Indulge in the delightful world of Spanish Christmas treats in Seville.
If you’re a true lover of the Christmas spirit you should know by now that the typical sweets are a fundamental part of the tradition. At least in Seville…
That is why as this time of the year arrives, you should forget about the gym and the scales and start enjoying all that Spanish Christmas gastronomy has to offer!
The good news is that since the end of October, supermarkets and pantries are filled with typical Christmas sweets that delight young and old alike. Mantecados, mazapán, roscón de reyes… and many more fill any dinner or meal typical of these special dates.
Are you going to miss it?
1. Spanish Christmas treats in Seville: Mantecado
This popular sweet was born in Andalucía, where due to the excess of lard and cereals bakers invented this particular sweet. They are handmade with wheat flour, lard, sugar and almond flour.
Although it dates back to the 16th century, some claim that its origin comes from Estepa (a town 110 km from Seville) or Antequera (a town 60 km from Málaga). However, experts on the subject have found out that the first recipe dates from 1740 and was written by a woman of Morón de la Frontera (Seville) and calls it “torta de Morón”.
The fulgurating success of mantecados (and polvorones) came from the hand of a lady from Estepa, Micaela Ruiz Téllez, alias La Colchona. She was the first person to make and sell mantecados on a large scale, selling them in various towns along the route taken by her husband, a transporter of goods.
Formerly, it was considered a pleasure only reserved for the wealthy. Luckily, now you can enjoy its unique flavor!
Where to buy the best mantecados in Seville:
- Mantecados La Colchona (Calle Cuna, 37).
- Confitería La Despensa de Palacio (Calle Villegas, 1).
- Confitería La Campana (Calle Sierpes, 1).
- Pastelería La Dulcería de la Rondeña (Calle Asunción, 42).
2. Polvorón
The polvorón is typical of Andalucía, and it’s one of the most popular Christmas treats in Seville.
Its name comes from the fact that when decorating the polvorón with powdered sugar or flour, it gives the sensation that it is covered with dust.
It’s a cake made of pork fat, wheat flour, ground almonds and sugar.
Actually, we could say that polvorón is just a type of mantecado, as are coconut, lemon, chocolate or cinnamon ones. The differences between a mantecado and a polvorón are:
- Shape. The shape already gives you a big clue, since mantecados are always round and polvorones are always oval.
- Flavor. Mantecados have an infinity of flavors (e.g. lemon, chocolate, coconut, cinnamon, etc.), while polvorones are always made of almonds.
- Texture. Due to the percentage of butter that each one has, the polvorón is looser while the mantecado is more doughy.
- Decoration. The mantecado usually has sesame seeds and the polvorón has powdered sugar.
- Season. Although both are traditionally Christmas treats, in some areas of Spain mantecados are consumed all year round as a dessert or even for breakfast.
Where to buy the best polvorones in Seville:
- Mantecados La Colchona (Calle Cuna, 37).
- Confitería La Despensa de Palacio (Calle Villegas, 1).
- Confitería La Campana (Calle Sierpes, 1).
- El Torno (Avenida de la Constitución 24 and Plaza del Cabildo, 2).
3. Spanish Christmas treats in Seville: Turrón
Turrón is the most typical sweet of Christmas in Spain. It’s traditionally made with honey, almonds, sugar and beaten egg white. Nevertheless, this recipe has been varying throughout time and nowadays you can find many variations from chocolate nougat with puffed rice to pistachio or coconut nougat.
The best nougat in Spain is made in Alicante, specifically in the town of Jijona, where the quality is always watched over, since nougat is a very old product of Arab origin. Documents dating from the 16th century already speak of the existence of this exquisite delicacy, which is a basic sweet of the Mediterranean diet.
Where to buy the best turrones in Seville:
- Sabores de Antaño (Calle Hernando Colón, 37 and Plaza de Doña Elvira, 8).
- Torrons Artesans Vicens (Avenida de la Constitución, 24).
- Confitería La Despensa de Palacio (Calle Villegas, 1).
Turrón de Alicante or turrón duro (hard nougat)
This is the classic nougat in its simplest version and it’s prepared with toasted almonds and honey. The best whole almonds are used, which are then toasted, taking care not to burn them and obtain the perfect toasting.
Egg whites are also used in the preparation to achieve the characteristic dense texture of this variety of nougat. The honey is stirred until the desired mixture is obtained.
Turrón de Jijona or turrón blando (soft nougat)
This is a variety of nougat that is very well known and traditional, especially for its smooth and creamy texture. It’s a nougat with a lower content of almonds but which incorporates them totally ground together with honey and egg white.
Turrón de Guirlache
This turrón is a nougat made with almonds and caramel that has been solidified. Generally, you can find it with different nuts such as almonds, pine nuts or walnuts.
4. Mazapán
Marzipan has a very sweet, nutty almond flavor. Its texture is soft, chewy and slightly rough due to the ground up almonds. In Spain can have a slightly bitter flavor because it’s sometimes made with a variety of almond called a bitter almond.
It’s originally from Toledo, where it is consumed throughout the year, although in the rest of the country it’s only consumed during Christmas.
The first references to marzipan date back to 1577, and its origin is still unknown. Although its origin is controversial as some claim it comes from the Arab world or while others say it all started in the Convent of San Clemente in Toledo, where the nuns devised it while the city was invaded and there was a huge food shortage. Its official recipe includes almonds and sugar crushed with a mallet, which gave the name “pan de maza”.
Where to buy the best mazapán in Seville:
- Confitería La Despensa de Palacio (Calle Villegas, 1).
- Sabores de Antaño (Calle Hernando Colón, 37 and Plaza de Doña Elvira, 8).
- El Torno (Avenida de la Constitución 24 and Plaza del Cabildo, 2).
5. Spanish Christmas treats in Seville: Roscón de Reyes
Roscón de Reyes looks like a huge stuffed doughnut. It’s a ring-shaped brioche whose pastry smells wonderfully of orange blossom water and that’s covered with almonds, sugar and candied fruits. Although people traditionally filled them with whipped cream or custard, new variants appeared in the last years (e.g. chocolate or pistachio).
The word roscón is Spanish for a round cake in the shape of a ring.
There’s a surprise inside, usually a ceramic or plastic figure, which diners may find while eating the Roscón. Tradition says that whoever finds it must pay for it.
This delicious cake is a traditional Spanish pastry served on El Día de Reyes (Three Kings’ Day) which is celebrated in Spain on 6th January to mark Epiphany and the day the Three Kings visited Baby Jesus. Three Kings’ Day also happens to be the day that Spanish children open their Christmas presents, so it’s a sweet that it’s generally eaten during breakfast or during the afternoon with a hot chocolate.
Where to buy the best roscón in Seville:
- Confitería La Campana (Calle Sierpes, 1).
- Confitería Ochoa (Calle Sierpes, 45).
- La crème de la crème (Calle Regina, 1).
- Cakes & Go (Calle Puerta del Osario, 13).
- Manu Jara (Calle Pureza, 5).
This article is part of a complete tutorial about Christmas in Seville where you can read all the information you need to enjoy the best Christmas holidays in Seville.
Here is a complete summary of all the guide:
1. Immerse yourself in the magic of Christmas in Seville
2. 10 things to do in Seville for Christmas
3. 7 cool things to do on New Year’s Eve in Seville
4. Celebrate Three Kings’ Day in Seville attending the parade
5. The best Christmas markets in Seville
6. 10 special Christmas gift ideas from Seville
7. My favorite 5 Spanish Christmas treats in Seville
8. Experience the Seville Christmas lights walk