A selection of the must-try Colombian desserts

Colombian Desserts: The Andes

– Postre de natas: has its origins in the Spanish culinary traditions. La nata is the cream that results from boiling the milk several times. Then, it is mixed with sugar or panela, eggs, rum and raisins. This dessert is served in individual small glasses.

– Brevas con arequipe: basically figs with caramel spread. Since the fruit is not extremely sweet, it pairs perfectly with arequipe, the most popular delicacy among Colombian desserts.

– Merengón: made with whipped cream and merengue – the element which the dessert is named after. But the Colombian touch is in the fruits that are used to fill and top the crunchy merengue. Guanábana (soursop) is a very common one, but pastry cooks also use strawberries and peaches.

Colombian Desserts: The Coasts

– Cocadas: a traditional delicacy from the Caribbean and Pacific Coast. As the name suggests, shredded coconuts are the main ingredient. There are different versions depending on the area of the country, but all of them are crispy and flavorful thanks to panela, cinnamon and cloves.

– Manjar blanco: one of the more typical Colombian desserts from the departments of Cauca and Valle del Cauca. It is made from milk, sugar, soaked rice and salt.

– Cholado: an iced drink full of different tropical fruits and topped with condensed milk and sweet sauce. Ice cream and whipped cream are optional. It is the perfect way to end a very long and hot day.

Colombian Desserts: the rest of the country

– Natilla: this is the go-to dessert for Christmas. The original, made by grandmothers, is a complicated process with a lot of ingredients. But now you can find a mix in every supermarket in different flavors. It is basically made with corn flour and panela, and people usually add coconut, arequipe or coffee. It can be topped with fruity sauces.

– Oblea: consists of two thin wafers filled with sauces including arequipe, whipped cream, blackberry jam or fresh cheese. Since they are very famous around the country, you can find a diversity of toppings made with local flavors. Obleas are usually found in food carts on the street.

– Arroz con leche: the Colombian version of rice pudding. The local recipe includes white rice, cinnamon sticks, milk, sugar and condensed milk. Some people add raisins to get more texture and to balance the sweetness. History tells us that the origin of this dessert is in Asia, but it is so widely known around the world that Spain, Turkey, Germany and other countries have their own variation.

– Amazon fruit ice creams: have become trendy, especially in the capital city. Fruits such as gulupa, arazá and copoazú have always been used in the Amazon region for juices or other products. But now they have become one of the exotic Colombian desserts, often offered as ice creams.