Ponche Navideño Mexicano

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

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.

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!

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

How to make Ponche Navideño

JUMP TO FULL INSTRUCTIONS

DIRECTIONS:

• 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.

• 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.

¡Buen provecho!

Mely,

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?

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

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Drinks

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 12

Calories 177 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 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!