This post is sponsored by the National Mango Board

My favorite season is finally here which means it’s time to mix up some delicious seasonal dishes and cocktails. My Mango Tequila Cider Cocktail is perfect for fall and it’s also a great drink to mix up for Halloween. Its beautiful orange hue is a real show stopper! This cocktail really plays on the natural mango sweetness, agave, and apple cider. I think you will appreciate this mango cocktail because the flavors don’t compete with one another, instead they complement so that each ingredient shines with each sip.

I love using mangos in drinks because mango can be a natural sweetener, it adds body and texture, and of course a beautiful color. Some may think that you can only cook or enjoy mangos in the summer months but I’m here to tell you that mangos are available throughout the year and always in season. Did you know that? That’s right, you can find different mango varieties in the produce section at your local grocery store making it easy for your to stock up. The mango I used for this Mango Tequila Cider is a Tommy Atkins variety which is very sweet with hints of tropical fruit and citrus.

The six main mango varieties:

Honey (originally Atalufo)-Honey mangos are sweet and sour with a tropical and peach aroma. They are vibrant yellow, smooth, and have firm flesh.
Francis-Francis mangos are sweet and fruity with peach and tropical fruit aroma. They are bright yellow with green overtones and the texture is soft and juicy.
Haden– Haden mangos are sweet and sour with a slightly bitter after taste with tropical fruit and peach notes. These mangos are bright red with green and yellow overtones and small white dots with firm flesh.
Keitt– Keitt mangos are sweet, fruity, and very popular in Asian cultures. Their texture is firm and juicy with high citrus notes.
Kent– Kent mangos are sweet with hints of sour notes with peach and tropical fruit aroma. The texture is juicy with tender flesh.
Tommy Atkins– Tommy Atkins mangos are the most widely grown commercial variety coming into the United States. They are tart with sweet notes with small hints of tropical fruit and citrus.

Learn more about additional mango varieties on Mango.org.

Ripeness

Mango can be enjoyed at all different levels of ripeness that contribute to the versatility of the fruit across a variety of recipes. However, it’s important to understand how to manage ripeness to achieve the desired texture and taste in your dishes and cocktails.

Tips on ripening and storing your mangos:

Keep unripe mangos at room temperature, no need to refrigerate but you can speed up ripening by placing them in a paper bag at room temperature.
Once the mangos are ripe, you can place the whole mango in the refrigerator for up to 5 days to slow down the ripening process.
Mangos can be peeled, cubed, and placed in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for up to six months.
Check ripeness by giving the mango a gentle squeeze. If it gives slightly when pressed then it’s ripe.

You can learn more about ripeness and storing mango on Mango.org.

Cutting a Mango

Mangos have one long flat seed in the middle, so you will want to cut vertically on each side of the mango seed when cutting into it. Once you have cut around the seed, you can slice the flesh of the mango into slices or a grid without breaking the skin, then simply scoop the mango out. You can learn more about cutting mango here.

Nutrition

In addition to mangos being sweet, fruity, and versatile, they are full of health-promoting nutrients and bioactive compounds. A 3⁄4 cup of mango provides 50% of your daily vitamin C, 8% of your daily vitamin A and 8% of your daily vitamin B6. Mangos are also a good source of folate (15% of the daily value) and copper (15% DV), which is essential for collagen development. Mangos not only contribute valuable nutrients and minerals but they’re also classified as a low glycemic food, which can help manage blood sugar levels, according to the American Diabetes Association. This superfruit is not only delicious and nutritious in beverages and sweet recipes but mangos add beautiful tropical flavor to several savory dishes.

Usage

What I love about mangos is you can enjoy them in a smoothie, cooked into a sauce, mixed into a salsa, in a cocktail, or simply eaten whole with juice dripping down your chin and arm. The possibilities are endless when cooking with fresh mangos because they add a beautiful sweetness and texture to any dish or beverage.

How to Make a Mango Tequila Cider Cocktail

Step 1

Wet the top or side of the glass with lime juice and roll the glass in Tajin, then set aside. Add 1 sliced or cubed fresh mango to a blender and blend on high until smooth puree forms. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and set aside.

Step 2

Add the tequila, mango puree, lime juice, simple syrup, and ice to a shaker and shake well for 10 seconds until chilled.

Step 3

Pour the cocktail into an Old Fashioned glass over ice. Top the cocktail off with hard cider and garnish with fresh mango slices.