Top 10 Spanish Christmas Desserts (+ Easy Recipes) (2024)

Make Christmas extra special this year with these traditional and authentic Spanish Christmas desserts!

From Christmas cookies to Spanish churros, no celebration is complete without a few special treats.

Top 10 Spanish Christmas Desserts (+ Easy Recipes) (1)

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So without further ado, here are the top 10 Spanish Christmas desserts to bring new traditions to your holiday season.

10 Traditional Spanish Sweets for Christmas

1. Turron de Alicante (Spanish Hard Almond Nougat)

Looking for a sweet treat to pass out as gifts? Turron is an ideal choice.

This almond nougat is an especially popular Spanish candy come Christmas time. It’s hard with a bit of crunch and a nice nutty kick.

Plus, it’s super easy to package.

It only takes four ingredients which you probably already have at home. This will not only save you time at the grocery store but also money.

You’ll start by melting honey and sugar together, pouring in an egg white, then adding toasted almonds. All that gets molded into a brick that makes for easy portioning.

I think a few pieces will look terrific wrapped up in a snowflake goody bag and tied with colorful ribbon.

2. White Wine Cookies

Imagine how jolly these wintery-looking cookies will be on your favorite holiday cookie platter.

These mini donut-shaped cookies have a festive coating of powdered sugar and an infusion of white wine.

Unlike other sugar-infused Christmas cookies, these aren’t too sweet. They’re also hard making them ideal for dunking in coffee.

3. Mantecados and Polvorones

It wouldn’t be Christmas without a superabundance of cookies, so I’ve got another joyful recipe for you.

Mantecados and polvorones are a type of Spanish Christmas cookie that originated in the Andalusian region.

The name itself is a reference to lard and powder which are the two main ingredients that these traditionally feature.

They have a wonderful crunch on the outside with a soft inside making them crumbly in the best way. A little bit nutty, a touch sweet, and a dash of spice makes these cookies oh-so-nice!

4. Churros

Churros are one of my favorite treats. Biting into the warm dough coated in sugar always puts a smile on my face.

So why not share that joy and pass these around come Christmas time?

This authentic recipe comes straight from Spain. It doesn’t require anything odd or unusual, however, you will need a piping bag to get the right shape.

You may also want a large and trusty ladle strainer or tongs for frying.

If you want to make this extra special, you can add a pinch of cinnamon to the sugar coating and dip the ends in chocolate.

5. Roscón de Reyes

Roscón de Reyes is a tradition you’ll find in Mexico, but it originated in Spain. This dessert is known as an Epiphany cake traditionally served for Three Kings Day.

However, you don’t need to wait until January 6 to serve this cake because it will make an impeccable Christmas dessert.

This is like a fruit cake, but better. Dried fruit is first soaked in rum, then mixed into a rich buttery and spiced dough.

The final result gets a drizzle of icing that is fit enough for a king.

If you happen to have leftovers, you can freeze the rest. However, I have a feeling nothing will be left.

6. Chocolate Coconut Balls (Bolitas De Coco)

Bolitas de coco is a local favorite in Malaga. Each decadent morsel is an explosion of chocolate with a touch of coconut to match.

These confections consist of three simple ingredients; coconut, condensed milk, and chocolate chips.

With an ingredient list like that, you know they’re very easy to make.

You’ll want to use a double boiler for this recipe to melt the chocolate chips without burning them.

You can even use white chocolate to make them look like mini snowballs.

Either way, this recipe should take you about 15-minutes to make. Then you’ll have to let the batch chill for a little bit so everything can set.

7. Crema Catalana

Crema Catalana is a Spanish custard that’s akin to creme brulee. The inside is super creamy while the outside features a thin layer of caramelized sugar.

This recipe is a bit more involved than some of the others on the list. But it’s just as special!

For serving, some fresh figs or raspberries make a nice topping.

You’ll also want to prepare these individually in ramekins, as this is not a slice and serve sort of dish.

I think this dessert is perfect for smaller Christmas gatherings rather than extended families. However, if you have enough dishware, I say go for it!

8. Spanish Almond Cake (Tarta de Santiago)

If you do want a Spanish dessert fit for a crowd, serve this glamorous cake.

Soft and sweet, Tarta de Santiago is an almond cake that’s super tender and bursting with flavor.

It’s completely gluten-free with a slight zing from lemon zest. The top also gets a traditional coating of powdered sugar with an etching of St.James’ cross.

If you’re not much for decorating, a simple dusting of sugar will do.

9. Miguelitos with Chocolate Recipe

Miguelitos may look like a savory mini sandwich, but I assure you it’s all sweets.

A thick layer of chocolate rests between two airy puff pastries, and then the whole thing gets a final coating of powdered sugar.

This is a fantastic recipe to get the kids involved. They can help roll out the dough and top each sweet treat with powdered sugar while you prepare the chocolate.

This is another excellent recipe if you need to serve a crowd as one batch of these can serve up to 48 guests!

10. Pan de Cádiz (Nougat from Cadiz)

Another recipe from the Andalusian region is Pan de Cadiz. Born in Cadiz, this is a bright and cheerful pastry with multiple layers of flavor.

Marzipan makes up the base while different fruit fillings are stuffed in between.

