This non-alcoholic cucumber punch is the perfect party drink for baby showers, backyard BBQs, and cooling down when your AC just isn’t cutting it. It’s super fast and only includes a few ingredients so you can mix this mocktail up any time. Originally published May 26, 2024.
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I walked into our bedroom yesterday to find Eric going through the drawer of his nightstand. He had already dumped everything out and was starting to refill it with “keeper” items:
- a giant rusty screw
- a company directory for his old job
- a giant cord that he admittedly has no idea what its for
- broken watch
- a giant ziplock bag containing a catch-all dish (grape-bunch-shaped), a Mexican peso, and a decade-old cough drop.
- 10,000 pens
“Eric why do you need your old company directory, you don’t even work there anymore.” Fine, throw it out. “Seriously? That’s all it takes to persuade you? How about this giant rusty screw?” No I need that.
A few minutes of heckling later (“really, you need Star Wars playing cards accessible from your bedside?”), he finally bursts out, “Karen, I don’t think you understand the purpose of this drawer.”
CLEARLY NOT.
What about you? Do you have any Weird Stuff in your nightstand? I honestly don’t, but that’s only because my nightstand is not a nightstand, it’s a yellow barstool. I guess the fact that I have a completely irrational piece of furniture in lieu of a nightstand makes up for my lack of awkward nightstand paraphernalia.
Okay, update. I wrote this before I actually looked on my night-barstool. Here’s what’s on it right now:
That’s right. I’m rockin’ the Rod cassette tapes. My dad was throwing these out a while back and I wanted to keep them for white elephant gifts. I guess I’ll add it to the collection.
Sweet, tart cucumber lime mocktails
So are these photos giving you guys flashbacks to just a couple weeks ago when I posted this Basil Lemonade? Who’s ready for summer, grilling, and tart drinks? This girl.
I was at a baby shower a few years ago and this cucumber lime punch was served. I think I drank about half of it single-handedly. Soooo good, with a perfectly light cucumber aftertaste. Plus, you can’t get much easier than this, only 4 ingredients:
You can make it a few hours ahead and refrigerate until ready to serve. I like it even better that way because the cucumber flavor has some time to come through. This is always a hit at parties!
Key ingredients that pack a punch
- In my tests, I liked the taste of diet lemon-lime soda better than full-sugar. Plus, you know, fewer calories when you’re mainlining this like I do. You can use name brand (7up) or whatever hilarious name your local store brand is called.
- Frozen limeade gives this even more amazing tart lime flavor.
- Don’t skip the sliced cucumber! If you’ve never had it in a drink let me tell you what, you’re about to go straight into full relaxation mode. Cucumbers must be relaxing, otherwise why would people put them on their eyes at spas??
How to make cucumber lime mocktails
Grab your ingredients. Technically there are 5 if you include ice and the optional lime slices, but worst case scenario you really only need three.
Don’t hate me because this is not diet soda. I tried both and liked diet better, but only got a picture of this one. Diet all the way dude!
Add ingredients to your pitcher (or crystal punch bowl, if you’re fancy like that) in this order:
- Ice
- Soda
- Frozen limeade (just shloonk it on in there)
- Sliced cucumbers
- Lime wedges
Stir. Serve. That’s it!
What to do with leftover punch
Since this mocktail has carbonation from the lemon lime soda, it’s best to store leftovers in the same 2 liter bottles the soda came in. Closing the cap tightly will help the bubbles last longer. Even if it’s less bubbly after a day or two, it’s still delicious and perfectly fine to drink. You could add some fresh soda or seltzer water if you wanted to up the fizz. Store the cucumber slices separately if you like them crisp.
You can also freeze leftovers! Make sure that if you’re storing the punch in a bottle or container that you leave extra space, since the soda will expand as it freezes and you don’t want it to explode (and it literally will if there’s no room for the carbon dioxide to go). Another great option is pouring it into ice cube trays. Then you have delicious lime ice cubes for your summer drinks! Either way, leave the cucumber and lime wedges out.
More refreshing drinks
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Easy Cucumber Lime Punch
Ingredients
- 1 tray ice
- 2 liters DIET lemon-lime soda
- 12 ounces limeade, 1 can, frozen
- 1 cucumber, sliced thin
- fresh lime wedges , optional for garnish
Instructions
- In a large pitcher or bowl, add as much ice as you want. (The more ice you add, the more watered down the drink will be as it melts, of course.)
- Add the soda and the frozen limeade.
- Add all of the sliced cucumbers and lime wedges (or reserve some to garnish individual glasses).
