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This crunchy candied Tanghulu Recipe fuses a popular Chinese street food snack with the classic Mexican flavors of mango and tajin. It’s so easy to make and crazy delicious! You will love this sweet and spicy, candy-coated treat!

Mango tanghulu recipe sprinkled with Tajín
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What is Tanghulu?

Tanghulu is a popular street food treat in China and popular during the winter months, where it is eaten as a festive, fun recipe. To make it, sugar is melted into syrup, and then fruit is dipped in the hot sugar syrup to coat on all sides. Once cooled and hardened, the fruit skewer forms a crunchy and hard candy shell around the fruit that tastes just so wonderfully delicious.

While hawthorn berries and strawberries are commonly used to make this candy fruit snack, you can also find tanghulu made with different kinds of fruit like grapes, cherries, pineapple, apples, or kiwi. It’s a delightful and beautiful dessert that is fun and tasty for all ages, kids to adults! 

What Makes This Recipe Great

Today, I’m blending two cultures into one delicious, amazing, candy-coated dessert! This Mango Tajin Tanghulu Recipe takes a popular Chinese street food snack and Mexican Chile Lime (Tajin) + Mango flavors and turns them into a sweet, tart, and subtly spicy treat. 

It’s such an easy recipe to make, only requires 4 simple ingredients, and comes together in under 30 minutes. Serve this fun and festive dessert at a holiday party, a family gathering, or really any time of the year! 

Watch a Short Video of This Recipe

How to Make Tanghulu 

For this fusion tanghulu recipe, I married the classic Chinese snack technique with Mexican Tajín mango flavors, and I just love the result! I always found that tanghulu on its own can be a bit too sweet, but with the added chili lime seasoning of Tajín, it really balances out the flavors and tones down the sweetness of this treat. And best of all, you only need 3 ingredients if you don’t count water!

Ingredient Notes

recipe ingredients on a white surface.
  • mango: You’ll want to use a mango that’s ripe but not mushy. You still want a bit of firmness to it so it doesn’t slip off the skewers.
  • granulated sugar: This tanghulu recipe (without corn syrup) is made with organic cane sugar and water for an easy and wonderful candied coating!
  • water
  • Tajín seasoning: You can use any homemade or store-bought chili lime seasoning, but I love Tajín for that authentic Mexican flavor!

Step-by-Step Instructions

Boiling sugar and water together to make sugar candy.
  1. Peel the mango and cut into chunks. Pat the chunks with a paper towel to remove some of the moisture. 
  2. Thread 1-3 cubes into skewers, then line a baking sheet or plate with parchment paper.
  3. Add sugar and water to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat to medium-high heat until boiling. Don’t stir. Boil for 10-12 minutes until it reaches 300 degrees Fahrenheit. If you don’t have a thermometer, dip a spoon into the hot sugar mixture, then immediately dip into a bowl of ice water. If the sugar hardens immediately to a hard and crunchy texture, the mixture is ready.
  4. Dip the mango skewers into the sugar water mixture to coat on all sides. Let any excess syrup drip off. 
  5. Remove and place on parchment paper, then sprinkle with Tajín.
  6. The sugar coating should quickly harden and make a crunchy shell, and you can enjoy it immediately!
Sprinkling Tajín seasoning over chunks of mango

Expert Tips

  • Wooden Skewers: You’ll also need wooden bamboo skewers for this recipe. Metal skewers can work, but I find that wooden ones hold the fruit better, lowering the chance of it slipping off.
  • Fruit: You can make this recipe with a variety of fruit. The most popular Chinese versions are made with hawthorn fruit or strawberries. You can always substitute with your favorite fruits and omit the tajin if desired. 

Storage Tips

  • Store leftover Tanghulu in an airtight container in the fridge. Leftovers will last up to 1 to 2 weeks in the refrigerator, depending on the moisture level of the fruit. 
  • Just a heads up – any cuts or moisture on the fruit will make the candied outside soften and get runny.
mango tanghulu skewers on a plate

Recipe FAQs

Can you make Tanghulu without a candy thermometer?

