Mexican Candy Shot

Get any fiesta started with a round of sweet-and-spicy Mexican Candy Shots. These candy-inspired shots blend tequila, watermelon schnapps and a touch of hot sauce, all rimmed with zesty Tajín seasoning.

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one and buy something, Feast + West receives a small commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are our own. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Mexican Candy Shot: Sweet, sour and spicy

Ah, college — a time of exploration, experimentation, jungle juice and, of course, shots, shots, shots.

Back in those days, we were all about quick fixes and cheap thrills (like cinnamon toast crunch shots). But as an adult, I’ve been delighted that shot recipes have evolved while tastes have matured. These days, I sip them a lot slower though!

The Mexican Candy Shot is a perfect example, inspired by the popular Mexican paleta candy. With flavors of sweet watermelon, zesty lime and spicy chiles, along with a bite of tequila, it’s a party in itself.

Let’s get into everything you need to know to make this sweet and refreshing shot.

More shot recipes: Chocolate Cake Shot • Green Tea Shot • Birthday Cake Shot • Irish Breakfast Shot • Alabama Slammer Shot

Why you’ll love this recipe

You are going to adore this simple shot recipe that has layers of flavor:

• Mexican Candy Shots offer a fun twist on your usual tequila shots.
• These colorful, flavorful shots are perfect for parties.
• The layers of flavor in this shot — zippy tequila, spicy hot sauce, sweet watermelon and tart lime — create a sweet, candy-like experience.

These shots are a great party drink recipe that can be served for tailgates, weekend house parties, Friday nights at home, bachelor/bachelorette parties and Cinco de Mayo fiestas. You can even double the recipe and enjoy it as a Mexican Candy Margarita or Martini (or go all in and have a real Mexican Martini).

What is a Mexican Candy Shot?

Also called the Paleta Shot and the Mexican Lollipop Shot, the Mexican Candy Shot is an alcoholic shooter recipe made with tequila, watermelon pucker and hot sauce, plus a spicy Tajín or Chamoy rim.

While the exact origin of this shot recipe is murky, the idea behind it is not. The flavors are inspired by a real Mexican candy known as Rebanaditas paleta con chile. These are watermelon-flavored lollipops that are dipped in a mild chili seasoning for a sweet-and-spicy experience.

Shot recipes like the Mexican Candy Shot and the Gummy Bear Shot are a favorite at parties and bars.

Tools & glassware

Ready to make your own Mexican Candy Shots? Here’s what you will need:

• Shallow bowl or plate: You’ll need something to rim the shot glasses. You can also use a bar mat with spaces for rimming.
• Shot glasses: Ideally, use 1.5-ounce shot glasses. But if you’re making a big batch (versus just one at a time), any size will work.
• Cocktail shaker: This is the easiest way to combine the ingredients for a few shots at a time.

Ingredients

You only need a few simple ingredients to make this Mexican Candy Shot recipe. Here’s what to grab at the grocery store:

• Tequila: Pick up a blanco tequila for these. Some people use vodka in these shots, but tequila is Mexican, so it makes the most sense. However, I hear that the Spicy Tamarind Smirnoff Vodka is a good choice, though I’ve not tried it.
• Watermelon schnapps: Also called Watermelon Pucker, this pink melon-flavored liqueur has a delicious summery flavor and hot pink color. If you can’t find it, watermelon juice mixed with simple syrup can work too.
• Hot sauce: My favorite hot sauce to have on hand for anything is Cholula, but there are many options. Valentina, Tapatio or Tabasco are all great brands to try with these. You can make them as spicy or mild as you like!
• Chili-lime seasoning: Dusted onto the rim of each shot glass, chili-lime seasoning adds an extra salty-spicy kick to these shots. You can make your own with chili powder or pick up a bottle of Tajín, a Mexican brand of this seasoning. Alternatively, you can rim the glasses with Chamoy.

If you like, you can garnish them with a lime wedge (or a lightly charred lime wedge like mine — I love my cocktail smoker so much!).

Best tequila

Blanco, or silver tequila, is best for these shots because it is clear and colorless, letting the pink watermelon color shine.

Gold tequila has added caramel color to make it appear aged, and it will alter the color of these pretty pink shots. I don’t recommend it for these, but it will taste just fine if you use it.

My favorite tequila brands right now are Sauza, El Jimador and Lunazul, but use your favorite!

Variations and substitutions

With vodka: Use plain vodka instead of tequila or use a flavored vodka like Smirnoff Tamarindo, which is a tamarind-flavored vodka.

Spicier shots: Use jalapeño-infused tequila or use a spicier hot sauce like El Yucateco. It’s made with habanero peppers, which are spicier than jalapeños.

Milder shots: Use less hot sauce or skip it entirely. To me, the chili-lime seasoning isn’t as spicy as hot sauce, so it adds a kick to the shot-drinking experience without overpowering you with spiciness. However, if you’re sensitive to chili-lime seasoning, you can use a regular salt rim.

Cocktail version: Double the recipe and pour it into a margarita glass to make this a cocktail. We’ll call it the Mexican Candy drink, instead.

Other flavors: Have fun with other flavors, like strawberry schnapps, mango schnapps or peach schnapps.

Instructions

Ready to make a round of Mexican Candy Shots? Let’s go! You can make just one, or you can mix up a few at a time in your shaker.

First, rim the shot glasses. Place Tajín seasoning on a plate. Rub a lime wedge around the edge of the glass or dip it in lime juice and shake off any excess. Roll the rim of the glasses in the seasoning to coat the rim.

Then, fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice cubes. Add tequila, watermelon schnapps and a dash or two of hot sauce to the shaker — or as much as you like. Shake vigorously until well-chilled.

Strain into the prepared shot glasses and enjoy! Always enjoy alcoholic shots responsibly, please.

Tips & tricks

Here are some tips and tricks for making this recipe:

• Chill your shot glasses before rimming them with Tajín seasoning to keep them nice and cold.
• Adjust the amount of hot sauce according to your spiciness preference. Start with a small dash and add more if you like it hotter.
• Serve them immediately after shaking to enjoy them at their freshest and most flavorful.

Food pairings

Mexican candy shots are, of course, more fun with homemade Mexican candy! You can also serve them with fresh watermelon.

For a party, serve up some other Mexican foods like pork tacos, guacamole or queso fundido.

For dessert, some margarita bars would be fantastic.

FAQ

More tequila recipes

• Tequila Sunrise
• Texas Margarita
• Mexican Mule
• Tequila Old-Fashioned