Mangonada Paletas
These Mangonada Paletas (aka popsicles) feature mango, tequila, orange liqueur, agave nectar, lime juice, chamoy, and tajín in a barely boozy and beautiful mangonada-inspired paleta. You’ll not find a watered-down ice pop, but a fantastically fresh frozen fruity delight… Yes, I love alliteration! You won’t want to miss this easy summer treat.
I don’t drink anymore… I freeze it and eat it like a popsicle.
~~Dean Martin
👩🏻🍳 Tamara Talks – Mango and Chamoy Paletas Inspiration
As a lover of seasonal and local food – especially produce – mangoes get a lot of attention in the summer at Andersen casa. Mangoes are plentiful in McAllen year ’round, but they’re gorgeous in summer. I never tire of them, though I do tire of breaking them down. Fortunately, my hubby loves them enough to do it for me – especially if he’s promised a Boozy Mangonada Paleta for his labor!
I have been playing with a homemade chamoy recipe lately, and looking for ways to use it. Last week, I published a recipe for chamoy glazed salmon. My inspiration for these paletas was the Mexican mangonada. Mangonadas always contain some combination of mango, chamoy, and tajín. I love the fruity, sweet, tart, salty, spicy combination, and you’ll find all of these flavors in my paletas!
My paleta recipe includes tequila and orange liqueur, a combination you’ll find in my mango margarita sorbet. In fact, the fruit portion of these ice pops draws from that recipe. It’s an awesome sorbet, and no water or dairy is added.
Of course I use my own chamoy and tajín, but you will get lovely results if you substitute good quality commercial brands. I know you’re going to love these!
You need to be a little flexible with the recipe. If you pay attention to the process shots, you’ll see that I aimed for 6 paletas, and only got 4. My champagne mangoes had to wait on me, and some of the fruit didn’t make the cut. Had I had more fruit, I would have gotten the 6 paletas. Photo days sometimes go that way… SOUTH!
🍡 Paletas, Popsicles, and Ice Pops
“Popsicles” is like “Crock Pot.” They’re both brand names, and it’s best to avoid using the words in a title. This is a bit of a conundrum for a food blogger, as popsicle is recognized worldwide!
In 1922, a realtor named Epperson (at the age of 29) introduced the Popsicle at a fireman’s ball. It was an instant success. In 1923, he applied for a patent for his “frozen ice on a stick.” 100 years later, the trademark belongs to the Unilever Group.
Given that we’re really not supposed to call them “popsicles,” what should we call them?
- ice pop
- ice lolly
- freezer pop
- paleta
What is a “paleta?”
Paleta translates “little stick” in Spanish. Paletas are more than a water, juice, and colorant confection. YUCK. A paleta is only slightly sweet and loaded with fruit. You may find them spiked with chiles and booze – or not. I’m not a sugar fan, so paletas are probably my favorite summer dessert!
📋 Ingredients Notes
Here is a quick look at the ingredients in the recipe – it’s handy to use at the grocery store or as a summary of what you need. Skip to the recipe for quantities.
- mangoes – The variety of mango is not important. Choose firm fruit with a slight yield when pressed (like an avocado).
- lime juice – Please use fresh-squeezed lime juice! Bottled is not a good substitute.
- tequila – Tequila is optional, and you can omit it if you prefer.
- orange liqueur – I keep Triple Sec on hand for cooking with, so this is what I use. Grand Marnier and Cointreau are popular orange liqueur brands. You can omit if you prefer to avoid alcohol.
- agave nectar – Substitute honey or other liquid sweetener if you prefer.
- fine sea salt
- chamoy – I use my homemade chamoy (or purchased chamoy).
- tajín – One of my most popular posts is this homemade tajín. You can use purchased tajín, or find it near the produce of markets with a large selection of Latino foods.
🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions
- Prepare ingredients – Have chamoy and tajín ready for assembly, and add ingredients for the mango margarita sorbet to a blender.
- Purée until smooth.
- Layer the paletas – Drizzle chamoy on the sides of the molds, a sprinkle of tajín, followed by mango margarita sorbet. Continue layering until your mold is filled within 1/4″ +/- of the top. Place cap, and lightly tap on the counter to remove air bubbles.
- Freeze the paletas – Place in the freezer until frozen solid. Time will vary according to thickness of the molds.
- Enjoy! – Run the molds under warm water for a few seconds, and they should easily slide out.
❓ FAQ
Clearly, I had issues with that! I have 6 molds, and ended up with 4. The mangoes vary in size as do the molds. It’s really hard to quantify. I used 4 champagne mangoes on photo day, but I had to cut off a bit of soft fruit. I think 1 small mango should be about right per person. My mango margarita sorbet calls for 2 cups of mango, and that should make 4 paletas.
The short answer? No. I believe it improves the texture and flavor, and there really isn’t very much in the paletas per serving. No adjustment needs to be made if you omit. Paletas are fruit rathan water or juice.
They’ll keep for months in the freezer, but they won’t last that long. They’re delicious!
No. You’ll still have a delicious paleta if you use the commercial products that I linked to in the Ingredients Notes. However, both ingredients are worth the time, and keep well for future use!
💭 Tips
If you purchase chamoy rather than making it yourself, read the label. Some brands contain a ton of sugar and additives that you don’t want! I like this all natural chamoy with Stevia instead of sugar.
Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. This helps to offset the costs of maintaining my blog and creating awesome content! 😊
As summer heat bears down on the northern hemisphere, these boozy mangonada paletas are calling my name! We’re hitting “real feel” temperatures of 110 degrees. Stay cool and stay safe!
Mangonada Paletas Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 large mangos - about 2 cups cut in chunks
- ¼ cup fresh squeezed lime juice - 3-4 limes
- 1 tablespoon tequila - see notes
- 1 teaspoon orange liqueur - see notes
- 1 tablespoon +/- agave nectar
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- all natural chamoy - see Ingredients Notes in post
- reduced sodium tajín - see Ingredients Notes in post
Instructions
- Put mango through salt into a blender, puree until smooth.
- Starting with chamoy, layer a spoonful or 2 of chamoy, a sprinkle of tajín, and mango purée until just 1/4" +/- below the rim of molds. Tap to remove air bubble.
- Freeze until solid – 3 to 4 hours (varies with mold size).
- Sprinkle with additional tajín as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
NOTE: Macronutrients are an approximation only using unbranded ingredients and MyFitnessPal.com. Please do your own research with the products you’re using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
