When a pot of ponche navideño is simmering, the scent of cinnamon and fruit seems to invite everyone into the kitchen. I love ladling this warm Mexican Christmas punch into mugs with plenty of tender fruit in each one. It is the kind of drink to carry outside on a cool evening, wrap your hands around, and share slowly with the people you love.
What is ponche navideño?
Ponche is a warm fruit punch often served during Mexican holiday celebrations and posadas. Recipes vary from home to home. This version brings together tejocotes, guava, apple, pear, sugar cane, prunes, tamarind, and cinnamon, with piloncillo for a deep caramel sweetness. An orange adds a gentle citrus note.
Fruit and cooking tips
Fresh or frozen tejocotes work here. If using fresh fruit, simmer it first to loosen the skin; peeling is optional. Cut the apples and pear into sturdy pieces so they hold their shape. Look for peeled sugar cane and seedless tamarind pulp at a Mexican market. Stir the piloncillo into the warm water until dissolved, then adjust the sweetness after the fruit has simmered.
Serve the punch hot with a spoon for the fruit. Tejocotes can contain hard pits, so let guests know to discard them. Sugar cane is for chewing to enjoy its juice; discard the tough fibers.
Make it a holiday table
Offer mugs of ponche alongside champurrado so everyone can choose a favorite warm drink. It is lovely after a bowl of pozole rojo, too, or with homemade flour tortillas at a festive family meal.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Cool and refrigerate in a covered container for up to 4 days. Reheat gently, adding a little water if needed.
Can I adjust the fruit?
Yes. Use what is available, keeping some guava and tejocote when possible for their characteristic flavor. Adjust the sweetener to suit the fruit.
Ponche Navideño (Mexican Christmas Fruit Punch)
Ingredients
- 12 cups water
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 6 ounces piloncillo chopped, or to taste
- 8 ounces fresh or thawed frozen tejocotes
- 4 guavas quartered
- 2 apples cored and chopped
- 1 pear cored and chopped
- 1 cup peeled sugar cane sticks
- ½ cup pitted prunes
- 2 tablespoons tamarind pulp seedless
- 1 orange sliced
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring the water, cinnamon, and piloncillo to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- Add tejocotes and sugar cane. Simmer for 15 minutes; if using fresh tejocotes, remove them briefly, peel if desired, and return to the pot.
- Add guavas, apples, pear, prunes, tamarind pulp, and orange slices. Simmer gently for 25 to 30 minutes, until the fruit is tender and fragrant.
- Taste and adjust sweetness with more piloncillo if desired. Remove the cinnamon sticks.
- Ladle the hot punch into mugs with pieces of fruit. Remind guests to discard any fruit pits and chew the cane for its juice rather than eating its fibers.
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