Mexican Christmas Punch (Ponche Navideno)

This traditional Mexican fruit punch is spiked with rum and best served during the Christmas season. Garnish each mug with a fresh hibiscus flower and a sugar cane (or cinnamon) stick.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 45 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins
• Calories: 125 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ cup packed dark brown sugar
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 12 cups water
• 12 whole cloves
• 2 navel oranges
• 12 fluid ounces rum
• 1 pear, sliced
• 2 Granny Smith apples, sliced
• 6 Mexican hawthorns (tejocotes)
• ¼ cup dried hibiscus petals (flor de jamaica)
• 1 sugar cane stick, cut into 4-inch pieces

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Stud each orange with 6 whole cloves, using the pointed ends of the cloves to pierce the skin. Cut oranges into wedges. Reserve 12 wedges for garnish. Cut some slits into each hawthorn.

Step 2

Bring water, hibiscus petals, and cinnamon sticks to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until water is a deep pink color, 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 3

Remove hibiscus petals but leave cinnamon sticks in the water to infuse further. Stir in orange wedges, hawthorns, apples, sugar cane, pear, and brown sugar. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for at least 30 minutes.

Step 4

Ladle the punch into 12 mugs, making sure each mug gets some slices of fruit. Add 1 fluid ounce rum to each mug to give the punch an extra kick. Garnish mugs with reserved orange slices.