Make this refreshing and nostalgic sherbet party punch with tropical flavor notes of pineapple, ginger, guava, and lime! It's the perfect cold drink for summer gatherings.

My mother was the queen of semi-homemade magic and, for some reason, I took great pride in her being asked to make her greatest hits for baby showers, summer parties, and my dad's office potlucks--the latter usually at the last minute. Sherbet punch was one such dish and I've become the go-to person in my circle to make it in my adulthood. After a certain point, it became no recipe, just vibes. So I made sure to document the last few versions in order to serve up a formula you can follow here. Let's get into it!

Need more recipe ideas for summer parties? Try these, too.

glass and serving bowl pineapple sherbet punch.

This soda float punch is a classic southern church cookbook recipe that typically calls for rainbow (or some other flavor) sherbet plus a fruit--flavored soda. Lemon lime soda is common so many of us are familiar with 7Up or Sprite punch. Don't sleep on ginger ale, though! Sherbet punch with ginger ale and pineapple juice is a hit every single time. File this under one old school party recipes and check out the full ingredient list below.

ingredients for tropical sherbet punch on marble countertop.

What You'll Need for this Recipe

Making this easy big batch party drink is simple. It's a tropical punch recipe with pineapple, ginger, lime, and guava. Here's what to add to your grocery list.

Fresh Limes
Fresh Mint
Ginger Ale
Guava Nectar
Mango Nectar
Maraschino Cherries
Pineapple Juice
Pineapple Sherbet

You can make this sherbet punch with alcohol of just about any kind depending on your preference. Keep it light with a fruity liqueur or make it strong with rum or tequila. This makes for a great twist on rum punch, by the way.

As far as tools, you'll also need a cutting board, as well as a sharp knife. Grab your citrus juicer for all the limes and, of course, an ice cream scoop!

yellow pineapple punch in punch bowl with cherries and mint leaves floating on top.

So what does it taste like?

Prepare for a truly tropical flavor bomb to explode in your mouth! My family calls it "sparkling pineapple punch" which rolls off the tongue nicely but doesn't quite paint the full picture. There's a double dose of pineapple from the sherbet and the juice. But the ginger ale adds a subtle sharpness that tones down the sweetness of the sherbet. And the pineapple and lime juices add tartness. This baby shower punch also has a lovely, rich mouthfeel because of the melted sherbet and thick guava nectar.

Tips for this Recipe

Chill all ingredients ahead of time. The frozen sherbet will help keep things cool, which makes it an easy punch for a party as you don't need to worry about ice. That said, start out with every single ingredient being as cold as possible.
Can I make this punch ahead of time? Absolutely. Just combine all ingredients except for the sherbet and garnishes then refrigerate. Scoop out the sherbet, give it a stir, and add garnishes just before serving.
What else can I add to my punch? You can really customize this to suit your taste, which means switching out the soda, nectar, juice, or sherbet. Sparkling water is a good soda substitute if you'd like to make your punch lighter and lower on sugar!
Can I use other sherbet flavors? Absolutely! Lime and orange sherbet would work well here. Also, Hawaiian Punch + rainbow sherbet is a longstanding southern punch recipe that hits the mark on simplicity.
Slap the mint! This brings out the mint oil, which holds all the refreshing flavor, so give each leaf a slap before adding to your punch and serving.

glass of tropical sherbet punch next to green and white striped towel.

How to Serve this Punch

This vintage punch recipe is best served from a large punch bowl with a ladle for scooping. Bridal showers are some of the more frequent events I make it for and because they're so busy, it can be tempting to use a beverage dispenser. But the punch's thicker texture inevitably clogs up the spout so I always recommend a bowl.

Garnishes are optional but so much fun and an easy way to make the punch pop. Sliced citrus floats well on top. I'm partial to mint leaves and maraschino cherries, as pictured, because they finish the look of a giant ice cream sundae.

I hope this fizzy summer punch makes your next gathering a big hit. And sharing is caring so be sure to pin my ice cream punch recipe and follow me over on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!

My Tropical Sherbet Punch Recipe

📖 Recipe