Bring on the holiday cheer with a hot cup of vibrant Mexican Ponche! This is Mexico’s traditional Christmas fruit punch made with sweet tropical fruits simmered together with sugar and spices. The dried hibiscus flowers give this Ponche its bright red color. Serve this as a non-alcoholic option so the youngsters can enjoy it also.
This festive holiday punch makes the perfect accompaniment for a Christmas Eve tamale dinner. Add mole sauce, refried beans, and Mexican cookies to the menu for a complete holiday feast.
Why This Recipe Works
- Combining fresh and dried fruits with warm spices adds layers of flavor to this warm, comforting fruit punch.
- It is the perfect addition to a Christmas tree decorating activity.
- Simmering the punch gives time for the fruit to soften and release flavor.
Ingredients Needed
Many of the ingredients for this fruit drink will be available in your local grocery store or online. If there is a Mexican market nearby, you should have everything you need for the recipe. Please refer to the note section of the recipe card for the availability of items. Here is a list of the ingredients you will need to make our Mexican fruit punch.
- Dried hibiscus flowers. The hibiscus is a tropical plant that produces beautiful red, pink and white flowers. The dried red hibiscus flower produces a tea of vibrant red color which is perfect for a Mexican ponche recipe.
- Tamarind pods. Tamarind is the fruit from the tamarind tree. It is a long, brown fruit with a crisp husk and inside the husk is the soft sweet fruit connected to pulpy strings.
- Tejocote. Jarred tejocotes are an ingredient commonly found in Mexican markets, but if they are unavailable, substitute this ingredient with sour crabapples.
- Piloncillo cones. Piloncillo is unprocessed cane sugar. If you. You can substitute it with dark brown sugar.
- Chunks of fruit. We used fresh pears, oranges, apples, pineapple, and frozen guava.
- Dried fruit. We used prunes and raisins.
- Walnuts (or another nut of your choosing)
- Mexican cinnamon sticks
- Rum or brandy (optional)
How to Make It
Here is a brief overview to give you an idea of what to expect when making our Mexican ponche. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the details.
Crack the tamarind pods open and peel the hard shell away from the fruit. The fruit inside the pod will be a little bit sticky, and it will have some stringy fibers on it. Pull the strings off and discard them.
Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat and add the hibiscus flowers and husked tamarinds. Simmer the mixture for 20 minutes.
Strain everything into a large pot, pressing down on the solids to remove excess liquid. Add the remaining water to the pot.
Cut the fresh fruit into bite-sized pieces and slice the oranges into quarters. Insert the cloves into the skin of the orange.
Stir in all the ingredients (except the alcohol if you’re using it) and simmer for 30 minutes until the fruit is tender.
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Tips for Success
- Some ingredients can be difficult to find in most grocery stores, but they are readily available at Mexican markets and on Amazon. We provided links below.
- Simmer the Mexican fruit punch until the fruit gets soft. Fresh fruit will take longer to soften.
- You can substitute dried tamarind pods with fresh lemon or lime juice. It won’t have the same flavor but will add a subtle tang.
- Substitute the walnuts for your favorite nuts, or leave them out.
- Substitute the Piloncillo (sugar cane) for dark brown sugar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Mexican ponche is a fruit punch that contains chunks of stewed fruit and spices like cloves and cinnamon. Many versions also contain tamarind, which gives the punch a unique tangy flavor and sweetness. Hibiscus leaves give the drink a bright red color and slightly tart flavor.
According to El Universal, ponche originated in India, where it was known as “pãc.” The name comes from the five ingredients used in the original recipe: wine, sugar, lemon, tea, and water.
The Spaniards brought this traditional drink to Mexico, where it was adapted into a fruit-filled drink to include some of Mexico’s most popular fruits.
This Mexican ponche recipe offers a unique way to try something new this holiday season. There’s nothing quite as heartwarming as a hot beverage, so don’t be afraid to make this traditional fruit punch drink for your friends and family. One batch of Mexican ponche will last a long while, and it doesn’t have to stay warm to taste delicious.
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Mexican Ponche Drink
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried hibiscus flowers
- 2 dried tamarind pods husked and inner strings removed
- 6 quarts 24 cups water, divided
- 20 whole cloves
- 1 orange cut into quarters
- ½ of a jar 32 ounces of Tejocote, drained, about 14 pieces
- 1 package 14 ounces frozen, thawed, guavas, peeled and quartered
- 2 pilloncillo cones or 2 cups dark brown sugar
- 10 ounces fresh pineapple chopped
- 1 medium apple chopped
- 1 medium pear chopped
- 6 ounces pitted prunes chopped
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup walnut halves
- 3 Mexican cinnamon sticks
- Rum or brandy optional
- Long regular cinnamon sticks for stirring optional
- Fresh mint sprigs optional
Instructions
- Bring 4 cups of the water to a boil over medium-high heag and add the hibiscus flowers and husked tamarinds. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain into a large pot, pressing down on the solids to remove excess liquid. Discard the solids.
- Pour the remaining water into the pot.
- Cut the orange into quarters and push the sharp end of the cloves into the skin, then add to the pot.
- Add the Tejocotes, guavas, and piloncillos or sugar, pineapple, apple, pear, prunes, raisins, walnuts and the Mexican cinnamon sticks.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently to dissolve the piloncillo. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the pear is tender.
- To serve: Ladle the poncho into serving mugs with a small portion of the fruit in each mug. Add rum or brandy if using and garnish with fresh mint and a long cinnamon stick for stirring. Serve warm or chilled
Notes
- Simmer the ponche just until the fruit is slightly tender. The longer it cooks, the softer the fruit gets and breaks up and makes the ponche cloudy.
- Ponche, is a fruity Mexican Christmas punch that can be served either hot or cold but is most frequently served hot in Mexico.
- Dried hibiscus flowers give the ponche a beautiful red color and can be purchased online or in a Mexican market.
- Dried tamarind pods add a subtle sour note to the ponche. If unavailable, substitute with 1/2 cup of fresh lemon juice.
- Dried tamarind pods, jarred Tejocote's, frozen guavas, Mexican cinnamon, and pilloncillo cones can be found in Mexican markets or online.
- Tejocote’s can be substituted with sour crabapples.
- If fresh guavas are unavailable, you can use frozen. They are easy to peel with a vegetable peeler when still frozen.
- Any type of nut can be used in this ponche.
