Most Tasty Colombian Dessert Recipes to Try Out
Let’s face it, it’s not just the children who enjoy desserts. We all carry an inner child that drives us to try desserts, especially if we are traveling to a new destination and they are new to our palate.
Typical Colombian cuisine is characterized by a wide variety of flavors and when it comes to enjoying sweets, Colombia is one of the best countries in South America to explore. It is widely known in the region for its famous craft markets, which are mostly dedicated to candies and desserts that are made in different parts of the country.
Keep reading to find out the top 15 desserts that you must try when visiting colorful Colombia.
1. Colombian Natilla
As elsewhere, Christmas in Colombia is one of the most important events of the year, when family and friends get together. It is the perfect time to share a delicious plate of natilla. This traditional dessert cannot be missing from a Colombian family’s Christmas table.
Natilla is a custard that contains milk, cornstarch, coconut milk, grated coconut, condensed milk, cinnamon and panela. What is panela, you ask? It’s a traditional preparation derived from unfiltered sugar cane juice and used as a natural sweetener in different preparations of desserts and sweet drinks.
There are white, brown, and even black Colombian natillas. The color depends on the ingredient used to sweeten it, whether white or brown sugar, panela, or even condensed milk.
At Christmas, this dessert is accompanied by buñuelos: little balls of dough prepared with wheat and corn flour as well as grated cheese.
2. Arequipe
Arequipe, also known as manjar, is the result of caramelizing milk. It is one of the most traditional desserts in Colombia, as it has been around for ages.
Arequipe is one of the most widely consumed sweets and it’s an ideal complement for many other desserts such as obleas, roscon, cakes, brownies, different pastries, mixed with ice cream, chocolate, cookies, and more.
You can find arequipe pretty much everywhere in Colombia, from supermarkets to bakeries and restaurants.
3. Obleas
Colombian obleas are wildly popular super thin wafers that you’ll find on street stalls everywhere. They can be accompanied by any number of luscious fillings. For example, it is common to use arequipe, milk cream, grated cheese, jams, chocolate, and more.
They are made of flour, milk, sugar, and water and are very fragile, therefore they must be handled with care. In other Latin American countries they are popularly known as Swiss cookies.
4. Merengón
Merengón is very popular in Colombia and can be found in most restaurants, bakeries, and food fairs.
Its star ingredient is meringue, which is made by beating egg whites with sugar and some flavoring. Layers of meringue are built up with white cream and fresh fruit placed between them. Sounds familiar? Merengón, in short, is the Colombian version of pavlova.
Since Colombia is a tropical country with an infinity of delicious fruits, merengón can be made with different flavors. Among the most popular choices are mango, soursop, kiwi, and strawberry.
5. Solteritas
The translation of this dessert is quite amusing; it means “single ladies”. Solteritas are striking sweet, light and quite crispy cookies, with an intense orange color and a sweet orange cream filling. They are made with wheat flour, water, sugar, flavoring (vanilla is the most popular), and butter, or vegetable fat.
What makes this dessert unique is its intense orange color , created with confectionery coloring.
6. Bocadillo
Bocadillo is an iconic sweet from the municipality of Velez, which is why it is often called “bocadillo veleño”.
It consists of a solid paste, the result of cooking the pulp of ripe guavas and sugar. Bocadillo is made with two different types of guava, white and red. The texture ends up being quite solid and the color bright.
The traditional product consists of small red squares, made of red guava, with two thin bands at the ends, which are made of white guava.
Because it is so rich in Vitamin C, bocadillo is prized for its reputed health benefits such as strengthening the respiratory tract and regulating the digestive system. However, as it’s so delicious; you definitely need to try it, just for the taste!
7. Roscón
Commonly used to commemorate Los Tres Reyes each January 6th (the feast of the Three Wise Men), roscón is one of the most traditional and iconic Colombian pastries.
It’s basically a sweet round bread with a hole in the center, stuffed with arequipe or bocadillo and sprinkled with sugar. It is ideal for breakfast, coffee or to enjoy after lunch.
8. Mazamorra
Mazamorra is famous in Antioquia, although its ingredients are very simple and its preparation even more so. It is made by cooking hulled white corn until it is very soft, then adding milk and panela to sweeten it.
It is usually served in large bowls, like those used to eat cereal. For Colombians, any time of the day is a good time to enjoy mazamorra!
9. Manjar Blanco
Manjar blanco is a sweet cream, flavored with cinnamon and lemon peel. It is a typical dessert from the Valle del Cauca and Cauca regions.
Manjar blanco is made with milk and other ingredients such as sugar in syrup, soaked rice and a pinch of salt. It is often enjoyed with cooked figs and/or curd cheese.
10. Torta Maria Luisa
Torta María Luisa is a very traditional dessert in Colombian regions such as Antioquia or Cundinamarca.
This fluffy orange-flavored cake is split into layers and usually filled with berry jam (although it can come with any other type of jam or dulce de leche), and decorated with powdered sugar. To achieve its delicious flavor, orange zest is used in combination with orange juice.
The Torta Maria Luisa is ideal for enjoying at coffee time or to accompany a good cup of tea.
11. Dulce de Tamarindo
Dulce de tamarindo is made with tamarind pulp, water, sugar, honey, and a pinch of salt. It is super economical and easy to make.
It’s usually presented in the form of sugar balls that you’ll find in every bakery and food store. In many homes, it is prepared and served as a perfect way to end a meal.
The mixture of sugar with the sourness of the tamarind makes this dessert a unique and startling explosion of flavors. Anytime you’re in Colombia and in need of an interesting snack – dulce de tamarindo is a great choice!
12. Mantecada
The Colombian mantecada is a traditional cake you’ll find all over the country. It is made with cornmeal and a touch of liquor. This luscious and grown-up dessert is usually served at special celebrations, but it’s available all year round. Try it out at any time to understand why it’s so popular!
13. Dulce de Brevas
Brevas are similar to figs, but somewhat larger and less sweet. Their skin is purple, and the pulp can range from white to intense pink.
It is quite straightforward to make, as the fruits are cooked simply in a sugar syrup spiced with cloves or cinnamon, until they are tender.
Dulce de brevas is prepared for many special occasions, especially Christmas when it’s served at festive gatherings with friends and family. For many Colombians, this dessert represents the wonderful flavors of childhood and evokes memories of home.
14. Pionono
Pionono is a roll containing equal amounts of flour, eggs, and sugar. A thin layer of sponge cake is filled and rolled up to form a cylinder.
You’ll find it served at meetings and festivities as a main dessert, but can also be enjoyed any time you crave a delicious sweet treat. The fillings vary between arequipe (sweetened condensed milk) and coconut, or any type of marmalade.
15. Cholado
Cholado is a luscious blend of fruits, delicious creams and milks, and crushed ice. Given the enormous variety of fruits that can be found in Colombia, cholao can be enjoyed in virtually any flavors you choose. It is extremely refreshing and makes an ideal cooler to enjoy on hot days.
Its original name was “the three girls”, as it included only pineapple, lulo (an intensely flavored citrus fruit), and lemon. However, over time, both the name and the type of fruits incorporated have changed, and today it can include pretty much any of the zillion fruits Colombia produces.
We hope that by now your mouth is watering and your palate is beyond ready to try these top 15 Colombian desserts!
As soon as you have the chance to visit this cheerful South American country, don’t hesitate to give these sweets a try.
And if you didn’t see your favorite in our brief selection – leave a comment below and share your tip with our community!
Related: Most Popular Colombian Foods
