With Christmas festivities in full swing, the aroma of ponche navideño — Mexico’s traditional holiday punch — fills homes and markets across the country.
This beloved drink, a staple during Las Posadas and Christmas gatherings, carries a fascinating history that reflects Mexico’s rich blend of indigenous and global influences.
Ponche traces its roots back to India, where a hot drink called pāñc — meaning “five” in Hindi — was enjoyed for its combination of five core ingredients: alcohol, sugar, lemon, water, and spices. British traders brought the drink to Europe in the 17th century, where it was adapted and popularized as “punch.” The Spanish later introduced it to Mexico, where it evolved into the fruity, spiced beverage cherished today.
In Mexico, ponche took on its own distinct flavor profile with ingredients native to the region. Traditional recipes feature tejocotes (Mexican hawthorn), guava, tamarind, hibiscus flowers, sugarcane, and cinnamon, all simmered together to create a fragrant, sweet-tart drink. Traditionally prepared in clay pots and often served with a splash of aguardiente or rum, known as a piquete, it warms the spirit during chilly December nights.
A recipe for ponche by Mely Martinez of Mexico in My Kitchen
Ingredients
4 quarts (1 gallon) of water
1 large piloncillo cone (or 12 oz. of brown sugar)
3 cinnamon sticks
1 lb tejocotes
1½ lb guavas (about 12 guavas)
¾ cup prunes, chopped
1½ cups apples, chopped
1 cup pear, chopped
½ cup raisins
3 sugarcane sticks (about 5 inches long), cut into four pieces each
1 cup tamarind pods, peeled (or 1 cup hibiscus flowers)
Rum to taste
Instructions
• Place the water in a large stockpot.
• Add the piloncillo (or brown sugar) and cinnamon sticks. Cook for about 15 minutes. If you are using fresh tejocotes, add them with the piloncillo and cinnamon, as they take longer to soften.
• Add the chopped guavas, apples, and prunes, along with the sugarcane sticks and either the tamarind pods or hibiscus flowers. If using canned tejocotes, add them at this step.
• Simmer for about 1 hour.
• Serve hot in mugs, ladling in some of the fruit. Add rum to your liking.
Other dried fruits can be substituted in this Mexican Christmas punch. The best thing about this warm beverage is how easily you can adapt the ingredients to suit your taste.