Mexican Chamoy Dip

If you’re a fan of Mexican food, you’ve got to try this delicious Chamoy dip recipe.

This dip is savory, sweet and spicy, and is one of Mexico’s favorite condiments, typically paired with fruits, drinks and snacks.

I love making sauces, dips and condiments in my kitchen. My refrigerator is almost always stocked with my all time favorites- avocado ranch sauce and chili crisp and recently, I felt inspired and tried my hand at this easy Chamoy dip.

The dip actually turned out even better than I expected- it had just the right balance of sweetness, heat and tartness, and was a total hit in my household.

Jump to:

What's So Great About the Recipe?
Ingredients
How to Make the Mexican Chamoy Dip
Substitutions & Variations
💭Top Tip
Equipment
How to Store the Leftover Mexican Chamoy Dip
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
How to Serve the Mexican Chamoy Dip
FAQs
Related Recipes
Mexican Chamoy Dip
Food Safety

What's So Great About the Recipe?

What I love the most about this Chamoy sauce is the fact that it is super versatile. I can pair it with almost anything that needs a little pick me up on the flavor front.

The sauce is gluten free, vegan and super healthy too- which is why I love serving it whenever I’m entertaining.

Ingredients

Dried apricots: Authentic Chamoy dip usually had a dried fruit as a base. I’ve used dried apricots, but you could also use dried prunes, plums or even dried peaches- whatever you can get your hands on.

Dried chilies: Ancho chilies are typically used to make Chamoy sauce. I used dried Kashmiri red chillies, because that’s what I had at hand and I love how they lend a mild spicy kick to the sauce.

Brown sugar: I’ve used brown sugar to add some sweetness to the sauce and to balance out the other flavors. You can use cane sugar, honey or agave if you don’t have brown sugar.

Lime juice: Lime juice ties up all the other flavors in the sauce beautifully, and in my opinion, it is an absolute must for the recipe. If you don’t have lime juice, you can use a dash of apple cider vinegar to lend some sourness to the sauce.

Dried Hibiscus flowers: Flor de Jamaica aka dried hibiscus flowers are another crucial part of this Chamoy dip. They have a nice tart flavor and lend the sauce a beautiful red color.

Chili powder: I like to add a bit of chili powder for the extra heat and to make the sauce more brightly colored. You can skip this if you want to.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to Make the Mexican Chamoy Dip

apricot, hibiscus flower and dried chilies in a pan

In a medium saucepan, add the apricots, hibiscus flowers and dried chiles with water and cook for 20 minutes over low heat until they soften.

add all the powdered spices to the pan and cook

Allow the mixture to cool down completely and add all other ingredients in.

Using an immersion blender, blend the mixture to a smooth paste, adding water if needed to loosen the mixture.

Pass the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any pulp, and transfer to an airtight glass container before you refrigerate.

Substitutions & Variations

If you don’t have the Ancho chilies that the recipe calls for, you can use any other dried chilies of your choice. Arbol chilies, pasilla and guajillo are all great choices too!
To make a sugar free version of this Chamoy dip, just omit the sugar and use stevia if you really want that sweetness.
If you don’t have lemon juice and don’t want to add vinegar to the sauce, you can consider using some tamarind pulp to bring some tartness and sourness into the sauce.
To make this Chamoy sauce have a smoky flavor, use chipotle meco or chipotle morita chilies.

💭Top Tip

Soak the dried chillies in warm water for about 20 minutes and then use them for the recipe. This will help make cooking them much easier.

Equipment

How to Store the Leftover Mexican Chamoy Dip

The best part about this easy Chamoy dip is its long shelf life. If stored correctly, it can last for 4 weeks, if not more.

You can store the dip in an airtight container or a glass container with an airtight lid before refrigerating it. Doing this will help preserve its freshness.

Also make sure you use a clean container and always use a clean spoon to remove and serve the sauce. This will help maximize its shelf life.

You can also freeze the Chamoy dip if you want to store it for longer. Just remember to use a freezer safe container to prevent freezer burn.

delicious Chamoy dip with some hibiscus flowers in the background

Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe

If the refrigerated Chamoy dip seems to have thickened, you can loosen it up by adding some water or lime juice into it.
Remember to use the best quality ingredients to make the Chamoy sauce. This will really help the flavors shine through.
Use a high power immersion blender to process all the ingredients into a smooth paste.
If you want, you can also deseed the dried chillies and then use them for the recipe.
Add the lime juice towards the end, after you're done blending it together, especially if you want the dip to have a more pronounced lime flavor.
To lend some extra flavor and deliciousness to the sauce, you can also add a bit of Tajin spice into the mix if you want to.
If your defrosted Chamoy dip seems to have become grainy and has a bit of texture, don’t worry- it is natural! Just reheat it on low heat and add a bit of water to adjust its consistency.

How to Serve the Mexican Chamoy Dip

This versatile dip can be enjoyed and put to use in tons of different ways.

With Snacks

The simplest way to serve the Chamoy dip is to team them up with practically any snack you’re putting together. You can slather it on some grilled corn or grilled pineapple, or serve them with your homemade French fries or oven roasted veggies- it is super versatile that way.

As a Marinade

This versatile dip can also double up as a marinade for your grilled meats and proteins. I love using it during the hot summer months, when I fire up the grill and experiment. The sauce lends a beautiful glaze to your meats and infuses them with a delightful sweet and savory flavor.

With Chips

This one’s my favorite! I love pairing this flavorful dip with some potato chips, and when I’m in the mood to spend a few extra minutes, I add in some chopped chopped cucumber and mango too, making my quick version of the famous Mexican street food- Tostilocos.

As an Ice Cream Topping

It may sound surprising, but this Chamoy dip can actually be a wonderful ice cream topping too. You can drizzle it over some shaved ice and turn it into a nice sorbet or over some basic vanilla ice cream to make it more flavorful and turn it into a unique dessert experience, which can be great if you have some guests over.

As a Salad Dressing

You can combine a spoonful or two of the Chamoy sauce with some olive oil and chopped herbs of your choice and turn it into a super flavorful and unique salad dressing that will knock your socks off with its deliciousness.

With Veggies

Veggie sticks can also be paired with this easy dip. Baby carrots, stir fried zucchini and cucumber sticks are all great veggies to enjoy with this flavor loaded dip.

With Fruits

This flavorful Chamoy dip can actually be teamed up with fresh fruits too! It can really amp up the flavors of fruits like mangos, strawberries, jicama, apples and melons.

FAQs

Can I Store the Chamoy Dip at Room Temperature?

Like most other dips and sauces, Chamoy dip needs to be refrigerated at all times. Keeping it at room temperature will increase its risk of spoilage.

Can I Skip Straining the Chamoy Sauce Mixture?

You totally can! If you don’t mind a bit of texture, you can skip straining the sauce and just straight up use it with some occasionally chunky bits.

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