Make your own sugar cane drink at home, with only four ingredients: panela, water, cinnamon, and ginger. Delicious and easy, you have to try this recipe!
I first tasted this drink in Colombia, and fell in love with its sweet and sour flavor. Served warm or cold, this sugar cane juice drink is a great alternative to tea or lemonade.
This drink has become my party trick: I bring the glasses out of the kitchen, the guests start to ohh and ahh, eyes light up, and I jump right into telling stories about my trip to Bogota.
My friends lean in, fingers wrapped around their mugs, occasionally slurping at my sugar cane drink, curiosity on their faces. With every sip, the room is filled with colorful stories of Colombian street vendors pouring steaming aguapanela on misty mornings or serving it ice-cold under the relentless afternoon sun.
And even if you can't tell your guests about your travel stories, sharing a fun fact about where the drink or its ingredients comes from, always elicits excitements around the table!
What I love most about aguapanela, the Colombian name for sugar cane juice, is how easily it comes together. It's a classic, and it knows it! There’s no long preparation, no need for complicated ingredients—just sugarcane, water, and a little time.
On colder days, I serve my sugar cane drink (or cardamom latte) steaming hot with a baked brie and peach dip. When the heat rises, I chill it over ice and serve it as a refreshing summer drink, sometimes blending it with citrus for an extra cooling effect.
And beyond its taste, it’s known for its energizing properties, so its my go-to drink after returning from a long hike or bicycle ride with the family.
The drink it both effortless and seasonless!
Whether warm or chilled, this drink pairs beautifully with Colombian snacks like Fried Sweet Plantains, Tostones, or even a light pastry like Homemade Mini Croissants. If you’re looking for something unique, try it alongside Cinnamon-Kissed Labaneh and Apple Crackers for a fusion of flavors.
Special Ingredient for Sugarcane Juice: Panela
This recipe for sugar cane juice includes only the basics: water, cinnamon sticks, ginger, and what sets this drink apart, panela.
Aguapanela (sugar cane drink), literally “panela water,” is one of Colombia’s most widely-consumed traditional beverage, made by dissolving blocks of panela—a type of unrefined cane sugar—into hot water. Panela itself is a staple in many Latin American kitchens, crafted by boiling and evaporating sugarcane juice until it forms solid bricks of deep, molasses-like sweetness.
I like incorporating it in my mocktails from time to time, as an alternative to other sweetners. Since it is natural and less processed than the refined sugars you typically have in your simple syrups, it provides a refreshing and more wholesome alternative.
How to Make Homemade Cane Sugar Drink
Prepare the Panela
Break the panela into smaller pieces using a knife or mallet. If it’s particularly hard, soaking it in warm water for a few minutes can make the process easier.
Dissolve and Infuse
In a medium pot, bring water to a gentle boil. Add the panela pieces, stirring occasionally as they melt into a deep amber liquid. Toss in cinnamon sticks and cloves, letting the flavors meld for at least 10 minutes.
Strain and Adjust
Once fully dissolved, strain the mixture to remove any spices. If serving warm, pour directly into mugs. If serving cold, allow the drink to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate or pour over ice.
Garnish and Enjoy
For a citrusy touch, squeeze fresh lime into each glass before serving.
Whether I serve it steaming on a chilly evening or ice-cold on a sunny afternoon, sugar cane drink never fails to bring people together, sparking conversations and filling the room with the unmistakable aroma of caramelized sweetness. It’s a simple pleasure, but one that lingers in memory, just like the best travel stories.
If you want to try something different with your sugar cane drink, consider adding a simple syrup, like granadine syrup, chai syrup, cherry syrup, or orange syrup.
Storage Instructions
To store aguapanela, keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave if serving warm, or pour over ice if serving chilled. For longer storage, consider freezing it in ice cube trays to quickly chill future servings without diluting the flavor. Avoid storing it in metal containers, as the acidity from added lime could react with the material and alter the taste.
More Drink Recipes to Try
If you are looking for more exciting drink recipes to entertain and delight guests with, you have come to the right place. For something fruity and fun, try my blueberry mojito or passion fruit and coconut water. Are you a coffee lover? Try my three-ingredient coffee mocktail, easy black russian, or mudslide mocktail.
Whether I serve it steaming on a chilly evening or ice-cold on a sunny afternoon, sugar cane drink never fails to bring people together, sparking conversations and filling the room with the unmistakable aroma of caramelized sweetness. It’s a simple pleasure, but one that lingers in memory, just like the best travel stories.
Sugar Cane Drink Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup panela
- 4 cups water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger from 1-inch piece of fresh ginger
Instructions
- Combine the panela and water in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir until the panela is completely dissolved.
- Add the cinnamon stick and grated ginger. Whisk to combine
- Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove the saucepan from heat and let it cool.
- Strain the liquid to remove any impurities.
- Pour the sugar cane drink into mugs or glasses. Serve hot or cold, garnished with a slice of lime and a cinnamon stick.
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