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You are here: Home » Recipes » Christmas & New Year's

Ponche Navideño Mexicano

Published: Nov 27, 2016 · Updated: Dec 29, 2020 by Mely Martínez

JUMP TO RECIPE

Traditional Mexican Fruit Punch - Ponche Navideño, is a traditional hot drink during the Christmas Holidays, it is made using water, fresh and dried fruits like tamarind, prunes, hibiscus, sugar cane, cinnamon, and sweetened with Piloncillo. You can serve it with or without alcohol.

Ponche Mexicano

Mexican fruit punch christmas recipe

Christmas time in Mexico is a time to prepare the traditional Ponche Navideño/Christmas Punch. At family gatherings, some families will have a large pot simmering on top of the stove with that sweet liquid full of fruits, while the aromas of cinnamon and citrus fruits float in the air. The Christmas Punch is an essential part of Christmas in Mexico!

This recipe calls for some traditional ingredients, like cinnamon, tejocotes (a small yellow fruit that resembles crabapples), piloncillo (raw sugar cane), sugar cane sticks, and seasonal fruits. The seasonal fruits can include guavas, apples, pears, oranges, and dried fruits.

Mexican fruit punch christmas recipe

Additionally, this punch can also be found with different added fruits depending on the region in Mexico. For example, you can find Christmas Punch with acid fruits like oranges, Mexican sweet lime, or pineapple. As far as spices go, some cooks will also add anise star and chamomile, in addition to the cinnamon. This is the nice part about this drink, that you can add the fruits you have available and it will still come out fine!

Mexican Christmas Punch, quick and easy

I know that for many of us living outside Mexico, it is not easy to find the traditional main ingredients like Tejocotes or sugar cane sticks, but if you live close to a Latin or Asian Store, you might be able to find the canned version of sugar cane sticks, so look around! In some Latin stores, you can even find a jar that has several of the hard to find ingredients like guavas, sugar cane, and tejocotes all in a sweet syrup (you can also find it at our Amazon store). To my surprise, I found 3 brands that sell these jars, and they taste pretty good. Use them to complement your punch. I hope you try this recipe, and may your whole house be filled with Christmas flavors!

PONCHE NAVIDEÑO INGREDIENTS

mexican fruit punch recipe ingredients

How to make Ponche Navideño

JUMP TO FULL INSTRUCTIONS

Ponche Navideno Mexican Christmas punch

DIRECTIONS:


Mexican Christmas punch

  • Place water in a large stockpot. (Please check the ingredients list below)
  • Add the piloncillo and cinnamon to cook for about 15 minutes. If you are using fresh Tejocotes, add them with the piloncillo and cinnamon, since they take longer to soften.
Christmas punch, step by step
  • Add the chopped guavas, apples, and prunes along with the rest of the ingredients like the sugar cane sticks, tamarind pods or hibiscus flowers. If you're using the canned version of the tejocotes, then add them in this step.
  • Simmer for about 1 hour. Serve hot in mugs, ladling in some of the fruit and adding rum to your liking.
Mexican christmas fruit punch recipe | MEXICAN RECIPES

¡Buen provecho!

Mely,

Christmas punch

There are foods or drinks that sometimes bring you memories of certain people, places, or moments in time. This punch reminds me of my younger brother, Alberto. What kind of food or dish brings back memories to you?

Mexican Christmas Punch

I hope you enjoy this recipe for Ponche Navideño!

More recipes:
Mexican Christmas Food Recipes
Receta de Buñuelos Mexicanos

📖 Recipe

Ponche Navideño

Mely Martínez
Traditional Mexican Fruit Punch - Ponche Navideño, is a traditional hot drink during the Christmas Holidays, it is made using water, fresh and dried fruits like tamarind, prunes, hibiscus, sugar cane, cinnamon, and sweetened with Piloncillo. You can serve it with or without alcohol. 
4.82 from 48 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 1 hr
Total Time 1 hr 10 mins
Course Drinks
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 12
Calories 177 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 4 quarts of water 1 gallon
  • 1 large piloncillo cone (or 12 oz. of brown sugar)
  • 3 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 lb Tejocotes* SEE NOTES
  • 1½ Lb. guavas about 12 guavas
  • ¾ cup prunes chopped
  • 1½ cup apples chopped
  • 1 cup pear chopped
  • ½ cup raisins
  • 3 sugar cane sticks, about 5-in. long cut into four pieces each
  • 1 cup of Tamarind pods peeled (or 1 cup of Hibiscus Flowers)***
  • Rum to taste

CHECK THE RECIPE VIDEO

    Instructions
     

    • Place water in a large stockpot.
    • Add the piloncillo (or brown sugar) and cinnamon to cook for about 15 minutes. If you are using fresh Tejocotes, add them with the piloncillo and cinnamon, since they take longer to soften. Ponche Navideno
    • Add the chopped guavas, apples, and prunes along with the rest of the ingredients like the sugar cane sticks, tamarind pods or hibiscus flowers. If you are using the canned version of the tejocotes, then add them in this step.
    • Simmer for about 1 hour. Serve hot in mugs, ladling in some of the fruit and adding rum to your liking.

