This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Make your own homemade Chamoy Sauce! This flavorful Mexican condiment the perfect blend of sweet, tart and spice. Use it in drinks, on fruit, snack and candy!
Love authentic Mexican food recipes? Make sure you check out our Mexican crema, Agua de Jamaica, and fresas con crema recipes.
Why We Love This Chamoy Recipe
Chamoy is a Mexican condiment made of dehydrated fruit, chile peppers, lime, sugar and hibiscus. It’s one of those things that we keep in our fridge at all times! This recipe is:
- Easily adjustable: Want more spice? You can add in some dried arbol chili peppers. Want more sweet? Add in some extra prunes or apricots.
- Many uses: This sauce is great to have on hand for things such as drizzling over fresh fruits, drizzling over some ice cream, using in the place of jam on your toast. More ways to serve this sauce are shared below!
- Long Storage: this will safely keep in your refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 2 months allowing you plenty of time to use it in many different ways!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Hibiscus: Dried Hibiscus flowers are commonly used for making teas or other drinks (like our Agua de Jamaica). When these dried flowers are steeped in hot water they release a tart, almost cranberry like flavoring. Find this ingredient in Mexican markets, the Hispanic section of your local market, or online.
- Prunes & Apricots: This homemade chamoy can be made with dried prunes, dates or raisins. Use these fruits to add sweetness to the sauce.
- Tajin: A popular seasoning made with chili peppers, lime and salt. Use a store-bought version or make our homemade chili lime seasoning mix. If needed you could swap this ingredient out for chili peppers, dried or powder, and increase the amount of salt and lime juice in the recipe to get the taste you are wanting.
- Lime Juice: always go for freshly squeezed lime juice without any additional sweeteners or ingredients added.
Find the complete recipe card below with measurements and full instructions.
How to Make Chamoy
- First, add the dried apricots, prunes, and hibiscus flowers to a pot. Pour water over the top. Stir in the tajin, sugar and a pinch of salt.
- Next, bring this mixture to a simmer and let it cook for about 30 minutes.
- Finally, blend the hibiscus mixture together to make a smooth sauce. Add more or less water as needed to get the desired consistency. Squeeze in the fresh lime juice to taste.
Blending Hot Liquids
Blending hot liquids can easily cause burns. Allow the liquid to cool briefly before placing the lid on the blender. Placing the lid on too soon can cause pressure to build up and cause the lid to come off during the blending process.
Storage Information
- Storage: store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
- Freezer: Freeze in an ice cube tray to easily create one serving amounts, once frozen, remove form the tray and place into a freezer safe bag or storage container for up to 6 months. Simply thaw and use as needed.
How to Use Chamoy
- Drinks: Layer your drinks with chamoy sauce, or top with a drizzle for extra flavor. One of the most popular drinks with chamoy is a Mangonada.
- Rim Dip: Mix the sauce with some melted Mexican tamarind candies to make a paste (Rim Dip Recipe) for use on the rim of your favorite cocktails.
- Fresh Fruit: Try our Watermelon with tajin, or slice up fresh mango, jicama, apples, strawberries.
- Candy: this has become a popular option! Coat your favorite candies for dulces enchilados. Some ideas would include: peach rings, sour candies, gummy bears, skittles, and Gushers.
- Chips: enjoy a homemade Tostilocos, a popular mexican street food. Load up some Salsa Verde Tostitos with spicy Takis, diced up jicama, cucumbers, mango, Japanese peanuts, then drizzle it all with some hot sauce and chamoy.
Recipes with Chamoy
If you make and love our recipes, it would help us if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and YouTube.
Homemade Chamoy Sauce
Sweet, tart, and spicy, this Homemade Chamoy Sauce is easy to make and perfect for drizzling over some fresh fruit or swirling into your fruit smoothies!
Ingredients
- ¾ cup dried apricots (6 ounces)
- ½ cup dried prunes seeded (3 ounces)
- ½ cup dried hibiscus flower petals
- 3¼ cup water
- ⅓ cup tajin seasoning
- pinch of salt
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup lime juice freshly squeezed
Instructions
- Add the apricots, prunes and hibiscus flowers to a medium size saucepan. Pour water over the top. Stir in the tajin, sugar and a pinch of salt.
- Heat over medium heat until simmering, then reduce the heat to medium low, cover and keep at a low simmer for about 30 minutes.
- Remove from heat, and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Pour the hibiscus mixture into a blender and add the lime juice.
- Blend for 2-3 minutes until smooth. Use caution when blending hot liquids, allow to cool briefly before placing the lid on the blender.
- If too thick, add small amounts of water to get desired consistency.
- Serve this over fresh fruit or in smoothies or drinks.
Video
Equipment
Notes
- Dried Hibiscus: dried hibiscus flowers, this is commonly used for making teas or other drinks. When these dried flowers are steeped in hot water they release a tart, almost cranberry like flavoring. They can be found in Mexican markets, in some markets in the Hispanic section, or online.
- Prunes: This recipe can be made with dried prunes, dates or raisins. These are used to help sweeten the sauce.
- Dried Apricots: Find these in the snack aisle in your local markets, they are simply dehydrated apricots, used to add flavor and sweetness to the sauce.
- Tajin: this is a popular seasoning made with chili peppers, lime and salt. If needed you could swap this ingredient out for chili peppers, dried or powder, and increase the amount of salt and lime juice in the recipe to get the taste you are wanting.
- Lime Juice: always go for freshly squeezed lime juice without any additional sweeteners or ingredients added.
- Consistency: use more or less water as needed to make the sauce as thin or thick as you need.
Nutrition
Calories: 109kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.02g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 9mg | Potassium: 307mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 704IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Recipe first published March 8, 2023. Updated April 8, 2024.
Photography by the talented @KJandCompany.co
