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This Mexican candy shot recipe is a fun and festive way to bring the flavors of Mexico to your next gathering, especially Cinco de Mayo. These sweet and tart shots are a delicious blend of mango, tequila, and chamoy sauce, garnished with a spicy tajín and sugar rim. It’s a real Mexican treat in liquid form!
If you’re looking to change up your drinks from the same old basic shots of liquor, this recipe is definitely for you. It’s an especially big hit at any get-together with girlfriends; why have burning shots of straight alcohol when you can have these candy-flavored shots instead?
If you want to make more delicious drinks, you’ll definitely enjoy my easy sweet tart shots. They taste just like SweeTarts candies! Be sure to also try my strawberry lemonade vodka shots for a fun and refreshing summer drink.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Contrasting Flavors: The flavors are so delicious and the contrast really makes these shots special. Salt and chile really showcase the sweet fruit flavor and you’ll love the Mexican candy flavor they have.
Festive: The only thing more fun than the Mexican candy shots is the holiday you’re celebrating when you make them. These shots are a full-on flavor party, which makes them perfect for Cinco de Mayo, or any other day you want to feel like you’re on a tropical vacation.
Easy to Make: There’s no fussy cocktail shaker required for these Mexican candy shots. Just blend up the ingredients and you’re ready to start pouring. You can have your sweet and tart shot in just 5 minutes!
Mexican Candy Shot Recipe Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Chile-Lime Seasoning: This ingredient adds a spicy, tangy twist to the rim, contrasting the sweet sugar to make it a real Mexican treat.
Frozen Mango: This is the base of the shot and adds a sweet, tropical flavor.
Orange Juice: The mango-flavored orange juice (such as Simply Orange Juice with Mango) adds a citrusy punch to the shot.
Tequila: A silver tequila is used here to add a strong boozy kick.
Chamoy: This is a spicy Mexican condiment and adds a spicy, salty twist to the shot.
Dried Mango: This optional ingredient is used to garnish the shot. A piece of sweetened, dried mango is rimmed around the edge of the glass for a beautiful and colorful touch.
How to Make Mexican Candy Shots
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Prepare the Tajín-Sugar Rim: On a shallow plate, mix the sugar and chile-lime seasoning.
Prep Shot Glasses: Dip the rim of your shot glass into lime juice or swipe a lime wedge around the rim of your glass. Dip the dampened rim of the glass into the prepared Tajín-sugar, making sure the mixture covers the entire rim.
Prepare the Mango Mixture: In a blender pitcher or cup of a handheld immersion blender, blend the frozen mango, mango-flavored orange juice, tequila, and agave nectar until smooth.
Assemble the Mexican Candy Shot: Drizzle about 2 teaspoons of chamoy along the inside of your prepared shot glass. Fill the glass with the mango mixture.
Garnish: If desired, garnish with a piece of sweetened dried mango rimmed with chile-lime seasoning and a wedge of lime.
Substitutions and Variations
Spicier: If you like it hot, add a few dashes of hot sauce to the recipe or sprinkle in some extra chile-lime seasoning.
Virgin: Simply omit the tequila for a delicious, alcohol-free version that’s perfect for designated drivers or anyone avoiding alcohol.
Smoky: Swap the silver tequila for a mezcal to give your shot a deliciously smoky twist.
Raspberry: Replace the mango with frozen raspberries and use raspberry-flavored orange juice instead of mango-flavored juice for a fruity variation.
More lime: Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice to the mango mixture for an extra citrusy twist.
Serving Suggestions
Appetizer: Serve your Mexican Candy Shots as a fun and unexpected starter for your next Mexican-themed dinner party. They’re perfect alongside dishes like air fryer beef taquitos or shrimp ceviche.
Snacks and Dips: You’ll also love them with some Mexican street corn nachos or this Mexican 5-layer bean dip. Smoked elote is a great option too!
Other Drinks: Looking for other delicious drinks? This jalapeño margarita cocktail is absolutely delicious as well!
How to Store Mexican Candy Shot Recipe
Store: Mango candy shots are best enjoyed fresh, but if you find yourself with leftovers, simply cover the shot glasses with plastic wrap and pop them into the fridge for up to 2 days.
Freeze: I don’t recommend freezing these shots due to the alcohol content. Since it only takes 5 minutes to whip them up, I recommend making it fresh.
