Ponche is the undisputed drink of posadas, the Mexican Christmas party circuit, and it's impossible to walk past a steaming pot of it without pausing to inhale its spiced, citrusy fragrance. The recipe starts with a tea made from dried hibiscus flowers and perfumed with cinnamon and warm spices. It's sweetened with piloncillo (see Tip) or brown sugar, transforming it into an aromatic poaching liquid for seasonal fruit. Swing by a Mexican market for tejocotes — those floral-tart, dense, creamy little Mexican hawthorn fruits — when they're in season, or swap them for ripe persimmons. Yellow guavas are unmatched for their sweet-tart tropical flavor; you'll find them fresh during the holiday season, or year-round, frozen whole, in the freezer section of Latin markets. If those seasonal fruits elude you, use whatever's ripe where you are, or double up on pears and apples. Make it yours. Ladle the piping-hot ponche into mugs and serve with spoons so everyone can steal bites of soft, juicy fruit between sips. If you like, leave a bottle of tequila or mezcal on the table for anyone who wants to give their mugful a little piquete, or spike; either way, the ponche will be gone long before the night is over.
Full Recipe
Author
Paola Briseño-González | 2025-12-22
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