Mexican Pumpkin Punch

By Ckelley116

Ingredients

• 12 cups water
• 2 cups packed dark brown sugar
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 1 29 oz can pure pumpkin
• 2 limes
• splash of rum (optional)

Preparation

Step 1

1. Combine 12 cups water, brown sugar, and cinnamon sticks in a large pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Stir in the pumpkin and return to a simmer. Meanwhile, remove the zest from the limes in wide strips using a vegetable peeler; add the zest to the pot and simmer 15 minutes. Let cool, then refrigerate until the liquid is cold and the pumpkin pulp settles to the bottom, 2-3 hours.

2. Working in batches, ladle the liquid into a fine-mesh strainer set over a pitcher (repeat if necessary to strain out all the pumpkin pulp). Discard the pulp and lime zest. return the cinnamon sticks to the punch and refrigerate until ready to serve.

3. Pour the punch into ice-filled glasses. Add rum and serve with cinnamon sticks.