Make your own Chamoy Sauce with this easy recipe! It’s Mexico’s favorite condiment used in so many ways: on fruit, drinks, snacks and even main dishes.
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Homemade Chamoy Sauce
I probably been eating eating this popular Mexican condiment since I was 3 years old… errr, well close enough lol!
What is Chamoy Sauce? Mexican Chamoy is a popular sauce made from dehydrated fruit such apricot, mango or plums (or a combination of these), chili powder, salt, sugar, and a little citrus juice. It is undoubtedly one of the favorites condiments in Mexico as it is neither too spicy nor too sweet, chamoy achieves a perfect balance when added to any food.
My favorite kind is always homemade of course and I developed this recipe so that you can taste how delicious the home version is. Plus it’s better for you since it’s free of preservatives and food colorants!
This Mexican sauce is quickly gaining popularity in the United States and the rest of the world. But it has been a classic sauce in Mexico since the early 1970s. You can’t go to Mexico and not see every street vendor selling snacks without Chamoy!
I love to impress my guest by serving Chamoy drizzled on Chicharrones De Harina, in Mangonada, Tostilocos, Sandia Loca, on seasonal fruit or veggies like carrots and celery, also on the edge of a glass as a rim dip for refreshing Mexican drinks or a cocktail glass.
I have no doubt you’ll impress them too!
🩷 xoxo, Ana
**This post was originally published on August 2020. It has been updated to be more helpful.
Fun fact! Did you know that its origin is from Japan? This sauce was inspired from umeboshi, a traditional Japanese recipe made with pickled plums (ume plums).
What Does It Taste Like?
It’s like sweet and sour sauce but more and better! Chamoy is sweet, sour, salty, spicy, and a little tart.….the perfect combination of flavors. Since it does contain chili powder it has a spice flavor. However, it’s not “hot” since it’s balanced with the sweetness of the prunes, apricots and sugar.
Ingredients notes:
**A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.**
How to make this Chamoy recipe
Making your own could not be easier! It’s all about finding the perfect ingredient ratios to accommodate your taste. Let’s get started!
- Start by cooking all ingredients in a medium saucepan including the water.
Do not add the lime juice yet. Cook all ingredients in saucepan except the lime juice.
- Bring all ingredients to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes. Turn off heat and rest until cooled off before blending. About 10 minutes.
- Add everything to a blender including the lime juice and blend well.
- Check for the liquid consistency: Add a few more tablespoons of water for a more liquidy consistency if you prefer. There is no need to strain the sauce as the pulp adds a wonderful texture to this recipe.
The brownish color (instead of red like the store-bought bottled stuff), comes from using dark prunes and not using any artificial food coloring.
Storage
Fridge: Once the the sauce is done and cooled off, you can transfer it into a lidded jar and store it in the fridge for up to 6 to 8 weeks.
Freezing: When freezing this Mexican condiment, it is important to remember that the sauce will thicken and may become slightly grainy in texture. This is perfectly normal and will not affect the flavor of the sauce.
Simply reheat the sauce on the stove over low heat until it reaches the desired consistency. It can be frozen for up to six months without any significant degradation in quality. However, for best results, it is advisable to use the sauce within three months of freezing.
What Do You Eat Chamoy with?
Let me start by saying that Chamoy & Chili Lime Seasoning are BFFs! This is the perfect combo to elevate anything you add it to. It’s the DELICIOUS!!!
- Use as a marinade on grilled or roasted pork.
- Chamoy con fruta (fresh fruit) like watermelon, fresh mango, pineapple, jicama, apples, coconut, and many more!
- To snack on vegetables like carrots & celery.
- Drizzle it on paletas (popsicles), raspados or sorbet.
- It’s the perfect healthy snack with cucumbers, carrots, celery and even grilled corn.
- On candies
- On Chamoyadas
Print Recipe:
Best Homemade Chamoy Sauce
Equipment
- Blender
- Medium saucepan
Ingredients
- ¾ cup dried apricots
- ½ cup prunes - seeded
- ½ cup dried hibiscus flowers
- 3 cups water
- 6 tablespoon homemade chili powder - or chile piquin powder or even tajin
- ¼ cup white sugar
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring all ingredients (except the citrus juice) to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Turn off heat and rest until cooled off. About 10 minutes.
