Mexican Ponche is a warm and comforting fruit punch made with apples, pears, oranges and guavas and spiced with cinnamon, cloves, tamarind and hibiscus typically served at Christmas time.
Happy holidays, friends! Christmas is right around the corner and I’m so excited to get the festivities started by making my family’s classic Mexican Ponche!
Like in many Mexican households, Christmas Eve (or Noche Buena) is a big deal for my family and I. Almost a bigger deal than actual Christmas day. We typically sing songs to celebrate Las Posadas, we open presents at midnight and most importantly, we eat A LOT of food. On the menu this year are tamales, bunuelos, empanadas, atole, and this Mexican Christmas Ponche.
This Christmas ponche (aka “punch”) is warm, comforting and easy to make. It’s filled with good-for-you ingredients like apples, pears, oranges and guavas and is infused with spices like cinnamon, cloves, hibiscus and tamarind. It’s perfect for kids because they love to eat the warm pieces of fruit, but it’s also perfect for adults who often drink it with a splash of rum or brandy.
Now that’s a ponche I can get behind. 🙂
How to make ponche
Making ponche is one of the easiest things you’ll make this holiday season. Here’s how to do it.
- Place water, quartered guavas, diced red apples, diced pears, orange slices, piloncillo or brown sugar, whole cloves, cinnamon sticks, dried hibiscus flowers and tamarind pod in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer for at least 30 minutes.
- Mix together and make sure the piloncillo/brown sugar has completely dissolved. Serve hot in mugs with a splash of rum or brandy if desired. Make sure each cup has some fruit it in – it’s the best part!
Mexican Ponche Ingredients
Typically, ponche is made with sticks of sugarcane and tecojotes (a Mexican fruit similar to crabapples), but I wasn’t able to find those ingredients in Pittsburgh so I improvised and used red apples instead.
The other ingredients that could be hard to find depending on your location are dried tamarind pods, guavas and dried hibiscus flowers. I was able to find those things at my local Whole Foods and at a specialty Mexican grocer, but if you can’t, I recommend checking out Amazon using the links above.
If you live in a city with a larger Hispanic population, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding any of these ingredients.
Sourcing the ingredients is the hardest part. Once you’ve got them, all you need to do is cut the fruit into chunks, throw all the ingredients in a large stockpot and simmer for about 30 to 60 minutes. That’s it!
Not only is this ponche tasty, but it’s also very fragrant and makes your house smell like the holidays. Merry Christmas!
For more Mexican Christmas recipes, take a look at 12 Mexican Christmas Food Recipes to Make This Year!
More holiday recipes you’ll love
- Easy Cranberry Margaritas
- Marranitos (Mexican Gingerbread Pigs)
- Mexican Hot Chocolate
- Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies
- Mexican Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 16 cups water
- 6 guavas, peeled and quartered
- 3 large red apples, cut into chunks
- 2 pears, cut into chunks
- 1 orange, sliced
- 1 pilloncillo cone (or 1 cup of dark brown sugar if you can't find piloncillo)
- 6 whole cloves
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 2 tablespoons dried hibiscus flowers
- 1 dried tamarind pod, husked and seeded
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer for at least 30 minutes.
- Mix together and make sure the piloncillo/sugar has completely dissolved. Serve hot in mugs with a splash of rum or brandy if desired. Make sure each cup has some fruit it in - it's the best part!
Nutrition Information
Love your recipes. The pig cookies are amazing. I remember when I was newly married. We would head to the Mexican bakery on Saturday for sweet breads and pig cookies. That was before I learned to make Mexican food. But I never learned to make pig cookies. But now I do. Thank you.
Hi Helen! Yes they are one of our personal favorites. We’re so glad you enjoyed them!
Hello Isabel, I just found your Wonderful blog! I am so excited!! This the best blog on Mexican recipes. I grew up with these most delicious foods. Except that mi mother and grandmothers did not write down any recipes. Thank you for sharing. May God Bless you. Margarita K.
Hi Margarita, thank you so much for the compliment! We appreciate it and are glad you enjoy these recipes 🙂
Can I use a substitute for sugar all together for a diabetic
Hi Alexis, yes you definitely can!
My wife is from Morelia and with her collection of culinary ideas, she makes ponche every November-December-January. Very good with Bacardi White rum or Jose Cuervo Traditional Reposado.
I like your version of it too.
Hi Richard! Thanks for the tip, it sounds delicious!
this was the first ever mexican recipe i tried and i simply loved it. the amazing thing is my son also loved it. thanks for sharing.
How many seeds of the tamarind do you use?
Hi! None of the seeds are used from the tamarind pod. I remove and discard the seeds from one pod and just use the fruity pulp.
I had ponche in San Cristobal on one Christmas holiday from a street vendor. It warms my heart and made the holiday extra special. My drink had sugar cane, pineapple and tejocotes too. I will definitely your recipe this year.
would vodka be good in this recipe?
Hello! Yes, it would!
Due to Covid, can’t make it to Mexico this year for Diá De Los Muertos[been going for the past 12 years].
Making our own little altar, cooking some of your dishes, and this Ponche, with some generous shots of Tequila, will complement the whole enchilada 🙂
Thank you for your recipes !
<3 from San Francisco
Is it possible to make this in a slow cooker?
I’ve never tested this recipe in a slow cooker, so I’m not sure. But I think it would work!
Interesting drink! I guess it must suit perfectly chilly winter days ❤
– Natalie
It’s does! It’s a very traditional Mexican drink for the holidays.