My mother is a very devoted Catholic. Every year when I was growing up, just before December 12, the Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe, my mother insisted we visit the Basílica de Guadalupe to give thanks for another year of health and abundance — or anything my sister and I wanted to be thankful for, as 8- and 10-year-old girls.
Even though we had to get up super early — around 4 a.m. — to avoid the crowds, I remember looking forward to it. Especially because my father always bought gorditas de nata and other seasonal treats for us after Mass.
In honor of that warm childhood memory, here’s our digest of the best Mexican treats to enjoy this holiday season. Although no one can resist a crunchy churro with a nice cup of hot chocolate, these Christmas treats will also make your guests sparkle with joy. Try them all this year!
Buñuelos
Buñuelos are the kind of Mexican Christmas treats that feel like home during the holiday season. Sprinkled with sugar and with an unmissable aroma of cinnamon, you can enjoy these crunchy wonders with honey and a tall glass of milk. Grandmothers and aunties usually give these to children before the gift-giving moment on Christmas Day, just after everybody stops singing the classic posada songs.
Although originally from Egypt and Morocco, as documented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, this crispy dessert migrated with the Spaniards to colonial Mexico. Today, no Mexican can fathom Christmas without a pile of enormous buñuelos waiting for them at the dinner table. I usually savor the moment with the dear memory of my grandma’s smile.
Borrachitos
Borrachitos, translated as “little drunks,” inherited their name from the touch of liquor with which they’re traditionally prepared in the central state of Puebla. These soft, creamy candies are famous nationwide for their various flavors, ranging from strawberry, pineapple, lime and even rompope.
As is the case with most of Mexico’s traditional candy, these Christmas treats date back to the colonial era, when European flavors encountered ancient Mesoamerican cuisine. Borrachitos were created in convents, where nuns tended to experiment with everything they had at hand.
Today, you can find them practically anywhere in the Bajío region, so treat your holiday guests with this fine Mexican delicacy. And, yes, children eat them too.
Jamoncillo
Despite what the name suggests, no, jamoncillo has nothing to do with ham. Or meat, whatsoever, in fact. This delicious Mexican sweet with a creamy, smooth texture is associated with the cobblestone streets of San Miguel de Allende and Morelia. An iconic sweet that’s widespread throughout the Bajío region, this delicacy is made from cow’s or goat’s milk — and lots and lots of sugar.
Don’t miss your chance to have jamoncillos this Christmas with café de olla or rice atole, the perfect pairing to counteract their intense sweet flavor.
Gorditas de nata
Gorditas de nata can be found for sale in the atrium of almost any church in Mexico, especially during the Christmas season. Traditionally made with wheat or corn flour, these seasonal treats come in all varieties, both sweet and savory. While savory gorditas are eaten year-round, sweet gorditas are more common during the December festivities, especially gorditas filled with nata.
As a child, I remember that gorditas seemed too dry to eat on their own, so I always ordered champurrado — chocolate-flavored atole — or hot chocolate to go with them. Either made the perfect pairing due to the treat’s subtle tinge of cinnamon.
Christmas apple salad
Although this Mexican holiday adaptation of Waldorf salad originated in New York, Mexicans cannot conceive of Christmas dinner without our ensalada de manzana.
The original Waldorf salad recipe includes nuts and celery, but Mexicans added raisins, cherries, peach, pineapple or melon and replaced the mayonnaise with sweetened condensed milk. Just delicious!
Besides being incredibly easy to prepare, this holiday dish works well as both an appetizer and dessert in Christmas dinners. It’s that versatile — and everyone loves it.
Andrea Fischer contributes to the features desk at Mexico News Daily. She has edited and written for National Geographic en Español and Muy Interesante México, and continues to be an advocate for anything that screams science. Or yoga. Or both.
