If this is the first time you’ve heard the term “milk punch,” we won’t blame you for balking. But remember, you stuck with us through eggs in cocktails, and by now, maybe you’ve created a rich, foamy, crave-worthy whiskey sour for yourself. If you love decadence in a glass, welcome to your new obsession. Stick with us here while we break down what milk punch is, and how you can make it at home.
What is Milk Punch?
Milk punch uses milk to clarify and preserve a cocktail with citrus in it. It’s like batching a cocktail, but the recipe includes citrus and sugar. The finished product contains lactose, but no actual milk and the cocktail comes out clear.
Like electricity, democracy, and bifocals, Benjamin Franklin invented the milk punch. Okay, so he didn’t invent the first two and maybe didn’t create this cocktail. But he’s responsible for the first recorded recipe. You’ll use milk curds to sop up citrus and knock the hard edges off the spirits. During Franklin’s time, people used milk punch to create shelf-stable cocktails. Once you’ve made your milk punch, it can sit in your fridge for months and will taste the same as the first day.
Ben Franklin’s Milk Punch Recipe
Read this recipe as a starting point. You can experiment and get creative when you make a milk punch. Take Ben Franklin’s ratio for ingredients and go wild with different spirits, spices, teas, and sweeteners.
- 6 cups Brandy
- Zest of 11 Lemons
- 2 cups Lemon Juice
- 4 cups Water
- 1 fresh grated Nutmeg
- ¾ cup Sugar
- 3 cups Whole Milk
We recommend using more spices and teas beyond nutmeg, and you can use any citrus, or combination of citrus to create nuanced, seasonal flavors.
Steps to Make Milk Punch
- Zest your citrus fruit and infuse the spirit for 24 to 48 hours. If you’re using additional tea or spices, add them now. We recommend Earl Grey, Rooibos, and Chai.
- Strain out the zest, tea, and spices through a fine-mesh strainer.
- Add water, nutmeg, citrus juice, and sugar, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- Bring milk to a boil, remove from heat and immediately pour into the punch.
- Let stand, careful not to agitate it too much, for 24 hours.
- Pour through a fine-mesh strainer than a coffee filter to remove milk curds.
Enjoy cold with friends and store it in the fridge for up to 180 days.
It’s All About the Straining
A last word about patience and milk punches. The longer you take with the straining process, the better the clarity. The best technique is to let the curds settle to the bottom of the punch over 24-hours. Scoop liquid from the top to pour through a coffee filter. Change the coffee filter often and never run more than a cup of liquid through it at once. If the straining happens a drip at a time, you’re doing it right.
Straining milk punch is the perfect activity for your next Netflix binge. You’ll feel productive without working hard, and you’ll have a cocktail for the season finale.
