Sit back and relax with this Jamaican Rum Punch co*cktail (2024)

Recently, we had a Pirates of the Caribbean movie night so I knew I wanted to makea Jamaican Rum Punch in honour of Captain Jack Sparrow.This is honestly the best rum punch recipe I have ever had and I hope you love it, too!

Jamaican Rum Punch Recipe

Each island in the Caribbean seems to have their own version ofa rumco*cktail, from the mojitos in Cuba to the rum swizzle in Bermuda, but for our recent movie night I went with the Jamaican version as I had gone with some other Jamaican classics for the rest of our Pirates of the Caribbean-themed meal(banana fritters, jerk shrimp and rice, and a Jamaican tossed salad – yum!)

What’s different about the Jamaican version of this rum punch recipe compared to the other islands’ versions is the inclusion of lime juice and the heavy use of grenadine syrup. Feel free to skip or lessen the grenadine if you’re looking for something less sweet, or check out our mai tai co*cktail which tastes similar and uses homemade almond syrup to sweeten which is a bit less saccharine and more well-rounded (in my completely biased, personal opinion).

Some recipes skip the juices and just use a fruit punch syrup, but I personally find those versions too sweet and I like the pretty ombre effect of this version.

If you enjoy fruity or sweet drinks, this rum punch co*cktail is right up your alley.It’s like having a Caribbean sunset right in your glass!

Jamaican Rum Punch is sweet, citrusy and with a slight acidic edge from that addition of lime juice – like a big glass of grown-up fruit punch. I prefer using dark rum in this recipe for both flavor and authenticity – but full disclosure, my favorite dark rum is from Bermuda so I guess I didn’t go that authentic.

This Jamaican rum punch recipe is so smooth and well formulated that it is easy to forget (or not notice) that this is a strong drink!

To try to avoid overindulging, fill your glass with ice so that your portions are smaller, and be sure to have a glass of water (or just plain juice) in between glasses of this fruity rum punch. (They are honestly so smooth that I’ve had friends question if I forgot to put alcohol in their glasses! So give each drink time to “set in” and let you feel the effects before you pour another… because they will catch up with you if you’re not careful!)

You can prepare this recipe 24 hours in advance, just mix all ingredients except for the grenadine and ice in a pitcher and set in the fridge until time to serve. You can also prepare your garnishes in advance if you want to do something fancy or fun – and let’s be honest, guests don’t want to sit there waiting for their drinks as you fiddle with garnishes! Do both of you a favor and have them ready to go before your guests come over, or just add a simple maraschino cherry and call it a day. (They won’t judge – at least not after they taste your delicious rum punch!)

What kind of rum is best for a Jamaican rum co*cktail? Spiced rum or dark rum are ideal. I like either Gosling’s dark rum or Kraken or Chic Choc for spiced rums. (If you want to use coconut rum, check out our Coconut Rum punch recipe.)

If you’re looking for other ways to enjoy your dark rum, check out:

• Painkiller co*cktail
• Buttered Rum co*cktail
• Mai Tai co*cktail
• Pina Colada co*cktail
• These other mix suggestions from Seaspirits Distillery

How do I get that pretty ombre effect? The pretty “sunset in a glass” appearance of this co*cktail is part of what makes it so special. There are a couple tricks to this:

• Layer your ingredients -grenadine (cherry syrup) at the bottom of the glass, followed by the other ingredients
• Lots of ice – the ice helps keep the layers from mixing too quickly
• Use a spoon – if your layers are mixing too quickly, try pouring the liquid over a spoon to slow it down

How do I make a pitcher of Jamaican Rum co*cktails? I’ve provided a printable recipe card below to make a GIANT PITCHER. I suggest adding the grenadine syrup to each glass individually to still ensure that you get that pretty ombre effect. You can also serve this in a punch bowl!

What is the difference between a Jamaican rum punch and a rum runner? A rum runner contains all of the same ingredients as a Jamaican rum punch, but adds banana and raspberry liqueurs as well.

Check out our quick recipe video for how to make these Jamaican Rum co*cktails, and then don’t forget to scroll down to grab your free printable recipe!

Ingredients to Make Jamaican Rum Punch

• Pineapple juice
• Orange juice
• Dark rum
• Fresh lime juice
• Grenadine syrup <– you can use the syrup in a jar of maraschino cherries
• Citrus slices, garnish
• Maraschino cherries, garnish
• Lots of ice

Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.

Tip: I often order my liquor from Drizly because they have a quick delivery time (sometimes within 40 minutes) and no expensive mark-ups. Purchasing from them supports local retailers, too. You can order the Rum needed for this recipe from them.

Kitchen Tools you may find helpful in making this rum punchrecipe include:

• Shot glass measure (called a jigger)
• Hurricane glasses
• Drink Parasols
• Large clear pitcher
• Toothpicks
• Straws
• Ice maker <– this might seem silly, but it is a GAME CHANGER if you entertain a lot or have people in the house who fail at refilling the ice cube trays (and I dislike the ice that comes fridges – yuck!)

I really loved using my gorgeous Omishome Bartending Kit to make this recipe. The pretty bamboo holder contains all of the tools you need to make perfect co*cktails, and those pretty gold tools add a touch of class to your home bar set-up.

How to Make a Jamaican Rum Punch

In a large pitcher, mix the pineapple, orange and lime juices. Add the rum and set aside.

For each individual serving glass, pour in one tablespoon of grenadine syrup (or simply the syrup from the maraschino cherry jar). Fill the glass with ice.

Prepare your garnishes beforehand by skewering citrus slices and cherries for a cute, tropical garnish and also to let guests know what flavors they will taste in their drink. (You can use toothpicks or skewer on a strong straw – or just slice into the orange and lime so that you can place on the edge of the serving glasses.)

When ready to enjoy, pour the rum punch into each glass to allow for a sunset effect. The drink will be red and the bottom and gradually fade to orange at the top.

Garnish and serve.

For the best looking glass, fill the glass with ice and then layer in the grenadine, orange juice, rum and pineapple juice. Pour in the lime juice to finish.

Garnish as desired, and enjoy immediately.

Pin this Fruity & Fun Jamaican Rum Punch recipe for your next summer party (or the next time you want to pretend it’s summer):

Print your free printable recipe card of our Jamaican Rum Punch recipe here:

This Jamaican Rum Punch is always a hit at parties and makes a great summer co*cktail to wind down after a long, hot day. It’s a fruity, citrus-flavored co*cktail with bright flavors reminiscent of a Caribbean sunset.

For more delicious tropical co*cktail recipes, check out our Blue Lagoon co*cktail recipe or ourMai Tai co*cktail with Homemade Almond Syrup recipe.