Aguapanela or Agua de Panela is a traditional Colombian drink. It's made with sugar cane and it can be served cold or warm.
Aguapanela or Agua de Panela tanslates to "panela water" and is a traditional and popular Colombian drink. It can be served hot or cold.
In Colombian Aguapanela is used as a base for coffee, hot chocolate and mixed with lime juice as medicine for the flu 🙂 Cold Aguapanela with lime juice is great for hot summer days.
Ingredients You'll Need
The printable recipe card with exact amounts and cooking directions is below.
Panela is a product that is made with sugarcane, it is sweet and brown, is sold in blocks or grated and the flavor is similar to that of brown sugar. Panela is also popular in other countries and is known by many different names. In Central America it is known as papelón, in Mexico as piloncillo, and in Ecuador, Perú and Bolivia as chancaca.
Water: To dissolve the panela.
How to Make Agua de Panela
Place the water and panela in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.
More Drink Recipes
Sabajón (Colombian Style Eggnog
Avena (Colombian Style Oats Drink)
Aguapanela (Sugar Cane Drink) Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 cups water or to your taste
- 2 cups or 16 oz panela grated or in chunks
Instructions
- Place the water and panela in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Dougy EL Paisa
Just drank aguapanela at work, that I made this moring. Can not wait not have more later in the day.
Tania
My husband is Colombian, and when I had morning sickness during my pregnancies, he would make me agua panela con limon, and it worked like a charm. I used to fill my water bottles with it and take it to work, sipping from it when I got nauseated. I just recommended it to a pregnant friend, and it worked for her, too. We also drink it in the summer, always iced. I've described it to Americans as "brown sugar lemonade."
I've visited Peru many times (my father is Peruvian), and I never saw it there, so it was interesting to learn that it is available there, too. I live in Miami now, and you can get guarapo all over the place, but it's different from agua panela. I recently saw a bottled version of agua panela (looked like a Snapple at first). Wonder if it will take off.
Oscar
Great drink. When my mom made the hot version, she would usually add cheese but omitting the lemon (and vice versa), and on the cold versions she always added lemon.
Btw, for those of you looking for fresh sugar cane juice, you can try looking for places that serve "Guarapo". I lived in Miami before (I live in Houston, TX now), so the only places that I knew of that served guarapo were cuban and colombian, so I've really no idea what other types of businesses might serve it.
Sonia
Mi grandma use to make this but instead of water she used milk, soooo delicious, this replace your coffee in the morning
Esther W
Friends who had an Argentinian restaurant used to feed me this this when pregnant 30 years ago. It was so delicious, warmed up with a hint of cinnamon. Enjoy!
Regina B
I do this and add fresh lemon juice for a coulmbian lemonade. My favorite comlubian cafe let me in on the secret to thier awsome lemonade. Muy bueno!!
Soma
I desperately miss the fresh squeezed sugar cane juice from back home in India. it is a popular street food esp. during the summer months and is served with lime (as u mentioned) and salt and sugar.
What you call Panella, we call Gur/jaggery and use it a lot for indian desserts, even to make rice pudding. love the flavor it imparts and cannot be substituted with anything else in the world.
tasteofbeirut
how interesting! I did not know it was made into a drink like this! must try!
Erica
Thank you guys!
Christine @ Fresh Local and Best
I used to drink this, and love it.
Oysterculture
Oh now you are speaking to me, a sugar cane drink - sounds so yummy. Dare I share this with the nieces and nephews? Will their parents thank me?
Erica
Oysterculture-Yes!
girlichef
Erica! Funny how things happen...last night I was in the kitchen talking to my husband about piloncillo. He told me about this drink his mom used to make with water and piloncillo...hmmmm. I told him how I'd just read about the same drink from a gal in Columbia!! Such a small world...I'll be making this soon =) Thanks Erica!
Francijoe
We just had this for lunch yesterday... Do you have one where you can make juice from the sugar cane it self. In my home town the have a sugar cane field. I love to make this for my family....:)
norma
We also had this when we were kids in Venezuela.
Diana@Spain in Iowa
Erica, this sounds so sweet and yummy! I'll have to give this a try 😀
grace
i'll tell ya, erica, you're just full of useful and new info! thanks for the education and for introducing me to panela and this drink. 🙂