Top Tips
Choose the Right Mango: If you’re using fresh mango instead of frozen, look for a ripe, juicy one. The mango flavor is the star of this shot, so you want it to be as flavorful as possible.
Blend Thoroughly: Whether you’re using a pitcher blender or a handheld immersion blender, make sure to blend the mango mixture until it’s smooth and all the ingredients are well combined. This will guarantee a consistent texture and flavor in every shot.
Don’t Rush the Rimming Process: Rimming your shot glass with the Tajín-sugar mixture is what gives this drink its distinctive sweet and spicy twist. Take your time to make sure the rim is evenly coated for the best flavor with every sip.
Mexican Candy Shots FAQs
For this Mexican candy shot recipe, coarse sugar such as turbinado or demerara works best. It provides a nice, sweet crunch to contrast the spicy Tajín seasoning.
It’s best to make them just before serving, as they’re meant to be enjoyed ice-cold and the rim can soften if prepared too far in advance. But you can prepare the chile-mango mixture in advance and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to make the shots.
Chamoy is a Mexican condiment made from fruit, such as apricot, and is flavored with chiles and lime. It has a sweet, spicy, and sour flavor. You can find it in the international aisle of well-stocked supermarkets or in Mexican grocery stores.
Absolutely! Just omit the tequila and you’ll have a delicious, alcohol-free version of this spicy-sweet treat.
The key is to use a damp cloth to wipe the rim of the shot glass before dipping it into the sugar-Tajín mixture. Then, hold the glass at an angle and gently rotate it in the mixture to coat the rim evenly. This should help minimize any mess.
Chile Mango Mexican Candy Shots Recipe
Chile Mango Mexican Candy Shots
Ingredients
For the Tajín-Sugar Rim:
- 2 Teaspoons granulated sugar, coarse, such as turbinado or demerara
- 2 Teaspoons chile-lime seasoning, such as Tajín Clásico Seasoning
- 1 Wedge lime, or lime juice
For the Chile-Mango Mexican Candy Shot:
- 4 Ounces mango, frozen chunks, about 1 cup
- 2 Ounces orange juice, mango-flavored, such as Simply Orange Juice with Mango
- 2 Ounces tequila, silver, such as Olmeca Altos Plata Tequila
- ½- Ounce agave nectar, such as Tres Agaves Organic Agave Nectar
- 3 Tablespoons chamoy, such as Tajín Chamoy Mild Sauce
- Wedge mango, Sweetened dried, for garnish, optional
Instructions
For the Tajín-Sugar Rim:
- On a shallow plate, mix together sugar and chile-lime seasoning.
- Dip the rim of your shot glass into lime juice or swipe a lime wedge around the rim of your glass. Dip the dampened rim of the glass into the prepared Tajín-sugar, assuring the mixture covers the entire rim.
For the Chile-Mango Mexican Candy Shot:
- To the pitcher of a blender (or the cup of a handheld immersion blender), add frozen mango, mango-flavored orange juice, tequila, and agave nectar. Blend until smooth.
- Drizzle about 2 teaspoons of chamoy along the inside of your shot glass. Immediately fill glass with mango mixture.
- If you wish, run a lime wedge along the edge of a piece of sweetened, dried mango and dip it into the chile-lime seasoning. You can place it on top of the shot glass as a garnish.
Notes
Nutrition
Consider these amazing chile mango Mexican candy shots for your next Cinco de Mayo party or get-together. The chamoy and tajín pair beautifully with the tequila and fruit juice, making these spicy mango tequila shots something extra-special.
Other Recipes To Try
- Check out these Cinco de Mayo Recipes for other great ideas.
- For a tropical drink, try this Tropical Pineapple Mango Smoothie.
- If you want to try another shot drink that’s sweet and delicious, these Banana Cream Pie Rum Pudding Shots are a great choice!
- Anyone who likes south-of-the-border flavors might also enjoy this beanless chili, taco stuffed zucchini boats, or these Mexican carnitas!
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
I was so curious to try this one and I am glad that it was as good as I had imagined! Thanks for sharing the rrecipe.
How much fun! I made these for a girls night and they were a hit. So creative!
Saving this for our next family get together. I bet everyone is going to love them!
I could use a shot like this! I must try it!
This looks amazing, I love the colours and it looks delicious
I must try these! They sound delicious