10 Mexican Snacks You've Got to Try
Questions This Article Answers
What snacks are popular in Mexico?
What does botanas mean?
Is Mexican marzipan the same as Spanish marzipan?
Do people eat churros in Mexico?
Are Takis Mexican?
1. Takis
Now available across the globe, Takis(Taquis) are one of the most popular commercially produced Mexican snacks. They’re essentially rolled-up corn chips that are coated in a spicy powder. The classic Fuego(Fire) flavor combines two Mexican staples: chile(chili) and limón(lime). However, the product line has expanded to include flavors based on burgers, chicken wings, guacamole, fajitas, and cheese, just to name a few.
2. Alegrías de Amaranto
A literal translation of these classic snacks—amaranth joys—perfectly describes these tasty bars. They’re made with a base of puffed amaranto(amaranth), a tiny protein-rich grain similar to quinoa(quinoa), that’s toasted and mixed with a sweetener, usually miel(honey) or piloncillo(unrefined brown sugar).
After being pressed into a mold to form a bar, they’re often topped with cacahuates(peanuts), pepitas(pumpkin seeds), and pasas(raisins). A chocolate version made by mixing cocoa powder with the amaranth and sweetener is also a popular choice.
3. Pan Dulce
Literally translated as sweet bread, pan dulceis a category of sweet pastries and breads that come in a wide variety of shapes and flavors. Due to the presence of the French in Mexico in the 19th and early 20th centuries, Mexican bakers adopted French baking techniques and created this category of tasty treats. There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of varieties of pan dulce, but perhaps the most popular is the concha(shell), which gets its name from the distinct shell shape made from a crunchy sugar topping that is pressed into the top of the lightly sweetened bread. You can find conchas in almost any flavor you want; the most common versions are flavored with vanilla or flor de azahar(orange blossom).
4. Chicharrones de Harina
You may have heard of chicharrón(pork cracklings), the salty, crunchy fried pork skin that can be bought in large sheets or small snack-sized pieces. But chicharrones de harina(flour chicharrones) are actually made from wheat flour, not pork skin.
They start out as a hard flour-based shape, kind of like dried pasta, that can take the form of strips, sticks, or the highly popular wagon wheels. They’re then fried in oil until they puff up into a crunchy snack that’s typically topped with salt, lime juice, and chile or hot sauce (or both for extra spice).
5. Papitas con Limón y Sal
You’ve almost certainly eaten papitas(potato chips, crisps) before. But have you tried squeezing lime juice over them? To make papitas con limón y sal, potato chips are dressed up with salt, a healthy squeeze of lime, and even a good dose of hot sauce. The Valentina brand of hot sauce is a popular choice.
6. Mazapán
Mazapán(marzipan) is a classic Mexican sweet treat that you can buy in any corner store or from street vendors. The well-known brand de la Rosa(of the Rose) started making this tasty candy in the 1950s, and kids and adults alike still enjoy the original recipe. It was inspired by Spanish mazapán, which is made from almonds, sugar, and eggs that are blended into a paste and formed into shapes that are then baked.
In order to produce a cheaper version, since almonds tend to be expensive, the Mexican company settled on peanuts as the base of their candy. They also omitted eggs from the recipe, so the sweet actually only has three ingredients: peanuts, sugar, and artificial flavoring.
De la Rosa marzipan is quite crumbly in texture, so be careful when you open the little round package containing this popular treat!
7. Churros
Churros(churros) are a type of fried dough that originated in China and then made its way to España(Spain) and later Mexico via Portugal. When the Spanish came to what is now Mexico, they discovered the drinking chocolate that was made by the indigenous Olmec people and brought it back to Spain. And that’s how churros con chocolate(churros with chocolate) became a classic snack.
In the 20th century, churros gained in popularity in both Mexico and Spain. In Mexico, there are a few different varieties of churros to choose from. They can be served with a dusting of cinnamon and sugar, perfect for dunking into a cup of thick hot chocolate or enjoyed with a cup of coffee, or they can be stuffed with delicious fillings like chocolate or dulce de leche(caramel).
8. Chamoyadas
Though actually a beverage, chamoyadas(chamoyadas) are a popular Mexican snack that are perfect for the hottest days of summer. A delightful combination of sweet, sour, and spicy flavors, chamoyadas are essentially slushies made from fresh mango, strawberry, watermelon, or other fruits with a good amount of the tangy, spicy chamoy(chamoy) sauce mixed in.
What Is Chamoy?
Chamoy is everywhere in Mexico, often mixed into beverages and drizzled on fruit or salty snacks like chips and nuts. It’s a tangy, spicy flavor bomb made from pickled fruit—often apricots, mango, or plums—sugar and chile. The consistency ranges from a liquid to a paste, with the paste version often being used to coat the rim of cups or drinking straws to add a flavorful punch to drinks.
9. Jicaletas
The word jicaleta(jicaleta) is a combination of jicama(jicama) and paleta(popsicle). It consists of a large slab of the crunchy, white root vegetable on a stick (like a popsicle) that is coated in chamoy and then doused in neon-colored sugars that come in different flavors. You can also add tajínto a jicaleta , which is a seasoning mix made from chile, salt, and lime.
Jicama tastes a bit like an apple but is not quite as sweet, so it’s a perfect blank canvas for all of the toppings listed above!
10. Chapulines
Possibly the most unconventional snack on this list, chapulines(grasshoppers) are crispy grasshoppers that are pan-toasted or fried and often tossed with salt, lime juice, and chile or Valentina hot sauce. They can be used as a filling for dishes like tacos and quesadillas, but in areas like Oaxaca and Central Mexico, they’re also often eaten as a snack, just like you’d eat popcorn or chips.
¿Listo para botanear? (Ready to get snacking?) We hope you are after learning about these classic Mexican snacks! ¡Bueno provecho!(Bon appétit!)
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