Halloween Eyeball Punch

Name: Halloween Eyeball Punch
Cook time: 20 min
Ingredients: 4 cups Red Tart Cherry Juice (with no added sugar. I used Trader Jo's Brand); 4 cups Pineapple Juice; 4 cups Freshly Pressed Apple Cider (Make sure it is a natural version. I used Barsotti brand.); 4 cups Ginger Ale (I used Zevia brand since it does not contain High Fructose Corn Syrup and is labeled gluten free and vegan.); 2 lemons, juiced; 2 pints Raspberry Sorbet, Dairy Free (I used Talenti Brand, Dairy Free Sorbetto, Roman Raspberry flavor.)

Jane Fox Wednesday, October 16, 2019 No Comment

Vegan and Gluten Free
Serendipity Jane
Original Recipe: Jane Fox
Inspiration: My family orange sherbet New Years punch.

There’s a chill in the night air, the wind is rising, and it won’t be long before ghouls, witches, Buzz Lightyear, and ballerinas will be knocking at your door. Yes, it’s almost Halloween. Whether you are staying home to hand out candy or planning a costumed fright fest with your friends,this spooky Halloween Eyeball Punch is deliciously tangy, not too sweet, and can meet your thirst needs without scary ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, milk products, and even more frightening, caramel coloring! It’s vegan and gluten free!

My friend, Kelly Compton, owns a thrift store near me called Blaze and Thrift. I stopped by one day when her Mom, Renee, was in. Kelly had a gigantic punchbowl set marked at $5! Renee asked me if I remembered having sherbet punch as a kid. As we reminisced, I told her how on New Year’s Day, my mother would religiously pull out our punch bowl and combine the pineapple juice, ginger ale, and sherbet. Us kids sat watching the New Year’s Day Parade on TV, sipping the delicious orange concoction, while neighbors dropped in to wish us all Happy New Year and enjoy the punch, my mother replenishing the ingredients throughout the day for a seemingly endless supply of the nectar.

Before long, I was heading out the door, with the punchbowl wrapped in old newspaper, with my mind whirling with ideas on how I would re-invent traditional sherbet punch. The result is not only delicious, but healthy and beautiful as well.

Pineapple Juice, besides being delicious, is full of vitamin C and anti-oxidants and has been said to boost the immune system, help with inflammation, among other benefits, according to organicfacts.net.

I came across Tart Cherry Juice a few years ago while reading a book on cleanses. It is full of Vitamin A, anti-oxidants, and has anti-inflammatory effects that have been touted to help with arthritis and gout. Make sure you buy “tart” cherry juice and that it’s the type with no additional sugar added.

I’ve used a natural apple cider that is non-alcoholic and you will find in the refrigerated section at the grocery store, often in the produce department. It’s full of vitamin C and what says fall better than fresh pressed cider?

I switched out the ginger ale for a healthier version. Zevia ginger ale is made with real ginger and is sweetened with stevia, a natural guilt free sweetener. The ginger ale adds a layer of flavor and provides a bit of festive fizz.

Lemon juice acts to amplify the flavors and finally, scoops of Talenti brand Roman Raspberry flavor sorbetto replace the milk laden traditional sherbet. The sherbet ads even more flavor, and as a bonus, also keeps the punch cold. Add the first pint, then later, as the sorbet starts to melt, add in the second container.

The punch is a gorgeous red orange color that blends with beautiful fall foliage decorations, and provides a ghoulish color splash for “ horror” props like the ping pong ball plastic eyeballs that I threw in for fun. For extra eeriness, I ordered LED light-up “ice cubes” from Amazon and dropped them in my concoction or a mysterious glow.

Halloween Eyeball Punch is not only a healthier alternative to soda, which is laden with high fructose corn syrup, but it brings an elegance to your party that cannot be achieved with a plastic tub full of ice and soda cans!

I hope you will enjoy!

Printable Recipe