Mexican fruit cups are a street food classic that are super easy to make at home, too. They're perfect to prepare for a crowd and wonderfully refreshing on a warm day. And you can easily adapt them to what you have, too.

three Mexican fruit cups from side with whole lime to one side, cut lime to other.

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Any time I have been in Mexico I am always in awe at all the street foods you'll find pretty much anywhere you go. Some are things for a quick meal, like carnitas tacos or a chorizo torta, but others are more about beating the heat. These very much fall into the latter category.

In most parts of Mexico, it can get pretty hot in the summer, as I remember well from working in a center there one year. Whenever we took groups on excursions, we always relied on people who had been before to know the best places to get ice cream, paletas (ice pops) or other cooling snacks and drinks.

overhead view of three glasses of Mexican fruit cups with limes to side.

One of the things I love about all of these in Mexico was that local fruit is at the core of so many. Most paletas and cooling agua frescas start with fresh fruit, like mango paletas and cantaloupe agua fresca. As a big fruit fan, I will take any excuse to enjoy some in any form, including of course as freshly cut fruit.

What fruit is in a Mexican fruit cup?

Fruit cups use fruits you will find locally and Mexico has a broadly tropical climate. Conveniently, many fruits grown in the region are also really refreshing. Popular fruits to include are:

Papaya - native to Mexico and very popular in fruit salads, agua frescas and more.
Watermelon - originally from Africa and brought to the Americas during colonization, it's not a huge year-round crop in Mexico, both for domestic use and export.
Mango - originally from Asia and brought to Mexico by the Spanish, it's very popular across Mexico and used in both sweet and savory dishes.
Pineapple - native to South America, it gradually made it's way up and is now another favorite in Mexico, used in various ways. Even the skin is used to make a fermented drink.
Jicama - technically jicama is a root vegetable, but it can be used in both sweet and savory ways. It's native to Mexico and was important to the Aztecs and Mayans. The fresh crunch of raw jicama works perfectly with fruits.
Pitaya/dragon fruit - a type of cactus fruit, they are also native to the region though they are now also popular in Asia. It comes in a couple different flesh colors studded with little black seeds.
Cantaloupe and other melons - like watermelon, other types of melon arrived with colonization but are now grown widely. Cantaloupe is the most popular after watermelon.

whole pineapple, jicama, papaya, mango and limes with chunk of watermelon and bottle of tajin to sides on wooden chopping board.

You by no means need to include all of these - and in fact most of the time you don't. Instead, think of them more as a list to pick and choose from, depending on what you have available. Here I used a few favorites that have a balance of colors and flavors - some sweeter, some more acidic.

You generally cut the fruit into spears so it's easy to pick up with your hands, or pierce with a fork. So really, anything that works cut this way could work. You might also add in things like cucumber, or less typical additions like apple.

What do Mexicans put on top of their fruit?

What really makes this a Mexican fruit cup is the toppings. Two additions are essential, and one is a bit more options. The essential ones are freshly squeezed lime juice and tajin, or chili lime seasoning.

spears of cut pineapple, mango, jicama, watermelon and papaya with larger pieces of each fruit and limes around on chopping board.

Limes are highly used in Mexican cuisine and add a wonderful freshness that also helps bring out the flavor. Be sure to use fresh lime for the best flavor. You can add a wedge to the cup both as a garnish and so eaters can add a little extra if they like.

Chili and fruit might seem an unusual combination, but it's very popular in Mexico. And believe me, it really works! You'll find the pairing both with fresh fruit and in things like paletas and sorbets. The spice of the chili works well with the sweet tang of so many tropical fruits. Chili lime seasoning is a powder combining a milder chili with lime to get that mix of spice and tang.

The optional addition that some people like to add is chamoy, a kind of sauce made with dried fruit, lime and chili. It combines those sweet, tangy and spicy flavors all in one, and can work really well with fruit (and other things, like cocktails). However some, including me, prefer the fruit to speak more for themselves, so I tend to skip it. It's really up to you.

Mexican fruit cups are so easy to prepare and make a delicious snack or dessert. They're great for parties, or just because on a warm day. So get chopping and enjoy!

Try these other tropical fruit desserts and snacks:

Mango passion fruit Eton mess (a tropical twist on the British classic Eton mess, equally easy and delicious)
Passion fruit mousse (mousse de maracuja, a popular and easy Brazilian treat)
Coconut mango scones (so wonderfully moist and flavorful, one of our favorites)
Papaya boat (an easy, fun breakfast or snack)
Plus get more snack recipes and Mexican recipes in the archives.

glasses of Mexican fruit cups with half lime to side.

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