Recipes & Cooking Drinks Cocktails 28 Big-Batch Non-Alcoholic and Alcoholic Drinks for Parties Grab a punchbowl or pitcher and whip up a batch of tasty cocktails all your guests will love (with some non-alcoholic ones, too). By Sheena Chihak, RD Sheena Chihak, RD Sheena Chihak is a registered dietitian, former food editor and current edit lead for BHG with over 17 years of writing and editing experience for both print and digital. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on September 21, 2023 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Lisa Romerein There's no reason you shouldn't enjoy a party you're hosting, so make one of our crowd-sized alcoholic drinks for parties instead of mixing up individual cocktails for every guest. They're ample enough to serve a crowd—and festive enough to get the party started right. Plus, we have a few without the booze for teetotalers (and kids) to enjoy! 22 DIY Drink Station Ideas (Cheers!) 01 of 28 Apple-Cinnamon Winter Sangria View Recipe Kritsada Panichgul Fresh fruits often star in our summer sangrias, but what's a sangria-lover to do in winter? Mix up a bold pitcher cocktail featuring easy-to-find dried fruit and combine it with popular sangria standbys. Honey and cinnamon lighten the deep, rich flavors, making this one of our best sparkling alcoholic drinks for parties ever. 24 Wine Cocktail Pitcher Drinks for a Festive Evening 02 of 28 Garden Tea Punch View Recipe Blaine Moats 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. 03 of 28 Spicy Beer Mary View Recipe Kritsada Panichgul What's the latest in alcoholic drinks for parties? Beer! Here, the fizzy favorite brings an extra layer of refreshment to 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. 04 of 28 Coquito (Puerto Rican Egg Nog) View Recipe Dera Burreson, Ryan Krull 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 alcoholic drink for parties any time of year. In summer, try it as a dessert-in-a-glass after a grilled menu. 15 Flavorful Party Punch Recipes That Will Bowl Over Your Guests 05 of 28 Watermelon Margarita View Recipe Andy Lyons 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. 06 of 28 Smoky Lavender-Rosemary Lemonade View Recipe Lisa Romerein Smoked cocktails look (and taste!) like something you'd need an advanced degree in mixology to pull off. But anyone can do it! You can get the same effects by simply charring lemons on the grill. Add a touch of lavender, and you've got one fascinating nonalcoholic summer sipper. Brazilian Lemonade Is This Summer's Most Refreshing Drink 07 of 28 Summer Fruit Daiquiri View Recipe Scott Little If you've ever been stumped by a frozen daiquiri, the problem might have been too much ice, which will water down the drink. Our version replaces some ice with frozen peaches, strawberries, and mangoes for a more intensely flavored sip. 08 of 28 The Aloha Shandy View Recipe Andy Lyons A shandy is usually made with a 50-50 combination of lemonade and beer. Here, we've taken it to the next level by adding passion fruit juice. And instead of lemonade, we use fresh-squeezed lemon juice to ensure it remains as tart and refreshing as a shandy should be. It's a great option when you're looking for lower-alcohol party drinks. 09 of 28 Raspberry Mojito Punch View Recipe Peter Krumhardt A mojito is a popular alcoholic drink for parties, 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! 3 Hydrating Cocktails to Sip on When You Can’t Escape the Sun 10 of 28 Mint Julep Punch View Recipe Greg Scheidemann Punchbowl alcoholic drinks for parties are making a comeback, so poke around your mom's basement and snag a cool vintage vessel before your siblings get there! Then, mix up a crowd-size take on refreshing mint juleps (which, by the way, have never gone out of style). 18 Vintage Holiday Recipes to Revive This Year 11 of 28 Pumpkin Eggnog View Recipe Carson Downing 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 serve it again at 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. 12 of 28 Strawberry-Mint Lemonade View Recipe Victoria Pearson Some non-alcoholic drinks for parties 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. 13 of 28 Hot Orange Mocha View Recipe Andy Lyons Coffee drinks are a great way to welcome guests into your home for a midday brunch. For evening gatherings, they make fun after-dinner indulgence. 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. 6 Hot Alcoholic Drinks to Warm Your Soul This Winter 14 of 28 Bourbon-Citrus Sipper View Recipe Andy Lyons 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 sing. Whether you add the bourbon or leave it out, serve this sipper on the chilliest winter nights—it will make everyone merry and bright in no time. 15 of 28 Orange-Ginger Pomegranate Punch View Recipe Blaine Moats When looking for alcoholic drinks for parties that are well beyond the ordinary, it helps to use off-the-beaten-path ingredients. This recipe offers two: pomegranate juice, which has a fascinating combo of depth and brightness, and rosemary-ginger syrup, which gives the punch a spicy-herb angle that's subtle but satisfying. 16 of 28 Orange-Mango Agua Fresca View Recipe Blaine Moats For your next brunch, consider the non-alcoholic party drink 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 a party than a simple glass of juice. Make an Ice Ring, Ice Cups, or Ice Shards to Keep Punch Cool 17 of 28 Mulled Cranberry Punch View Recipe Blaine Moats 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. 18 of 28 Cafe Rompope (Mexican Coffee Eggnog) View Recipe Jason Donnelly Think of rompope as a little like a rum-spiked eggnog latte. It crosses the richness of eggnog with an enticing depth of Kahlua and spice (and lots of other things that are nice). In winter, make it your alcoholic drink for parties you host throughout the holiday season; other times of the year, enjoy it as a liquid dessert. 19 of 28 Sweet-Tea Swagger View Recipe Andy Lyons 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. 32 of our Favorite Summer Refreshing Drinks to Beat the Heat 20 of 28 Strawberry-Basil Smash View Recipe Matt Armendariz 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 a hint of basil, this combo does just that. 21 of 28 Watermelon Cooler View Recipe Andy Lyons You've heard of pretty in pink—now, how about ravishing in red? Indeed, this dashing, alcohol-free 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. 22 of 28 Honey-Ginger Limeade View Recipe Andy Lyons 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. Your Complete Guide to Non-Alcoholic Drinks 23 of 28 Strawberry Sangria View Recipe Andy Lyons Wine spritzers may be oh-so 20th century, but we still like 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!" 24 of 28 Earl Grey Hot Buttered Rum View Recipe Brie Passano Hot-buttered party drinks were all the rage at winter get-togethers in the '60s and '70s. One sip of the sumptuous flavor and silky texture that a pat of butter brings to the mug, and you'll agree that these rich, velvety alcoholic drinks for parties are long overdue for a comeback. 25 of 28 Classic Margaritas View Recipe Andy Lyons 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. How to Make Party Trays, Including Fruit Trays, Like a Hosting Pro 26 of 28 Cranberry-Cider Sangria View Recipe Andy Lyons You can serve this fruity drink in 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 how you serve this sweet-tart, winter-spiced sangria, it will surely delight your guests—up to 24 of them! 27 of 28 White Cucumber Sangria View Recipe Karla Conrad 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 alcoholic drinks for parties don't get much cooler than this! 11 Fun Mocktail Recipes That Will Have You Going Back for Refills 28 of 28 Light Cranberry Toddy View Recipe Marty Baldwin 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 a bit of bourbon (if you like). While festive enough for the holidays, it's easy enough to make any time the cold wind blows. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit