness of eggnog with enticing depth of Kahlua and spice (and lots of other things that are nice). In winter, make it your house cocktail throughout the holiday season; other times of year, enjoy it as a liquid dessert.

Sweet-Tea Swagger

What gives this sip its swagger? Rum! Combine that with a certain Southern charmer known as sweet tea, and you've got one cool and charismatic sip. Add it to your list of party drinks to serve when the mercury rises. Garnish with skewered watermelon and mint for a fresh finishing touch.

Strawberry-Basil Smash

The dilemma: One friend loves tequila, another prefers gin. And what to do about the rum and vodka fans? Here's a genius solution from cookbook author Gaby Dalkin: Mix up one perfect punch that will taste great with just about any clear spirit. Flavored with strawberries, lemon juice, and pop of basil, this combo does just that.

Watermelon Cooler

You've heard of pretty in pink—now, how about ravishing in red? Indeed, this dashing sipper will bring the right kind of drama to your party. With fresh watermelon, sweet white grape juice, cooling mint, and plenty of fizz, this festive and fabulous punch definitely makes a statement.

Honey-Ginger Limeade

Wait – did your mouth just water? That happens to us, too, whenever we see this tart-and- tingly looking recipe. Here, a duo of sweeteners (honey and brown sugar) adds depth, while spicy ginger and zesty lime juice bring a one-two punch of zippy refreshment to the nonalcoholic party drinks.

Strawberry Sangria

Wine spritzers may be oh-so 20th century, but we still like the overall idea of adding club soda to wine to make fizzy, refreshing, low-alcohol party drinks. With a luscious DIY strawberry syrup, this recipe brings craft-cocktail appeal to the wine-cooler concept. Consider it a "craft cooler!"

Earl Grey Hot Buttered Rum

Hot-buttered party drinks were all the rage at winter parties in the '60s and '70s. One sip of the great flavor and silky texture that a pat of butter brings to the mug, and you'll agree that these rich, velvety party drinks are long overdue for a comeback.

Classic Margaritas

Ditch the margarita mix! Once you've tasted a from-scratch margarita made from fresh-squeezed limes, there's no going back to the readymade versions. Our pitcher-size recipe makes it easy to make these party drinks for a crowd.

Cranberry-Cider Sangria

You can serve this fruity party drink two ways: hot from a slow cooker or chilled in a pitcher. Actually, make that four ways: You can also serve it with alcohol or without. No matter which way you serve this sweet-tart, winter-spiced sangria, it is sure to delight your guests—up to 24 of them!

White Cucumber Sangria

Fruits usually star in sangria, so what's a cucumber doing in the mix? Bringing a cool as a you-know-what appeal to the refreshing sipper. Add honeydew melon, lime juice, mint, and other fresh-forward ingredients, and, well, let's just say summer party drinks don't get much cooler than this!

Light Cranberry Toddy

When you're looking for low-calorie winter party drinks, here's a winner. A light version of cranberry juice gets enriched with warm spices, revved up with lemon juice, and emboldened with a little bourbon (if you like). While festive enough for the holidays, it's easy enough to make any time the cold wind blows.