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, most commonly the famous Pulparindo candies.
Team it up with some Tajin seasoning, and you’ve got yourself a perfect tangy, spicy and salty flavor bomb that you just won’t get over.
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.
The Chamoy rim dip perfectly balances spicy, sweet and salty flavors that Mexican food is famous for.
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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.
Chamoy is typically used as a rim paste for your margaritas and drinks, but I love drizzling it on my watermelon and using it for other recipes that need a kick of flavor.
Ingredients For the Chamoy Dip Recipe
To make Chamoy rim paste dip, here’s what you’ll need.
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
Got all your ingredients ready? Here’s what you’ll need to do next to make your homemade Chamoy.
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.
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.
How to Make Chamoy Rim Paste
Once you have the Chamoy paste ready, you can put it to use to make a rim dip to go along with any of your mocktails too!
For this, you’ll need some Lucas candy, which is essentially a tamarind candy. If you’re not able to source the Mexican candy, you can use some fresh tamarind pulp instead.
You’ll need to add pulparindo candies to a medium saucepan over medium heat along with 1-2 tablespoons of water and some chamoy paste, and bring to a boil, ideally until the candy starts smoking.
Take the liquid candy off heat and allow it to cool down completely.
You can then dip the top of the glass into the rim paste and then sprinkle more
The classic, TikTok version needs you to use this around the rim of your favorite drinks, and even beer cans or bottles. I love serving it with my homemade seltzers and mocktails.
Substitutions & Variations
- If you don’t have the Ancho chilies that the recipe calls for, you can use any other chili peppers 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 sweet and tart flavor to the dip.
- 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
- Non Stick Frying Pan
- Stainless Steel Frying Pan
- Mixing Bowls
- Food Processor
- Mason Jars
- Serving Spoons
How to Store the Leftover Mexican Chamoy Rim 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 sealed 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.
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 to tone down the spicy flavors, 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.
- When making the rim dip, make sure you taste and adjust the ingredients you’re adding in. You’ll need about 10 pulparindo candies to 1 cup chamoy paste to get the perfect sweet and tangy flavor.
- You can also batch make this paste and freeze for up to 6 months in ice cube trays.
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 Mexican sauce or condiment.
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. I think it would taste amazing with my Mango con Tajin.
FAQs
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.
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.
Related Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Mexican Chamoy Dip
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried apricots
- ½ cup dried hibiscus flowers
- 4-5 dried chiles
- 2 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups water
Instructions
- 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.
- 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.
