The most refreshing drink you’ll make all summer. Fresh watermelon, strawberries, dragonfruit, and blueberries floating in a dreamy mix of strawberry milk and fizzy Chilsung Cider — this Korean fruit punch is part drink, part dessert, and completely irresistible. Ready in 15 minutes with zero cooking required.
What Is Hwachae?
Hwachae (화채) is a traditional Korean fruit punch that has been enjoyed for centuries — its origins trace back to the Joseon Dynasty, where it was traditionally made by soaking flower petals in water sweetened with honey. These days, the modern version is exactly what you see everywhere on social media: big bowls of fresh seasonal fruit swimming in a sweetened, lightly fizzy liquid base that is one part drink and one part dessert.
The most common versions today use soft drinks like Chilsung Cider — Korea’s answer to Sprite or 7UP — fruit juice, or flavored milk as the base. This recipe uses both: strawberry milk for creaminess and sweetness, and Chilsung Cider for that refreshing fizz that makes hwachae so addictive on a hot day.
What makes hwachae special isn’t just the flavor — it’s the experience. It’s not just a beverage; it’s part drink, part dessert, with chewy add-ins, real fruit chunks, and layered liquids. The coconut jelly adds a satisfying chew alongside the fresh fruit, and the whole thing is served ice-cold, straight from the bowl with a ladle and a spoon.
Hwachae is summer in a bowl — great for summer gatherings and loved by people of all ages
This version uses watermelon and strawberries as the essential base — in my opinion these two are non-negotiable for the best hwachae — plus dragonfruit for stunning visual contrast and blueberries for little bursts of flavor throughout. The result is one of the most beautiful, refreshing things you can put on a table.
Every Ingredient and Why It's Here
Strawberry Milk
Strawberry milk is what gives hwachae its signature creamy blush color and sweet milky base. Any strawberry milk works — individual Binggrae boxes are the most authentic Korean choice and are widely available at Asian grocery stores, but Nesquik or any store-brand strawberry milk is a perfectly good substitute. The individual boxes (about 6-7 oz each) are convenient for measuring — you need about 4 of them for this recipe.
Chilsung Cider
Chilsung Cider (칠성사이다) is Korea’s classic lemon-lime soda — lighter and slightly less sweet than Sprite, with a cleaner finish that doesn’t overpower the fruit. You can find it at any Korean grocery store. Sprite is a direct substitute and works just as well. If you prefer less sweetness, a lemon-lime flavored seltzer water works too — just know the drink will be noticeably less sweet overall, which some people prefer.
Coconut Jelly
Coconut jelly adds the chewy, bouncy texture that makes hwachae so fun and distinctive to eat. It’s sold in jars or pouches at Asian grocery stores — drain the liquid before adding it to the bowl, but save the syrup. If your hwachae needs a little more sweetness at the end, a few tablespoons of that reserved coconut jelly syrup stirred in is the easiest way to adjust it without changing the flavor profile.
Nata de coco (a very similar coconut-based jelly) is the same thing under a different name and is widely available. Lychee jelly or floral jelly cubes also work well and add a beautiful visual element.
How to Make Hwachae
This is genuinely one of the easiest recipes on this blog. There is no cooking, no heat, and no technique required — just chopping, assembling, and chilling. Here’s the full walkthrough:
Step 1 — Prep the fruit
Cut the watermelon and dragonfruit into bite-sized cubes — roughly 1 inch pieces that will fit easily on a spoon. Hull and dice the strawberries into similar-sized pieces. Keep the blueberries whole. The goal is uniformity so every scoop gets a mix of everything.
Step 2 — Build the bowl
Add all the chopped fruit to your largest bowl. Add the drained coconut jelly. Pour in all four boxes of strawberry milk, then open the Chilsung Cider cans and pour them in gently — tipping the can along the side of the bowl helps preserve the fizz.
Step 3 — Taste and adjust sweetness
Give the liquid a gentle stir and taste it. If you’d like it sweeter, add a few tablespoons of the reserved coconut jelly syrup and stir again. This is the easiest way to dial in the sweetness without adding sugar or changing the flavor.
Step 4 — Top with ice and serve
Add a generous amount of ice directly to the bowl — you want the hwachae very cold. Ladle into individual cups or bowls and hand out spoons. Hwachae is meant to be eaten as much as drunk, so a spoon is not optional.
Make it ahead
Chop the fruit and refrigerate up to a day ahead. Add the milk, cider, and coconut jelly right before serving — never in advance, or the cider goes flat and the fruit gets waterlogged. The ice goes in last, right at the table.
Customizations for Hwachae
- Swap the fruit
Watermelon and strawberry are the non-negotiable base in my opinion — they define the flavor and color. But beyond that, use whatever is ripe and in season: mango, kiwi, raspberries, grapes, melon, peaches, or lychee all work beautifully.
- Swap the milk
Any strawberry milk works. For a dairy-free version, use strawberry oat milk or strawberry almond milk. For a creamier result, swap half the strawberry milk for a can of coconut cream.
- Swap the soda
Chilsung Cider and Sprite are interchangeable. For a lighter version, use a fruit-flavored sparkling water — just know it will be noticeably less sweet. A lychee or peach seltzer adds a beautiful flavor dimension.
- Add soju (adult version)
Hwachae makes a stunning party punch. Add 1–2 bottles of soju — strawberry or peach flavored works especially well — after building the bowl. Stir gently and taste before adding more. It’s dangerously drinkable.
**PRO-TIP: Don’t throw away the coconut jelly syrup. It’s naturally sweet and coconut-flavored — a few tablespoons stirred in at the end is the perfect way to bring the whole bowl together if it needs a little more sweetness without making it taste like straight sugar.
Hwachae (Korean Fruit Punch)
Equipment
- knife
- Chopping board
- Large bowl
- Ladle
- Individual cups or bowls
- Spoons for serving
Ingredients
Fruit
- ¼ large watermelon cubed into bite-sized pieces
- 2 lbs fresh strawberries hulled and diced
- 1 dragonfruit cubed into bite-sized pieces
- 1 lb fresh blueberries
The base
- 16 oz coconut jelly drained
- Reserve the syrup for sweetening
- 28 oz strawberry milk about 4 individual boxes
- 2 cans Chilsung Cider Sprite works as a direct substitute
- Ice to serve
Instructions
Prep the fruit.
- Cube the watermelon and dragonfruit into bite-sized pieces. Hull and dice the strawberries. Keep blueberries whole.
Build the bowl.
- Add all the fruit to a large bowl. Add the drained coconut jelly, then pour in the strawberry milk. Gently pour in the Chilsung Cider along the side of the bowl to preserve the fizz.
Taste and adjust.
- Taste the liquid. If you'd like it sweeter, stir in a few tablespoons of the reserved coconut jelly syrup.
- Top with ice and serve.
- Add a generous amount of ice to the bowl. Ladle into individual cups or bowls and serve immediately with spoons.
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