- Add everything to a blender including the lime juice and blend well.
- Check for the liquid consistency: Add a few more tablespoons of water for a more liquid consistency.
- Transfer to glass jars and store in refrigerator. It will last about 2 months.
Your Private Notes
Nutrition
FAQs
Since this chamoy is made with natural ingredients and if eaten in moderation, it’s definitely not bad! While the sugar content is a little high, I always say that everything is bad in large quantities so I enjoy it without any guilt!
This recipe is gluten-free, low fat and vegan.
YES!!! It does not contain any animal products and homemade is even better for you since it does not contain any preservatives or artificial flavorings and color.
In Mexico, any frozen fruit drink garnished with chamoy are known as chamoyadas, whether they are shaved or blended.
They also put sweets like gummies, spicy candies, fresh fruit etc. (Mmmm remembering the taste of something sour like those spicy candies makes my mouth water lol!). Chamoyadas are an explosion of flavors in your mouth!
I can’t wait to try it 😋
I’m so grateful for this simple explanation & recipe! Thx 🙂
YUM!!!
Can this recipe be canned?
Made it loved it, but was a little on the thick side.
I’m confused, you mention 6 Cups of water in the instructions but 3 cups in the actual ingredients. Which is the proper amount?
Gracias!
Hi Mike! Thanks for stopping by and giving homemade chamoy a try! It should actually be 3 cups as the recipe card calls for. The 6 cups under the photo was a typo and it has been corrected. Thanks for the heads up!.
Regarding that it was on the thick side, I agree with that! It’s drier than the bottled stuff since it’s all natural ingredients. However, the beauty of this recipe is that you can make it more liquidy to suit your needs. Just add a little bit of more water at the time until you reach the consistency you like.
Denada and I hope you make it again!
Warmly,
Ana
I made this chamoy sauce recipe for a party and everyone raved about it! It’s definitely much better than store bought chamoy and I get to control how spicy I want it. Thanks for the recipe!
Delicioso Ana!!!
Thank you, Malena!!!
Que Ricura Ana!!!
This is spicy! I would reduce the chili powder to 3 tablespoons. I used 3 limes to get 1/4 cup of juice. I have added 1/4 cup water and know I’ll need at least that much more. The sauce is smooth but thick.
Good
Thank you, Pam!!
Good, but not Sweet enough for me. Added more sugar.
This homemade chamoy was so flavorful and delicious!
Thank you, Paula!!!
I recommend only using Tajin & only 4 tbsp because I don’t like spice & had to sweeten mine a bit.
Thanks for the feedback Gianna!
It is even good on a peanut butter sandwich!
Good to know John, Thanks!!!!
Can you use dried persimmons as a substitute for dried apricots?
I haven’t tried it yet but if the flavor profile is similar, it should work! I have also used dried mango and it tastes amazing! Enjoy!
it is pretty disappointing when it says there’s 90 comments yet only two are shown. Plus she uses a specialty ingredient like it’s hibiscus flower, but doesn’t say where to get it or show a link to it. Normally, when you have special ingredients, most people leave a link. I have not tried the recipe yet cause I got a find a hibiscus flower.
i found the hibiscus flower ( going to buy a pack of tea and open them so i can make it right away. i did some how find some of the other comments, but don’t know how i got there.
Bonnie…
She states right in the beginning that…
“Jamaica (roselle flowers): You can find these in the tea section at most grocery stores.”…
Sometimes one just needs to pay attention as they circumnavigate through life.
Paul
Hibiscus is in every major grocery in the tea aisle, almost always. It’s not a specialty ingredient, you’re just sheltered and incurious about foodstuffs around you. Sorry that you managed to miss the stuff every single time you passed all the tea in the store.
Any Mexican store will have it for sure, u can find Tajin and dried Mangoes which are better for my tummy than prunes that can act like laxative..
Riquisimo!!! Gracias!!!
Gracias a ti por probarlo!!!