This jungle juice recipe is an effortless way to take care of drinks for a huge party. Delicious chunks of fruit floating in rum, vodka, triple sec, real fruit juice, and soda make a winning cocktail. So, if you’re cooking up a party for New Year’s, July 4th, Christmas, or another event, this cheap cocktail recipe is for you.
It sounded dangerous at first, but when I found out what it was, all doubt disappeared. However, this wonderful cocktail is definitely not for a family gathering with the kids.
There are no single-serving recipes for this refreshing cocktail. It makes gallons, well, 1½ gallons, to be exact. That’s enough for any serious adult party. So please make sure to drink responsibly and have a designated driver.
Who Invented Jungle Juice?
US soldiers stationed in the Southwest Pacific (the jungle) invented a jungle juice recipe during the Second World War. Some say it wasn’t that good, more like turpentine, but it did the job. Alcohol was expensive for those self-sacrificing boys, so they made do.
Fortunately, it improved over time. And while most jungle juice recipes are still for getting drunk, I prefer going for good flavor. And so, I’m sure you agree this is the best jungle juice recipe you’ve tried.
If you’ve heard of hooch, trash can punch, purple death, wapatoola, or plain old grain punch, you’ve heard of some version of this cocktail punch.
Warning: fruit juice hides the taste of the alcohol, so please be careful. Kinda like Long Island iced tea, it tastes so much like tea that you’d never guess how much alcohol it has until you hit the floor.
How to Make Jungle Juice
Add the fruit to a punch bowl, pour in the juices and soda, then add the alcohol. Serve and enjoy.
Recipe Variations
There are several jungle juice recipe variations, each with a unique twist.
- Alcohol swap: Brandy, whiskey, tequila, bourbon, and gin are all good. You can also replace the triple sec with any fruit-flavored liqueur.
- Fruit swap: Frozen fruit works great if fresh fruit is out of season. Mango, guava, cherimoya, and papaya deliver more tropical goodness.
- Fruit juice: Try it with your favorite fruit juice for a twist. Even a splash of an energy drink or apple cider can give jungle juice an extra kick.
- Kid-friendly: Replace the alcohol with fruit-flavored sodas, like orange, pineapple, strawberry, and grape, and let the kids enjoy it.
Tips and Tricks
- Is the party smaller or bigger than you originally planned? A calculator will help adjust the measurements by halving or doubling them. The actual amounts are quite forgiving, so don’t feel you have to be a food scientist to get it right.
- Mix the alcohol with the pineapple and freeze it the night before to keep the drink colder.
- You can use half the alcohol or even leave it out if you want a safer party.
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
Making it at least 3-4 hours ahead will let the flavors blend and bring the best of each other out. If you have 12 hours, that’s even better because the fruit soaks up some alcohol. Then I like eating the spiked fruit.
If you have any left when the party ends, you can store it in the fridge for two weeks. You can also freeze leftovers.
More Fun Drinks to Try
Watch How to Make It
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This blog post was originally published in September 2021 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
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Prep: 15 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
American
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Add fruits to a large drink dispenser or bowl.
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Add the fruit juices, soda, and alcohol. Adjust to your taste buds by adding either more alcohol or more lime soda.
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If possible, chill for a time (preferably 3-12 hours) to let the fruit flavor the cocktail. Serve cold.
- Half or double the recipe. Is the party not so big, or bigger than you originally planned? Use my calculator to adjust the measurements to the desired quantity.
- Freeze the fruit. Mix the alcohol with the pineapple and freeze it the night before to keep the drink colder.
- Reduce the alcohol. You can half the alcohol if you want a safer party.
- Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Serving: 1cup| Calories: 188kcal (9%)| Carbohydrates: 26g (9%)| Protein: 1g (2%)| Fat: 0.3g| Saturated Fat: 0.03g| Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g| Monounsaturated Fat: 0.04g| Sodium: 6mg| Potassium: 202mg (6%)| Fiber: 1g (4%)| Sugar: 22g (24%)| Vitamin A: 89IU (2%)| Vitamin C: 36mg (44%)| Calcium: 23mg (2%)| Iron: 0.4mg (2%)
Course: beverages, Drink
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
