Chamoy Rim Dip

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Chamoy rim dip is the perfect way to enhance all of your favorite drinks. The balance of sweet, salty, tangy, and spicy flavors pairs well with hard seltzers, beer, fruit drinks, and much more!

📖 About

If you haven’t come across any of the viral chamoy rim dip videos out there, you are in for a treat today! This sticky paste is used to coat the outside of beer cans, coolers, or cocktail glasses.

Made from a combination of popular Mexican ingredients, it will turn any drink into a taste explosion!

The idea is to have a taste of the rim with each sip (similar to margaritas). This way, you get a boost of different flavors all enhancing your drinking experience.

With so many ways to make chamoy rim paste, we wanted this one to be easy, flavorful, and balanced. We tested a few different ingredient lists and preparation methods, and we ended up with our favorite style to share with you.

This rim paste is the best hot weather companion to pair with ice-cold drinks and the ultimate party favor to liven up any gathering!

History

It’s tough to say when chamoy rim dip came on the scene, but we do know it has definitely become a viral sensation.

Many of the packaged ingredients included in recipes are relatively new, but chamoy itself has been around for a long time. It has a very unique history that you can read about in our chamoy guide.

As for tamarind, it is natively grown in Africa but has since made its way to many Asian and Central American countries (including Mexico). It’s now a popular flavoring in Mexican foods like tamarindo candy and agua de tamarindo.

🌱 Is it vegan?

Yes! This chamoy rim dip recipe is vegan since the ingredient list is made up of only plant-based sources. There are just a few things to watch out for when making it at home:

• Gelatin: If you use additional candies that are not specified in this post, make sure they don’t contain gelatin, which comes from animals.
• Red dye: Red dye (more specifically carmine) is found in some candies, but it is unfortuneately made from ground up beetles. Just check the ingredient list for “carmine” or “cochineal.”

🍲 Ingredients & substitutions

For complete ingredient measurements and instructions, see our recipe card.

• Chamoy: This condiment is prized for its salty, sweet, tangy, and spicy flavors. We prefer homemade chamoy, but you can find store-bought chamoy as well.
• Tajin: Tajin is a brand of a popular seasoning made from chiles, lime, and salt. It’s spicy and incredibly tangy, which is just what this chamoy rim dip needs. You can make your own by using salt, dried lime zest, cayenne, and paprika.
• Pulparindo: One of many tasty tamarind-based candies in Mexico. Tamarind is mixed with chiles, sugar, and salt, giving it a tart, sweet, and slightly spicy flavor. You can use tamarind pods (or paste) mixed with sugar and cayenne as a replacement.
• Cane sugar: Many chamoy rim dip recipes incorporate Lucas candies, but there are a lot of flavors going on in the recipe already. For extra sweetness, we add cane sugar. But, you can use any sweetener you want here.

🔪 Instructions

If you have questions about this chamoy rim dip recipe, check out our FAQs or leave a comment.

Step 1: Add the tamarind candies to a saucepan over low-medium heat to melt them. Make sure to stir the mixture constantly with a spatula so it doesn’t burn.

Step 2: Once the candies have formed a paste, mix in the chamoy sauce and cook it for another few minutes. Lastly, add the chile-lime seasoning and sugar. The rim paste is ready when you can see the bottom of the pan after scraping it (like molasses).

Step 3: Taste and adjust flavors to your liking — chile-lime seasoning for more spice, sugar to balance out the tang and heat, or chamoy to thin it out.

Step 4: Transfer the rim paste into a widemouthed mason jar, bowl, or container and let it cool completely before dipping.

Step 5: Clean the tops of the cans or bottles you’ll be drinking and dip them in your bowl of chamoy rim paste. Sprinkle the tops with more chile-lime seasoning before serving. Happy drinking!

🥗 Serving suggestions

Here are a few of our top ideas on how to use chamoy rim dip:

• For cans: Rim your favorite beer or seltzer cans.
• For glasses: Rim beer glasses or drinks like mangonadas and cantaritos.
• On treats: Drizzle chamoy rim dip on raspados or fruit-based ice cream.
• With fruit: Use it as a dip for fruits like mangoes, apples, or pineapple.
• On snacks: Top snacks like chicharrones de harina, jicama, or dulces enchilados.
• With tacos: Add a dollop to al pastor or quesabirria tacos for a crazy combination.

🌡️ Storage

Chamoy rim dip can easily be stored for later usage by following these simple steps:

• Counter: Store your rim dip in an airtight container for up to 1-2 months.
• Fridge: If you’re not going to use it within a week or two, we recommend storing your dip in the fridge for up to 3 months.
• Freezer: This chamoy rim paste will freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw it on the counter the day before using it again.

♻️ Variations

• Add flavors: Try different Pulparindo flavors like mango, watermelon, chamoy, extra spicy, or regular.
• Make it spicy: For an even spicier chamoy rim dip, add cayenne pepper to taste during the cooking process.
• Use fruit leather: Melt fruit leather like you would Pulparindo to add a unique flavor.
• Use candy: Other popular recipes include Lucas candies. If you feel the urge, you can try adding powdered or liquid candies into your mix.

🍴 Similar recipes

If you love flavorful sauces, check out some of our other popular salsa recipes:

• Salsa verde: Tomatillo green salsa with spicy chiles and fresh cilantro.
• Salsa ranchera: Chunky roasted tomato salsa great for chips and tacos.
• Salsa roja: Classic table salsa made with tomatoes, onion, garlic, and chiles.
• Mango habanero salsa: Sweet, spicy, and addicting sauce made from mango and fiery habanero peppers.