Wrap Your Watermelon In Fruit Snacks For A Hydrating Fourth Of July Dessert

You can always count on savory favorites like hot dogs, hamburgers, and potato chips at a July 4th celebration, but dessert deserves a place at the picnic table too ... it is America's birthday, after all. While festive bomb pops, all-American apple pie, heaping scoops of ice cream, and fresh fruit are sure to be crowd-pleasers, there's another summery dessert option that is sure to make your guests say, "I want one!" 

Enter, the viral watermelon fruit roll-up, an amalgamation of other Mexican treats like sandia pops (watermelon popsicles), paletas, and candies spiced with chiles. This inventive dessert is having a moment on the internet, with TikTok creators like @heyimsuie showing how to make it by wrapping watermelon in a fruit snack like Fruit Roll-Ups or Fruit by the Foot, then covering it in liquid chamoy and Tajín.

@heyimsuie

Fruit Roll Up Watermelon 🍉🔥#fyp #foryou #watermelonfruitrollup #candywatermelon #mexicancandy #mexicanfruit #chefsuie #suigeneris #mexican #mexicansnacks

♬ La Cumbia Sabrosa – Marc Life

Chamoy, a sauce made from pickled fruit, lime juice, spices, and chiles adds sweet, sour and spicy notes, as does Tajín, a seasoning made from dehydrated lime juice, chiles, and salt. When you combine those flavors with the sweetness of the fruit snack and the juiciness of the watermelon, the result is a mouthwatering mix of flavors.

The first crucial step in this recipe is choosing a ripe, juicy candidate; you can use your fingers to find the best watermelon. Next, you'll need to cut your perfect melon into large rectangular sticks or wedges about one to two inches thick; if you like triangles, avoid making the bottom too wide, as wrapping can prove tricky. Then, carefully skewer each piece with a popsicle stick or chopstick, making sure not to poke it all the way through the slice. 

Now comes the fun part — wrap your melon stick or slice with your fruit snack of choice. The juice from the watermelon should make the fruit snack sticky, but if you notice it slipping off, try to overlap the layers and wrap them tightly so they adhere to each other. Finally, drizzle (or slather) with chamoy, add a squeeze of lime juice, and sprinkle with Tajín — but be warned, the more you add, the more sour your watermelon treat will be. For the messy eaters at your party, you can poke the end of the stick through a paper plate or bowl to catch any drips.

There are plenty of ways to switch up this dessert to please the palate of any Fourth of July party guest. For the chamoy and Tajín shy, a sprinkle of salt or a dip in jello mix can also compliment the flavor of the watermelon and fruit snack. Another fun option for any flavor profile is freezing the watermelon slices for a more popsicle-like treat. For the adults at your party, you can also make a boozy version by soaking the watermelon in tequila to infuse.

If you're out of watermelon or want to try something different, other fruits can work as a substitute. Anything with enough structure to be popsicle-shaped will work, including pineapples, mangoes, honeydew melons, cantaloupes, or apples. And if all else fails and you can't seem to get your fruit rollup pop to hold together, the mix of fresh fruit, Tajín, and chamoy are just as delicious to eat out of a bowl.