Drinks Cocktails Tequila Cocktails Watermelon Punch This refreshing summer punch gets a spicy kick from hot honey. By Prairie Rose Prairie Rose Prairie Rose is Food & Wine's senior drinks editor. A trained sommelier, cocktail book author, and wine and spirits educator, in addition to Food & Wine she is also the senior editor of Liquor.com. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on July 7, 2026 Save Rate PRINT Share Close Credit: Jake Sternquist / Holly Dreesman / Prop Styling by Gabriel Greco Prep Time: 5 hrs Total Time: 5 mins Yield: 6 Jump to recipe Vibrant, tangy, and bittersweet with a spicy bite, this Watermelon Punch combines blanco tequila with hibiscus tea, hot honey, fresh watermelon juice, grapefruit juice, lime juice, and grapefruit oleo saccharum. While the recipe requires a bit of advance preparation — the grapefruit oleo saccharum and hibiscus tea should be made ahead — the ingredient list is straightforward. Both the tea and the fragrant citrus syrup come together easily and can be repurposed in a variety of drinks, including refreshing nonalcoholic variations. This ruby-hued punch was developed by Alexandria Bowler, who has served as lead bartender and bar manager at the legendary New Orleans restaurant Emeril's for nearly five years. 9 Watermelon Cocktails for Instant Summer Refreshment Why the Watermelon Punch works Fresh watermelon and grapefruit juices give this punch its bright, refreshing character, while hot honey — a blend of honey and chile peppers — adds a subtle spicy kick. The sweet heat brings complexity and warmth, highlighting the earthy notes of the blanco tequila and the tart citrus flavors. Oleo saccharum, a fragrant syrup made by extracting citrus oil with sugar, is a classic component of traditional large-format punches. Here, a grapefruit version amplifies the fruit's bittersweet character while adding richness and a silky texture. Hibiscus tea provides the vivid ruby color and tart, tannic acidity that help balance the sweetness, while tequila and fresh lime juice keep the drink crisp and refreshing. This recipe was developed by Alexandria “Alexa” Bowler; the text was written by Prairie Rose. Keep Screen Awake Ingredients 1/2x 1x 2x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. 1 ounce hot honey 1 ounce hot water 1 cup hibiscus tea, cooled 1 cup cool water 1/2 cup watermelon juice 3/4 cup blanco tequila 1/2 cup grapefruit oleo saccharum (recipe below) 1/4 cup fresh grapefruit juice 1/4 cup lime juice, freshly squeezed 6 Lemon wheels, for garnish Directions Stir hot honey and hot water together in a small bowl until well combined. In a large pitcher, stir together hibiscus tea, cool water, tequila, watermelon juice, grapefruit juice, lime juice, hot honey mixture, and grapefruit oleo saccharum until well combined. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours. Transfer punch to a punch bowl fitted with large blocks of ice or an ice ring. Ladle punch into cups and garnish with a lemon wheel. How to make Grapefruit Oleo Saccharum Grapefruit oleo saccharum: Peel 2 grapefruits in wide strips, avoiding the pith. Transfer grapefruit peel strips to a large ziplock plastic bag, and add 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar. Seal bag; massage until well combined. Let stand at room temperature for at least 3 hours, or up to overnight, occasionally massaging the bag. Strain liquid from the bag into a bowl, pressing on the grapefruit peels to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard peels and set aside. Save Rate Print Loading shell for RecipesUgcThreaded1 Vue component in Globe.