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.
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 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.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Select your favorite recipe.
- Organize all the required ingredients.
- Prep a delicious recipe in 30 minutes or less!
