Herbaceous Limoncello Punch Recipe

If you're in the mood for a drink that tastes and looks like a spring garden, then this herbaceous limoncello punch will be your cup of tea. Filled with aromatic lemon, thyme, and floral flavors, this drink also packs a hidden punch thanks to its hefty dose of limoncello and sparkling wine.

According to Ksenia Prints of At the Immigrant's Table, the secret to the drink starts with its namesake ingredient — limoncello — an Italian lemon liqueur that was created in the early 20th century in Sorrento. This vibrant drink is made by soaking lemon peels and sugar in a neutral grain spirit, and its owes its unique flavor to the particular type of citrus it uses — an unusually sweet and fragrant lemon harvested in Campania around the south of Italy. Limoncello pairs well with citrus, herbs, and floral notes, which we use as the supporting players in this punch. Limoncello's bright flavor profile makes it ideal for summer cocktails and punches, but we wanted to take this drink one step further by using edible flowers frozen in ice cubes.

For the inspiration for this detail, we went even further back in history to 18th century England, where the practice of using decorative ice in punch bowls became a popular way to enhance the visual appeal of drinks at social gatherings. This punch recipe combines the traditional Italian spirit with gentian liqueur, sparkling wine, ice cubes with edible flowers, and fresh thyme for a refreshing and visually arresting beverage.

To make this unique limoncello flower punch, you'll need a few seemingly disparate ingredients, but trust us — it all comes together in the end. Start with edible flowers, such as violets, marigolds, or pansies, and fresh thyme sprigs, which will make up both the decorative ice cubes and the garnish. The main alcoholic components include limoncello, a bitter gentian lemon liqueur — try Suz — and a bottle of chilled, dry sparkling wine. For added flavor and sweetness, you'll need freshly squeezed lemon juice and simple syrup, plus some lemon slices for garnish and to enhance the drink's herbaceous bitter edge.

Fill an ice cube tray with most of the edible flowers and the majority of the fresh thyme branches, reserving a few of each for garnishing.

Top with water and freeze until solid, at least 4 hours.

In a large punch bowl, combine the limoncello, bitter gentian lemon liqueur, sparkling wine, lemon juice, and simple syrup.

Stir gently to combine.

Add the lemon slices and the remaining edible flowers and fresh thyme sprigs to the punch bowl.

Add the ice cubes with the frozen edible flowers to the punch bowl.

Gently ladle the punch into chilled glasses, ensuring that each glass contains some of the lemon slices and edible flowers and a sprig of fresh thyme.

It's easy enough to play with this limoncello punch, but you do need to maintain the delicate balance of bitter, sweet, and floral flavors. For the alcoholic components, you can substitute the bitter gentian lemon liqueur with Campari or Aperol for a different bitter note, or use a citrus-flavored vodka for a stronger punch. If you prefer a less sweet version, reduce the amount of simple syrup. 

For the sparkling wine, you can use a sparkling rosé for a pink hue and choose untreated rose petals in place of the edible flowers. If you aren't a fan of fresh thyme or can't find it, try using rosemary, basil, or mint for a different herbal note. You can also add other citrus juices, such as grapefruit or orange, to complement the lemon in the limoncello. For a fruitier version, you can also add sliced peaches to the punch — they will work especially well if you add basil to the herbs.

Despite its heavy alcoholic content, it's actually easy to make this drink non-alcoholic. Start by substituting the limoncello with a homemade lemon syrup. To make this, combine equal parts lemon juice and sugar, heat until the sugar dissolves, and add lemon zest for extra flavor. For the bitter gentian lemon liqueur, use a nonalcoholic bitter aperitif, such as Lyre's Italian Spritz, or create a simple syrup infused with gentian root and lemon peel. Replace the sparkling wine with white cranberry or grape juice, or use a lemon-flavored sparkling water with a bitter edge. Avoid overly sweet sodas like Sprite and opt instead for top-shelf bitter lemon or lemon lime soda.

Adding a bit of Indian tonic water will also help reintroduce some complexity to the drink. If you're going for a nonalcoholic punch, omit the simple syrup in the recipe or use very little, as it's likely that the nonalcoholic sodas you will be using are already plenty sweet on their own. Of course, you'll want to keep the edible flowers, fresh thyme, lemon slices ,and ice cubes as garnishes to maintain the drink's appearance.