How to Make Agua de Ciruela (Plum Agua Fresca)
This agua de ciruela is light, refreshing, and the perfect way to enjoy sweet, juicy plums when they’re in season. I make it with three simple ingredients and it’s ready in minutes!
It’s hard to find good plums here in Colorado, and when I saw cherry plums at my local Costco recently, I bought some to eat, and some to recreate a delicious agua de ciruela that I first tasted in Oaxaca. It was made with tiny local plums that were both sweet and tart – a flavor combination that I absolutely love, especially in my aguas frescas.
INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED
The ingredient you’ll need to make this recipe are quite simple, as long as you can get your hands on some good plums! I love using small cherry plums or sugar plums for this recipe, but any variety will work. Once you track down your plums, the only other ingredients you’ll need are water and a little sweetener.
💡FUN FACT: I like to use organic cane sugar, agave, honey, simple syrup, or dates to sweeten my drinks.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Prepare the fruit
- Wash and remove the pits from plums.
Blend ingredients
- Working in batches if necessary, process the plums, sweetener, and 4 cups of water on medium setting for 60 seconds.
Strain ingredients
- Strain the plum water through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a pitcher to remove any seeds or remaining pulp. Stir in remaining 2 cups of water.
Chill and enjoy
- When ready to serve, add to a glass with plenty of ice and garnish with a sliced plum or herbs such as rosemary or mint, if desired.
HOW TO STORE AGUA FRESCA
Store agua fresca in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days, ensuring it stays fresh and chilled. Stir before serving as ingredients tend to settle at the bottom when sitting.
RECOMMENDED BY LOLA FOR THIS RECIPE
Vitamix Professional-Grade Blender
I have owned a Vitamix blender for over 25 years and it is well worth the investment, especially for making aguas frescas, smoothies, and jugo verde! VIEW PRODUCT
LOOKING FOR MORE DELICIOUS MEXICAN DRINKS?
Here are a few of my favorite aguas frescas and drinks!
- How to Make Agua de Guayaba (Guava Agua Fresca)
- Easy Agua de Fresa con Chia (Strawberry Chia Drink)
- How to Make the Best Agua de Sandia con Limon
- How to Make Agua de Chayote (Mexican Chayote Juice)
- How to Make Agua de Sandía (Watermelon Agua Fresca)
- How to Make Agua de Kiwi (Easy Mexican Kiwi Drink)
- How to Make Té de Limón (Easy Lemongrass Tea Recipe)
- How to Make Agua de Naranja Sanguina (Blood Orange Drink)
- How to Make Agua de Pepino (Cucumber Agua Fresca)
- How to Make the Best Agua de Limón y Pepino with Chia
- How to Make the Best Agua Fresca de Limón con Chía
- How to Make Agua de Tuna Verde (Green Prickly Pear)
- How to Make Agua de Limón (Mexican Lime Agua Fresca)
- Agua de Avena (Dairy-Free Mexican Oat Milk)
- How to Make Agua de Piña (Best Pineapple Agua Fresca)
- Agua de Papaya (Papaya Agua Fresca)
- Agua de Naranja (Orange Agua Fresca)
- Mexican Limonada (Refreshing Sparkling Limeade)
- Agua de Tamarindo (Mexican Tamarind Drink)
- Pineapple Agua Fresca
- Pineapple Agua Fresca with Blueberries
- Agua de Melón (Cantaloupe Melon Agua Fresca)
- Agua de Mango (BEST 3-Ingredient Mango Agua Fresca)
- How to Make Iskiate (Hydrating Indigenous Chia Drink)
- Hot Pink Agua de Tuna (Prickly Pear Agua Fresca)
- Naranjada (Sparkling Orange Agua Fresca)
- How to Make Agua de Fresa (BEST Strawberry Agua Fresa)
Best Agua de Ciruela Recipe (Plum Agua Fresca)
Ingredients
- 1 pound plums I prefer small cherry plums, but any variety will work
- ⅓ cup sugar or ½ cup for more sweetness
- 6 cups water divided
- 6 cups ice
Instructions
- Wash and remove the pits from plums.
- Working in batches if necessary, process the plums, sweetener, and 4 cups of water on medium setting for 60 seconds.
- Strain the plum water through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a pitcher to remove any seeds or remaining pulp. Stir in remaining 2 cups of water.
- When ready to serve, add to a glass with plenty of ice and garnish with a sliced plum or herbs such as rosemary or mint, if desired.
A Note from Lola
ON SWEETENERS
- I prefer my aguas frescas to be only slightly sweetened, so feel free to adjust the level of sweetness to your liking or skip the sugar altogether.
- My preferred natural sweeteners include pure cane sugar, simple syrup, honey, agave, or dates.
ON TEXTURE
- Agua fresca is supposed to be light in texture, like a juice. It’s not a nectar, which is why I use plenty of water to thin it out.
Nutrition
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Lola Wiarco Dweck
Lola is a Mexican-American recipe developer, writer, and cooking instructor who loves sharing her culture with the world. Growing up in California and spending summers in Mexico, Lola celebrates her family’s Mexican recipes and vibrant culture through Lola’s Cocina.
Love it! A great way to use those delicious cherry plums!
I find it refreshing and I like plums
Like drinking juice but in a lighter form and less sugar so healthier i must say
Thank you again Lolas cocina
Great to hear – this recipe is so refreshing and I love finding cherry plums when they’re in season.