- Stir together until the limeade melts.
- If you serve it right away, the cucumber flavor will be light. I like to let it sit for an hour or two in the fridge because I like a stronger cucumber flavor. This drink is nice for parties because you can make it ahead and pull it out right when the party starts.
I added vodka for a diet girls night out punch! Delicious!
Perfect Mellissa! Glad it worked out!
Karen, as you were describing Eric’s drawer, I felt like you were snooping in my house. For real! Only it’s Adam’s nightstand and mine, both our top dresser drawers, plus a junk drawer in the kitchen. Problem, much? Yeah…
Like sister like…sister? All in the family.
Karen, I just stumbled on your blog and this was the first post I read. You literally had me laughing out loud…love your writing style. Your “about me” section is super inspirational too, I’m just starting out with my blog and feel so naive when it comes to taking photos! Its great to read a funny and down-to-earth blog like yours!
Aw thank you Dani! Comments like this are what keep me going. Really though! It’s so good to know that someone understands me on an awkward nightstand paraphernalia level. :) Your blog looks great. Keep at it!!
Karen, this drink sounds delicious! Add in some vodka and it’d be perfection. Gorgeous photos too, girl. Since you have a bar stool for a nightstand, it’s mandatory that you drink alcoholic beverages in bed. It’s the law (in my messed up world). As for random crap in bedside tables, I’m Eric in this situation and you are my husband. He’s forever ragging me about the useless, random crap I have stuffed in there. Whenever I have something that should go into the garbage but I can’t bear to part with it (or am just too lazy to toss), I just shove it into my nightstand. From old batteries to random screws, ten years worth of cards, old Halls that tumbled from its wrapper, a bazillion buttons that fell off my clothes that I’ll never sew back on, you name it, it’s in there. My parting thoughts – I LOVE the stuff you currently have on your barstool. Da Ya Think I’m Sexy better be on that Rod Stewart compilation!
Nancy what is it with us and our buttons?? Not only the buttons that fall off, but those extra ones they give you in the tiny ziplock bag when you buy a shirt. I ALWAYS save them and why?? I couldn’t sew on a button if my life depended on it. And I’m so glad I’m not the only Rod Stewart lover left!! :)
Okay, I don’t think my nightstand is *quite* at rusty screw status, but I have been known to keep cough drops around for a few decades. Also, old chapsticks and single foil wrapped cold and flu pill from 1999. Oops.
P.S. Paper straws for life! They are so CUTE!
Haha. Hopefully there is no one else anywhere whose nightstand is at rusty-screw-status. And I hate those single foil wrapped pills that you can’t even identify anymore! And that you can’t seem to throw away!!
Ahhhh hahahaha. This may just be the best thing I have read all morning. I can’t say I have any weird objects in/on my nightstand. That might just be because I don’t have a night stand! I blame our recent move. ;) This punch just looks absolutely delicious! I love cucumber flavored drinks here lately, and this just looks perfect for summer! Yum yum yum!
Looks so perfect for summer! And I love that you have an ongoing collection of possible white elephant gifts… always be prepared!
I love this drink! I had it at a wedding a few years ago and it may be one of the best drinks ever! The cucumber just makes it. My husband keeps those same type of things in his nightstand drawer too. And I have nothing in mine. So I highly enjoyed your story =)
I am laughing so much about all the stuff Eric has in his drawer! Those can definitely accumulate some weird objects. My drawer is filled with SO many chapsticks (you know, in case my lips start to feel chapped in the night) and like 5 different remotes. Boring! I need to get some of the cool artifacts Eric has. Your Rod Stewart cassette tape ain’t bad either. Haha!
This cucumber lime punch sounds delicious! Perfect for hot summer nights.
Love how simple this is. Looks refreshing too. Pinned!
My husband has the same nightstand fetish. We were having someone come to do some work on the house and I knew that they had to go into the bedroom. The night stand had started to creep outside of itself… So I went through it. I threw away a bunch of old receipts, screws, golf tees etc. He got home.. and was totally freaked I threw away something essential. I was like hmm… don’t think that your receipt from Panera from 2008 is going to matter.. but I could be wrong. Since then it hasn’t creeped out of the nightstand… but who knows what is lurking in there.
This looks and sounds super refreshing and delicious! Love the idea!
This is seriously my idea of the perfect summer drink. Absolutely love it!
haha I can’t say that I have any weird stuff in my nightstand! But that’s too funny! And this punch sounds awesome – so refreshing!
Hm, this drink looks soooo refreshing. Have never heard of limeade though…