Ponche Navideño (Hibiscus Christmas Punch)
The traditional Mexican Christmas punch: hibiscus tea simmered with fruit, dried fruit and warm spices until the whole kitchen smells like the holidays. Serve it steaming hot in mugs with a spoonful of the fruit.
- Time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Method
- Built in glass
- Glass
- Irish coffee glass
Ingredients
Amounts below make 6 servings (the full recipe).
- Dried hibiscus flowers — 1 cup whole dried flowers1 cup
- Piloncillo — ½ large cone1
- Orange — sliced1
- Apple — chopped1
- Pear — chopped1
- Prunes — 6 to 86
- Dried red jujubes — 6 to 8, rinsed6
- Sultanas — ¼ cup¼ cup
- Whole almonds — ¼ cup, whole¼ cup
- Cinnamon sticks2
- Whole cloves3
- Water — 2 cups to steep the hibiscus, 6 cups to simmer the fruit8 cups (65 oz)
Garnish: Cooked fruit from the pot
Batching tip: mix everything except ice up to a few hours ahead and keep it chilled. Pour over fresh ice to serve.
How to make it
- 1
Bring 2 cups of the water to a boil. Add the hibiscus and piloncillo, remove from the heat and let steep until deeply red, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
- 2
Strain the hibiscus liquid into a large pot, pressing on the flowers, and discard the flowers.
- 3
Add the remaining 6 cups of water, the orange, apple, pear, prunes, jujubes, sultanas, almonds, cinnamon sticks and cloves.
- 4
Bring to a simmer for 5 minutes, then turn the heat to low and let steep for 40 to 60 minutes.
- 5
Ladle hot into mugs with some of the fruit.
Swap it: ⅔ cup broken hibiscus replaces 1 cup whole. ½ cup dark brown sugar replaces the piloncillo. Dried red jujubes stand in for tejocotes, the traditional fruit; if you find tejocotes, use them. The classic Mexican serving for adults adds about 1 fl oz of rum to each mug.
Make ahead
Make ahead
Bar batch
- The finished punch
- Make the punch, cool and refrigerate.
- Reheat gently on the stove before serving.
Up to 3 days in the refrigerator (our estimate; the source doesn't say).
Bar gear
Equipment for this drink
Tools you'll need
- JiggerA double-sided measure so every drink comes out the same. Look for one marked in ½ and ¼ oz.
- Bar spoonA long, thin spoon for stirring, layering and fishing out cherries.
- Punch bowl & ladleLets guests serve themselves from a big batch.
Recommended glassware
- Irish coffee glassA heat-safe stemmed mug for hot drinks and toddies.
No shaker? A clean jar with a tight lid works. Build your home bar →
Recipe source: Chatelaine (Chantal Braganza) — Ponche Navideño (Hibiscus Christmas Punch); also the traditional Mexican Christmas punch on Allrecipes. Quantities and basic method are factual. Description and steps are original Mixistry copy. Last updated 2026-10-11.
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