Skip to main content

For a Grown-Up Spin on a Slushy, Try A Mangoneada

Summer drinks call for boozy milkshakes for refreshing summer drinking. Everyone is eager to unwind under the sun by combining cocktail hour and dessert into a single entity. These frozen libations always experience a popularity boost during the warmer months; the resurgence of tiki culture (see Mai Tai drinks) has caused high-brow piña coladas and frozen zombies to appear on beverage lists across the nation.

However, frozen drinks often fall into the trap of excessive sweetness. Lots of pre-made mixes, lots of “fruit juices,” lots of sugary liqueurs. If you instead want an icy and refreshing beverage loaded with natural fruit, we have a suggestion for you: The mangoneada. 

Related Guides

How to Make Mangoneada Slushy

mangoneada slushy
Created by Jacqueline Brody, Antique Taco, Chicago, Illinois Antique Taco

Want to make your own mangoneada? Give this recipe from Antique Taco a shot (haha, see what we did there?):

When asked about her spirit-forward spin on the mangoneada, Brody told us that “[our] mangonada is the perfect evolution from a nostalgic childhood Mexican treat into a crushable cocktail. When I think about what I want to be sipping out on the Antique Taco patio during Chicago’s summer months, this drink is it. Our adult version of the mangoneada has all the original flavors of mango, lime, and chamoy, with a tequila twist. Summertime drinking perfection, if you ask me.”

Ingredients:

  • 4 oz frozen mango
  • 2 oz of mango syrup (Brody prefers Simple Squeeze Mango Reál Syrup)
  • 2 oz of lime juice, strained
  • 2 oz of tequila blanco
  • 6 oz of water
  • Tajín salt, chamoy, diced mango, tamarind straw (for garnish)

Method:

Combine ingredients in a blender. Rim a 16 oz glass with Tajín salt. Lightly pour chamoy onto the sides of the glass. Pour mangoneada in the glass and top with diced mango. Serve with a tamarind straw.

What is Mangoneada?

chamango
Kristine T Pham Photography/Getty Images

Also known as a chamango or mangonada, a mangoneada is a Mexican beverage that conveniently doubles as a dessert. It’s based around mangoes (as the name suggests), with fresh mango forming its foundation, and some renditions also supplement with mango sorbet. Lime juice adds some citrusy tang, and the “secret ingredient” comes in the form of chamoy, a savory Mexican condiment made from dried fruit and powdered chile. After blending the ingredients with a large scoop of ice (or pre-freezing your mango), you get a slushy-style treat packed with fruit flavor and a hint of spice.

In addition to its homeland of Mexico, mangoneadas are proving popular in areas throughout the U.S. with sizable Mexican populations, particularly midwestern states like Illinois and Colorado, southwestern areas like New Mexico and Arizona, and major border regions like Southern California and Texas. 

While the mangoneada isn’t inherently an alcoholic drink, many bartenders like to add a spirited kick to this classic cool-down. Tequila tends to be the spiking liquid of choice, although some mixologists prefer the neutrality of vodka. 

Why Does Mangoneada Deserve More Attention?

“Tequila, fresh mangos, spicy chamoy, and tangy lime make for a refreshing drink that screams verano (summer). Mangoneadas are a quintessential Mexican treat,” San Antonio-based chef Johnny Hernandez of La Gloria tells The Manual. “I first discovered them in Mexico City and after experiencing my first mangoneada, I always made my way back to the vendors on the streets of Mexico City to get my fix.”

Because of its bold flavors and its relieving properties during spells of hot weather, the mangoneada makes a worthy substitute for more typical summertime libations. “When we first came upon this drink in our research we were a little skeptical about how it would be received but it quickly became a house favorite.  The chamoy has a slightly sour-sweet [quality that] blends so well with the tart sweetness of mango. We still felt it was missing something, so we added [extra spice] and we knew we found our mangoneada!

This cocktail is complex while still being very refreshing in our hotter months. The mangoneada is worth a try if you are looking for a fun spin on a margarita without all the sweetness,” explains bar manager Rena Day of Bésame in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. 

Editors' Recommendations

Taylor Tobin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Taylor Tobin is a freelance food, drink, and lifestyle writer based in Brooklyn. She's contributed content to publications…
This is how to make an Irish coffee like a pro bartender
The Irish Coffee is a classic drink for the ages — here are some great recipes
irish coffee

The Irish Coffee is a classic drink that's outlasted any number of trends and movements within the cocktail industry. Better, it's open to all kinds of interpretation, meaning you can mix a different version up each time you feel in the mood. And since we're still in winter's cold grip, the core ingredients of warm coffee and whiskey are even more appealing.

Of the many great hot cocktails and whiskey cocktails on the menu, the Irish Coffee has a big and deserved following. It's an old beverage showing no signs of slowing down, originally concocted in northern Europe to take on the many grey days of the offseason. We love it around St. Patrick's Day as well as late in the evening, with decaf plugged into the equation for an ideal nightcap cocktail.

Read more
Incredible St. Patrick’s Day drinks: Check out these fantastic cocktail recipes
These fun and dynamic drinks will be a surefire hit at any St. Patrick's Day celebration
Cocktail Crossing Currents Knappogue

St. Patrick's Day is a holiday for imbibers. Whether you gravitate toward spirits or beer, there's a St. Patrick's Day drink or riff for you to enjoy as America pours celebratory dye into its rivers and dons every article of green clothing it has. (There's even Irish wine, if you feel so inclined.)

Here, we're focused on mixed drinks, ones that flex some Irish flair or are at least inspired by the land of rolling green hills and shamrocks -- the kind of drink you can clutch triumphantly in hand as you observe a holiday more than 1,000 years old. We won't quiz you on who St. Patrick was, nor will we check your plate to make sure you're eating traditional Irish bacon and cabbage (though you probably should). We just want to give you another excuse to celebrate.

Read more
Learn how to master the Coquito cocktail with these great recipes
Want to drink like they do in Puerto Rico? Mix up a Coquito, or little coconut, with these great recipes
Coquito Cocktail

In Puerto Rico, the Coquito reigns supreme. The cocktail, which translates to little coconut, is a go-to around the holidays but delicious all year long. It's an ideal drink for rum, rich, tropical, and inherently festive.

Yes, it's a major deal come Christmastime. But really, this sweet and creamy drink is great anytime you feel like dessert in a glass, whether it's as a great nightcap drink or post-meal dessert sipper. Simply put, if you gravitate towards eggnog, you're going to fall for this Puerto Rican classic.

Read more