The December 2025 Challenge Ingredient Is:
Tejocotes
A traditional fruit grown in Mexico that tastes something like an apple mixed with a pear and is essential to authentic ponche. Look for them in Mexican markets. They will be fresh in the produce section or jarred in syrup.
December 2025 Challenge Ingredient Recipe Is:
An authentic Mexican Ponche Navideno recipe perfect for Christmas! This mulled tropical fruit punch will warm you with flavors of guava, citrus, and hibiscus. Serve it without alcohol or add a touch of brandy or añejo tequila to each cup!
How It Works
At the beginning of each month, check this page for the new challenge ingredient and recipe, or sign up for the ¡Hola! Jalapeño Challenge Ingredient Contest Emails so you’re alerted as soon as a new challenge recipe is published. At the end of the month, 1 winner is selected at random and announced on this page and by email.
- Cook the assigned recipe using the challenge ingredient.
- Take a photo of your finished recipe and email it to me at: kate@holajalapeno.com.
- Leave a review in the comment section (see below) and a star rating on the recipe page using the same email address you used to send the photo. This is the last step. Your entry won’t be counted until you’ve completed this step.
- Submit your entry before 11:59PM Eastern on the last day of the month to be entered to win a $150 Amazon gift card. Winners will be notified the next week by email and announced in the newsletter.
Challenge Ingredient Cooking Contest FAQ’s
Can I upload multiple photos for multiple entries? No, you can only enter one photo for one entry per person.
How is the winner chosen? The winner is chosen at random. Quality of photo or dish is not taken into consideration.
What if I can’t find the challenge ingredient? Some of the challenge ingredients may be hard to find depending on where you live. The challenge recipes are optional, so if you’re not able to find the ingredients or don’t want to make the assigned recipe, you do not have to participate. Or, you can try the assigned alternate recipe linked above. I try to make the alternate recipe an easier-to-find option. You still can only submit 1 entry. You cannot enter with the challenge recipe AND alternate recipe in 1 month.
How do I sign up for the ¡Hola! Jalapeño Challenge Ingredient Contest Email? Sign up for the ¡Hola! Jalapeño Challenge Ingredient Contest Email here. If you are already a ¡Hola! Jalapeño email subscriber, you will receive an email notification of when a new challenge recipe is published at the beginning of each month. However, to receive the Challenge Ingredient Contest reminders during the month, plus an end-of-the-month recap, you’ll want to be on the Challenge Ingredient email list, too! Sign up here.
Don’t Forget To Leave A Star Rating And Comment 👇
The star rating is located at the top of the recipe box, just click the number of stars you think the recipe deserves. To leave a comment, scroll all the way to the bottom of each recipe post until you see the comment box. This is the final step to enter:
November’s Winner: Adrienne L.
Recipe: Pepita & Ancho Chile Stuffing
This Pearl Onion and Pumpkin Seed Stuffing is everything you love about a good stuffing—torn chunks of toasted bolillo bread, golden brown edges, sweet pearl onions, and a mountain of butter all come together in this ultimate vegetarian stuffing recipe for the holidays.
See all previous Challenge Ingredient Recipes!
This is a fab recipe for these seasonal squash blossoms!
Congrats to Adrienne, that soup looks wonderful.
Didn’t get a chance to make this yet, yet, it’s on my list to make.
Other ingredients – how about how about Purslane? or Mexican Marigold?
cheers,
Fred
The house smells so good when cooking the dry corn to make the hominy. Then again when simmering the turkey stock. The absolutely amazing aroma when serving the pozole. Definitely a keeper in our home and looking forward to making again, and again.
cheers,
Fred