    Video

    Notes

    *In some of the central states of Mexico, like Puebla, Hidalgo & Estado de Mexico, the Tejocotes are precooked in water over medium heat to help remove the skins and seeds. Then, they are added to the rest of the ingredients to finish cooking the Mexican ponche.
    If you are still looking for all the ingredients like the Tejocotes, you can still make this warm drink without them.
    ** Other dried fruits can be used as a substitute for this Mexican Christmas punch. The best this about this warm beverage is how easy it is to substitute ingredients. If you can't find piloncillo cones, substitute with dark brown sugar or Rum with brandy.  
    *** Sometimes, I add the tamarind pods, and other times just the Hibiscus flowers. I rarely use the 2 in the same punch, and it still comes out with a heavenly aroma and is extremely tasty.
    ****For serving, use a ladle to ensure you give a 50/50 ratio of liquid and chuck of fruits and don't forget to pair it with your favorite tamales on your next Noche Buena (Christmas Eve).  
     

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cupCalories: 177kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 2gSodium: 19mgPotassium: 420mgFiber: 5gSugar: 30gVitamin A: 455IUVitamin C: 131.8mgCalcium: 43mgIron: 0.7mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    More Mexican Christmas Recipes

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    • Sopaipilla Recipe
      Authentic Sopaipillas Recipe
    • Mexican Tamales
      Homemade Gifts from the Mexican Kitchen
    • Chiapas Style Pork
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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    1. David

      December 23, 2022 at 1:11 pm

      5 stars
      Perfect, as I recall the taste. Thank you

      Reply
    2. Susan w.

      December 17, 2022 at 11:55 am

      4 stars
      So tasty. My boyfriend loved it. He said the flavors were the same as ponche at his mom’s house in Mexico.

      Reply
    3. Mari G.

      October 03, 2022 at 5:33 pm

      This recipe is delicious! Thank you 🙂

      Reply
    4. Scott

      September 13, 2022 at 5:39 pm

      How long will the punch last. The fruit is dropping from my tree in September

      Reply
      • Mely Martínez

        September 21, 2022 at 3:43 pm

        Hello Scott,
        It could last up to 5-6 days if you simmer it for a little while everyday.

        Reply
    5. Rose Prince

      August 06, 2021 at 2:04 pm

      5 stars
      Mely, It's cooking on my stove this very minute. Shortly after it started boiling, it began to make my house smell wonderful! So I couldn't wait till it was done, and just now took a little spoonful, to taste. OH MY! All my taste buds were exploding with delight! On a side-note, our annual family reunion is always at a beautiful campsite and it always has a theme. This years theme is "Christmas Around The World". We get to pick a Country and it's Christmas traditions. So we decorate our tents accordingly and have traditional foods and drinks from that country. Naturally, I chose Mexico. So I will be making this punch for everyone to sample. I'm also making your yummy Buñuelos recipe, which I've made before. Thank you for sharing your exquisite recipes!

      Reply
      • Mely Martínez

        August 07, 2021 at 12:52 pm

        Hello Rose,

        Thank you for taking the time to share about family traditions. I hope they enjoy the Ponche Navideño, too! Saludos!

        Reply
    6. veronica

      December 21, 2020 at 1:15 pm

      5 stars
      Very delicious

      Reply
    7. Abby

      May 12, 2020 at 11:49 pm

      5 stars
      I have tried it and it is amazing especially the tejocotes

      Reply
    8. Shelby

      February 29, 2020 at 5:00 am

      5 stars
      Doubled this for a crowd of 30. Huge hit! I did not add pear. My Mexican friends use both hibiscus flowers and tamarind which I prefer. Buy jarred sugar cane and guavas, easy to find in well stocked Mexican grocer. Tequila is our choice add in. Great recipe!!

      Reply
      • Orayda Clavel

        November 22, 2022 at 12:25 pm

        What kind of Tequila you recommend to use?

        Reply
        • Mely Martínez

          November 22, 2022 at 4:29 pm

          Hello Orayda,

          White tequila.

    9. Shelby

      February 29, 2020 at 4:59 am

      5 stars
      Doubled this for a crowd of 30. Huge hit! I did not add pear. My Mexican friends use both hibiscus flowers and tamarind which I prefer. Buy jarred sugar cane and guavas! Easy to fit in well stocked Mexican grocer. Tequila is our choice add in. Great recipe!!

      Reply
    « Older Comments

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    About me

    Hi, I'm Mely Martinez, a former Mexican school teacher, home cook, and food blogger. I moved to the United States about ten years ago, after living in Mexico my whole life. Now I love to share home-style recipes for authentic Mexican food.
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