Tropical Pineapple Lemonade Punch That Tastes Like a Beach Vacation
This tropical pineapple lemonade punch started as a desperate attempt to recreate that vacation feeling when I was stuck in my kitchen during a rainy Tuesday. The moment I blended the pineapple with fresh lemon juice, my whole apartment smelled like a beach bar in Hawaii. It's bright, tangy, and sweet in that perfect balance that makes you want to stick your toes in the sand. Honestly, this punch is what sunshine would taste like if you could bottle it.
Ingredients
- 1 ripe pineapple - should smell amazing at the base, that's how you know it's good
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice - about 4-5 lemons, and yes you need fresh
- 1/2 cup honey or simple syrup - I prefer honey for that floral note
- 4 cups cold water
- 1 cup ice cubes
- Fresh mint leaves for garnish - optional but makes it look fancy
- Lemon slices for serving - because pretty drinks taste better
Instructions
- Cut the pineapple into chunks, removing the tough core. I always make a mess doing this, but it's worth it.
- Toss pineapple chunks into your blender and add the fresh lemon juice. Close your eyes and smell it - that's vacation calling.
- Blend on high until completely smooth. You want no chunks left, trust me on this.
- Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a big pitcher. Press down with a spoon to get all that juice out. This part is annoying but necessary.
- Stir in the honey until it dissolves completely. Taste it - if it's too tart for you, add a touch more honey.
- Add the cold water and stir. This is when it starts looking like actual punch instead of just pineapple sludge.
- Toss in the ice cubes and give it one last stir. The sound of ice clinking is very satisfying.
- Pour into glasses over more ice if needed, garnish with mint and lemon slices. Take a sip and pretend you're somewhere tropical.
Notes
Don't you dare use canned pineapple juice here - fresh is everything. I learned that the hard way when I tried to shortcut it once and ended up with something that tasted like sad canned fruit cocktail. Also, if your pineapple isn't super sweet, add a touch more honey but taste as you go. The lemon should still shine through. Oh, and if you're making this for a party, double the recipe because people will literally drink it all before you can say 'tropical getaway'.