Yes! Here’s how to make tanghulu without a thermometer. When the sugar mixture has been boiling for several minutes, dip a spoon into the mixture, then immediately dip in cold water. If the sugar hardens immediately to a hard and crunchy texture when you bite into it, the mixture is ready. If it’s soft and sticks to your teeth, boil for longer.

Can other fruits be used?

Yes! Other fruits like strawberries, blueberries, grapes, watermelon, kiwi, or citrus slices like oranges can be used to make this sweet treat. You don’t have to use Tajín on all of them if you don’t want to.

What is the meaning of Tanghulu in English?

While there’s no direct English translation, The name “tanghulu” roughly translates to “sugar gourd” or “sugar bottle gourd” in Chinese. However, the snack is not made from gourds but rather from various fruits! In fact, strawberry tanghulu is one of the most popular versions. 

What is Tanghulu made of?

It’s actually super simple! It’s made with the fruit of your choice, granulated sugar, and water! 

More Delicious Sweet Treats

Grilled Mexican Chili Lime Mango 

Paleo Mango Pudding with Coconut Milk

Korean Dalgona Candy (From “Squid Game”)

If you make this recipe, please leave me a star rating and comment below! I love to hear your thoughts and feedback. Follow me on social media Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for even more delicious recipes!

Tanghulu Recipe - Mango with Tajín
5 from 1 vote
Servings: 4 servings

Easy Tanghulu Recipe with Mango and Tajín

This crunchy candied Tanghulu Recipe fuses a popular Chinese street food snack with the classic Mexican flavors of mango and tajin. It's so easy to make and crazy delicious! You will love this sweet and spicy, candy-coated treat!
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 12 minutes
Total: 22 minutes
Save this recipe!
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Video

Ingredients 

  • 1 mango, ripe but firm
  • Bamboo skewers
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 water
  • Tajín seasoning

Instructions 

  • Peel the mango and cut into chunks. Pat the chunks with a paper towel to remove some of the moisture.
  • Thread 1-3 cubes into skewers, then line a baking sheet or plate with parchment paper.
  • Add sugar and water to a small saucepan and heat over medium to medium high heat until boiling. Don't stir. Boil for 10-12 minutes until it reaches 300 degrees F. If you don't have a thermometer, dip a spoon into the mixture, then immediately dip in cold water. If the sugar hardens immediately to a hard and crunchy texture, the mixture is ready.
  • Dip the mango skewers into the sugar mixture to coat on all sides.
  • Remove and place on parchment paper, then sprinkle with Tajín.
  • The sugar coating should harden immediately, and you can enjoy right away!

Notes

Expert Tips

  • Skewers: You’ll also need wooden bamboo skewers for this recipe. Metal skewers can work, but I find that wooden ones hold the fruit better, lowering the chance of it slipping off.
  • Fruit: You can make this recipe with a variety of fruit. The most popular Chinese versions are made with hawthorn fruit or strawberries. You can always substitute the fruit of your choice and omit the tajin if desired. 

Storage Tips

  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Leftovers will last up to 1 to 2 weeks in the refrigerator, depending on the moisture level of the fruit. 
  • Just a heads up – any cuts or moisture on the fruit will make the candied outside soften and get runny.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving – makes 4, Calories: 159kcal, Carbohydrates: 41g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 1mg, Potassium: 88mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 40g, Vitamin A: 560IU, Vitamin C: 19mg, Calcium: 6mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below or tag @whatgreatgrandmaate!

What Great Grandma Ate / Jean Choi is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

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Jean Choi

Iโ€™m a food lover and recipe developer living in Southern California. I love to share simple and approachable gluten-free recipes that are healthy but never sacrifice on flavor.

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1 Comment

  1. thiฬฃt heo iberico says:

    5 stars
    Thank you for sharing a good article about good food and overall your blog is great full of good content. thanks a lot.