How To Make Your Own Chamoy Pickles At Home

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Towards the end of 2022, you couldn't spend even a few minutes on TikTok without scrolling past a creator doing a taste test of the then-viral Chamoy Pickle Kit. While the kit includes a plethora of sweet and spicy ingredients, the star of the show is most definitely the large dill pickle that has been marinated in the Mexican condiment chamoy.

However, for those who don't want to give in to the fairly hefty price tag of $20, the chamoy pickle is fairly easy to make at home. In fact, you really only need two main ingredients: Dill pickles and chamoy. For pickles, we recommend leaving Bubbies on the shelf and instead, choosing our favorite store-bought pickles. You could also use homemade pickles, but be sure to use the correct cucumbers for the crunchiest pickle texture. Chamoy sauce, a sweet and tangy sauce typically made from dried fruit, chili, and lime juicecan be purchased at Mexican grocery stores or online. 

Once you have a jar of pickles, pour out enough brine to add in about a ½ cup of chamoy. If you want more of a spicy kick, Tajín seasoning, a mix of mild chiles, salt, and lime can also be added. After shaking the jar to mix the ingredients, it's important for the pickles to soak in the chamoy mixture for about seven days in the refrigerator. Once the pickles have marinated, they will have transformed into a bright red color, with an unforgettable mix of tangy, salty, sweet, and slightly spicy flavors.

The chamoy pickle kits often include a variety of toppings, which you can buy on your own to dress up the already delicious red pickle. Typical toppings include more Tajín and chamoy sauce, sour candy powder, sour candy straws, Hot Cheetos or Takis, Gushers, and Fruit Roll-Up.

The beauty of a chamoy pickle is that there is an endless number of ways to make it your own. You can choose to focus on more savory toppings like Tajín seasoning and crushed Hot Cheetos or Takis, and finishing with a generous squeeze of lime. Or perhaps, dig into the core of the pickle and pile in Gushers and sour straws. Fruit Roll-Ups can be used to wrap the pickle to contrast the salty, vinegary, and tangy flavors with more sweetness. The key to a good homemade chamoy pickle is using the toppings to find the balance between sweet, sour, salty, and spicy.