Quince paste and canned spaghetti squash are two of the most traditional fillings. However, you can also use apple paste or other candied fruits.

This will require some assembly on your part, but this stunning dessert is worth the effort for the holiday.

Top 10 Spanish Christmas Desserts (+ Easy Recipes) (2)

Top 10 Spanish Christmas Dessert Collection

Brighten up your holiday season with these top 10 Spanish Christmas desserts. From churros to Turron, you’ll want to try every one of these incredible sweet treats.

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Top 10 Spanish Christmas Desserts (+ Easy Recipes) (2024)

FAQs

What is a popular Christmas treat in Spanish? ›

Polvorones and mantecados are a must among the Spanish Christmas sweets on any Christmas table. These are very small cakes made of flour, butter and sugar and baked in the oven. They have a very special texture, and when you eat them they turn to powder in your mouth.

What is usually eaten for dessert during the festive season in Spain? ›

Turrón is one of the most popular and well-known sweets that appears in Spain around Christmas. A type of nougat made with almonds, the selection of this dessert are endless. You'll find stacks of all different kinds varying in price, flavour and consistency in shops and supermarkets.

What is the Spanish Christmas candy? ›

Polvorones, mazapán, huesos de Santa Teresa, roscos, pestiños… are all sweets and treats that are enjoyed at many Spanish homes at this time of year, but unlike turrón, they sometimes have a more regional appeal. Turrón is a staple at every Spanish table.

What is the most eaten dessert in Spain? ›

Flan. Spanish flan is a caramel pudding made from a simple mixture of milk, sugar and eggs. You'll see it served in almost every bar and restaurant in Madrid and beyond, making it the king of all desserts from Spain.

What do Spanish people traditionally eat at Christmas? ›

Rotisserie meat (especially lamb, suckling pig or Ternasco lamb, if possible, cooked in a woodfire oven) and oven-baked fish, such as bream or sea bass, are among the most typical main courses.

What is Spain's Christmas delicacy? ›

In Spain's Castile and Leon region, Cochinillo (suckling pig) is a very typical Christmas dish that often takes centre stage as part of the Christmas Eve meal, although there are places where lamb is the preferred meat or even turkey in some cases.

What Hispanic food is eaten on Christmas? ›

Mexican Christmas food spans enchiladas, pozole, tamales, and plenty of desserts. These are our favorite recipes for flavorful versions of those dishes from Mexican chefs, along with a few festive drinks. Start a tamale making tradition, warm up with pozole this winter, and enjoy enchiladas everyone will love.

What are the two most typical desserts in Spain called? ›

Desserts such as "arroz con leche" (rice pudding) or "crema catalana"; others traditionally eaten during festivities, such as the "Roscón de Reyes" (Three Kings' Cake); and recipes that were first made in convents are all part of the country's gastronomic past and present.

What are desserts from Spain? ›

Spanish desserts
  • Brazo gitano – Sponge cake formed in a spiral roll, with filling.
  • Buñuelo – Fried dough balls.
  • Carolina – typical pastry of Vitoria, Spain.
  • Casadiella – Typical dessert from Asturias.
  • Churro – Fried-dough pastry.
  • Crema catalana – Custard dessert with hard caramel top.
  • Coca – Spanish pastry.

What is the most popular Christmas candy in Spain? ›

The best Christmas sweets in Spain
  • Turrón. El turrón, which could be defined as a sort of almond nougat, is the most famous Christmas sweet in Spain. ...
  • Marzipan. Marzipan is another typical sweet of the Christmas gastronomy in Spain. ...
  • Polvorón. ...
  • Mantecados. ...
  • Peladillas. ...
  • Wine donuts (Roscos de vino) ...
  • Pestiños. ...
  • Roscón de Reyes.
Jun 19, 2023

What are Spanish pastries called? ›

What to eat in Spain? Top 12 Spanish Sweet Pastries
  • Sweet Pastry. Napolitana de chocolate. SPAIN. ...
  • Sweet Pastry. Ensaïmada de Mallorca. Mallorca. ...
  • Sweet Pastry. Churros. SPAIN. ...
  • Sweet Pastry. Piononos. Santa Fe. ...
  • Sweet Pastry. Coca. Catalonia. ...
  • Sweet Pastry. Rosquillas. SPAIN. ...
  • Sweet Pastry. Flores de hojaldre. ...
  • Sweet Pastry. Roscos fritos.

What do Spanish people drink at Christmas? ›

Elsewhere, Spanish still and dry wines are always a fantastic choice for the Christmas table, with a huge diversity of styles on offer. Those who love rich whites with Christmas dinner, for example, can look to the white wines of Rioja, or even Chardonnay from across the country, especially with a hint of oak.

What is the most popular Christmas food in Spain? ›

Rotisserie meat (especially lamb, suckling pig or Ternasco lamb, if possible, cooked in a woodfire oven) and oven-baked fish, such as bream or sea bass, are among the most typical main courses.

What is the most popular food to eat in Spain during Christmas? ›

Galets. Spanish Christmas food traditions are found across the country, and Galets is a traditional Christmas soup which is usually eaten in Catalonia during the Christmas season. This warming winter soup is prepared with a meaty broth and contains large pasta shells, called galets, which are sometimes filled with meat ...

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