Brunch is always a great idea. Hosting a Caribbean brunch complete with this low carb Planter’s punch cocktail is the perfect way to jump into spring. Bright colors, tropical flavors, and make ahead dishes will have you at the table enjoying the time with family and friends. And shhhhhh, no one will know it’s all low carb and keto friendly!
For this recipe you’ll need: spiced rum, Torani Sugar Free Pineapple Syrup, Torani Sugar Free Mango Syrup, Torani Sugar Free Coconut Syrup, Torani Sugar Free Watermelon Syrup, limes, lemons, fresh ginger, jalapeno peppers, sugar free ginger beer or ginger ale, and ice cubes.
If you are in a hurry, feel free to Jump to the Recipe
Table of Contents
Low Carb Planter’s Punch backstory
I don’t know about y’all but I am sure ready for some warmer temperatures. Even though our winters here in Texas are pretty mild for the most part I prefer temperatures above 80 degrees.
In January, my husband and I took our kids on a cruise to the Caribbean. They are the youngest in our big family (I have 8 and he has 2) but the youngest is almost 15. This year I decided that a family vacation was the best Christmas present ever.
Surprise! They did.
This was their third cruise and they saw different things, had different experiences, and ate different foods. We got back in mid-January and so when Torani asked me about partnering with them to create a spring brunch I knew that my version would be low carb and Caribbean all the way.
About Planter’s Punch
Planter’s punch is a cocktail that, like so many other really good recipes, has a couple of different stories about its origins. One story goes that it was created by the Planter’s Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri. Or maybe it was Charleston, South Carolina. The other story insists that the Planter’s punch cocktail was created by a Jamaican planter’s wife who created it to refresh the workers on their plantation.
Whatever the truth is about when it was first stirred together, the recipe was published in the New York Times in 1908 and has been going strong since. Planter’s punch is one of those cocktails that everyone makes differently. It always includes rum and tropical fruit juices like pineapple juice and orange juice.
Of course, the challenge in making it low carb was getting rid of the fruit juice but keeping the fruit flavor.
Making Low Carb Sparkling Planter’s Punch Cocktail
Making this low carb cocktail couldn’t be easier when you’ve got a stash of Torani Sugar Free Syrups in the pantry… which I always do. Torani Syrups are easy to use. If you can measure liquids and shake a cocktail shaker you are gold. These add tons of flavor without all the sugar. For example, the regular recipe includes simple syrup which is just sugar water. Every ingredient used in this recipe is no or low sugar. Like ginger ale. Using sugar free ginger ale adds a sparkle and bubbles that are so perfect for brunch. The regular recipe uses a splash club soda. You can use that if you don’t have sugar free ginger ale.
The regular recipe usually includes a splash of grenadine syrup. An ounce (which is more than a splash of grenadine) has 13 grams of carbohydrates. Many recipes I saw used citrus juices like pineapple juice or an ounce of orange juice. One ounce of orange juice has 3 grams of carbs. One ounce pineapple juice has 4 grams of carbs. That’s one sugar packet for reference.
My personal spin uses a couple of non-traditional ingredients here (big surprise, right?). I love the combination of spicy jalapeno and sweet pineapple so I added a little jalapeno to the cocktail shaker and another to the glass when I served it. A slice of fresh ginger in the shaker bumps up the ginger flavor so this drink is a little spicy. I added a squeeze of lemon juice and a squeeze of lime juice to balance the sweetness. Be sure to use a good spiced rum for the best flavor, too. I have Myer’s rum handy so in it went. Oh and you can use a pineapple wedge for color, just don’t eat it to keep up your low carb lifestyle.
You can make the cocktail ahead of time and just leave out the ginger ale and the ice cubes. When you are ready to serve the punch simply add the ginger ale to the rest of the ingredients with ice and give it a stir – it’s ready to go!
Tips for Your Low Carb Caribbean Brunch
Throwing a Caribbean themed brunch is so easy and lots of fun. It’s really up to you what you serve. If you love to cook and you have time to look up traditional Caribbean dishes then do it! If not, don’t sweat it – anything goes! Keep in mind that Torani has the largest line of sugar free syrups sweetened with Splenda – there are ALL KINDS of flavors. You can make just about any cocktail you like with just a little imagination and their web page in front of you!
- Make these crepes and use your favorite Torani Sugar Free flavors for the flavoring – think coconut, mango, pineapple…
- Season chicken breast with 0 carb taco seasoning and grill. Drizzle with a squeeze of lime before serving.
- Add some macadamia nuts to the salad. Add some fresh strawberries if you eat them.
- Make a vinaigrette with the Torani Sugar Free Pineapple Syrup.
- Think bright, happy colors for your decor!
- Have guests wear flip flops as a nod to the beach.
- Use calla lilies, gerbera daisies, and/or stargazer lilies for centerpiece or floral arrangements.
- Serve the easy planter’s punch cocktails with little umbrellas and a lime twist.
That’s not a complete list. Use it for inspiration! I mean, you can’t go wrong with a brunch, right? Keep in mind that the Torani Sugar Free Syrups are versatile, too. I use them for cocktails and mocktails but I also use them to add flavor to my recipes.
Low Carb Planter’s Punch Cocktail
So let’s get back to this Planter’s Punch Cocktail, shall we? It’s bound to be your go to summer drink – hello porch swing! Give it a try and if you like it please give it 5 stars!
Navigation tip. If you want to make a larger batch for the perfect Spring brunch of this Planter’s Punch recipe, you can place your cursor over the number ‘1’ which is to the right of the ‘Servings’ in the recipe card. A slider will appear and you can move it to the amount of servings you’d like to make. Adjust more or less depending on your portion size. The amount of ingredients will adjust automatically for you. No math mistakes!
Low Carb Planter’s Punch
Ingredients
- 2 ounces spiced rum
- 2 ounces Torani Pineapple Syrup , sugar free
- 1/2 ounce Torani Mango Syrup , sugar free – optional
- 1/2 ounce Torani Coconut Syrup , sugar free
- 1/2 ounce Torani Watermelon Syrup , sugar free
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 squeeze fresh lemon
- 1 slice Fresh Ginger
- 1 slice Jalapeno pepper
- 6 ounces Sugar Free Ginger Ale
- jalapeno, limes, and lemons for garnish
Instructions
- Add the rum to cocktail shaker with ice.
- Add the syrups next.
- Squeeze half a lime into the shaker, then half a lemon.
- Add the ginger and jalapeno slice.
- Shake until the outside of the shaker is almost too cold to touch.
- Strain into a glass filled with ice and top off with the ginger ale. Adjust the amount of ginger ale to your own tastes
- Garnish with lime, lemon, and jalapeno slices.
For Punch
- Click on the serving size and slide the slider up to the number of servings you need. The ingredients amounts will adjust, too.
- Add all of the ingredients except the ginger ale to a mixing bowl.
- Keep in mind that the jalapeno will become hotter the longer the punch sits – you may want to add that with the ginger ale.
- When you’re ready to serve add ginger ale. Serve over ice.
Notes
Nutrition
If you liked this low carb Planter’s Punch Recipe you may also like…
Click on the image to see the recipe. From left to right (all low carb): Bourbon Milk Punch, Vanilla Old Fashioned, Dirty Shirley
Loved every sip.