These are the Bolivian Desserts You Need to Try

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As with any country, the landlocked Bolivia in South America has its own range of unique foods and dishes. The same applies to Bolivian desserts. Because Bolivia is such a large country, with various geographical regions, typical Bolivian desserts also vary a bit depending on where you are. Yet, what generally characterizes Bolivian food, and desserts, is the use of locally sourced ingredients, such as maize, potatoes, and quinoa. Many of the popular Bolivian desserts also contain the common ingredients eggs, flour, and milk. Furthermore, fruits such as coconut are commonly used in Bolivian desserts.

Overall, enjoying Bolivian desserts can be a bit of a culture trip, as well. Many Bolivian desserts commonly enjoyed today have been influenced by the recipes of the Spanish, or by favored desserts of other South American countries. Bolivians enjoy desserts after dinner, but they also often have a social tea-time in the afternoon, with coffee, tea, api or other drinks, and something sweet.

In this article you can discover more about the loveliest Bolivian desserts. The list is by no means even nearly complete – but it provides a little introductory glimpse into the sweet side of the gastronomy of Bolivia.

Manjar blanco

This is a traditional Bolivian dessert that is also often used to accompany other desserts. Manjar blanco is like caramel or dulce de leche, but thicker and creamier. It is made by slowly cooking milk and sugar on low heat, until the right consistency is achieved. You’ll find manjar blanco in many supermarkets, but homemade is best, of course. Manjar blanco can be enjoyed on its own, or used as a filling in biscuits or cakes, or spread on bread rolls… the possibilities are endless.

Arroz con leche – Bolivian rice pudding

This dessert is actually eaten in many other Latin American countries, as well; and, almost all parts of the world have their version of a rice pudding. But arroz con leche is still considered rather traditional in Bolivia. The rice is cooked straight in a tasty cream or milk, sweetened, and often spiced with cinnamon and cloves. Quite often, condensed milk is used for added sweetness and texture. Arroz con leche is a lovely dish indeed, wonderful as a snack or a dessert. I like it most when it’s warm, enjoyed with a bit of cold milk.

The delicious deep fried Bolivian desserts: Buñuelos, churros, & tawa tawas

Buñuelos

Small, deep fried balls or doughnuts of dough are eaten in many countries, especially in the French and Spanish speaking parts of the world. For example, round, small buñuelos are enjoyed for breakfast in Equatorial Guinea and many other Spanish-speaking countries, while in the French speaking countries they’re commonly called beignes. Even the Dutch have their version of the doughnut – the tasty, slightly larger oliebollen.

In Bolivia, buñuelos are especially a morning snack. They probably found their way to Bolivia with the Spanish, back in the day, but they since then became a traditional Andean snack. The shape of buñuelos in Bolivia is more flat – they’re almost like deep-fried flapjacks with some holes in them. A traditional way to eat them is with some syrup and powdered sugar, and I personally do find them very tasty this way. Sometimes buñuelos are served with api – a warm, sweet, spicy drink made from purple corn flour.

Churros

Churros are also a beloved dessert originating in the Spanish-speaking world. They’ve become quite popular in Europe and the US as well. The churros found elsewhere are usually a bit thicker, whereas the Bolivian version is thinner, and rather light and crispy. Churros are made by piping the dough into hot oil. The outcome is these ridged, tasty treats that are enjoyed as they are or sometimes by dipping them into manjar blanco or chocolate sauce.

Tawa tawa

This form of a sweet, deep fried dough treat is especially typical to the Potosí region, where it’s been declared as part of the important cultural heritage of the area. Tawa tawa dough is similar to that used for buñuelos and churros. However, the dough is cut into rectangle or diamond shapes, before dipping into the hot oil. They, also, are usually served with powdered sugar and syrup.

Gaznates dulces

These absolutely delicious treats are, I find, one of the most unique desserts in Bolivia. Gaznates dulces are made by filling a crispy crust with a creamy mousse. The crust is usually made from fried corn flour with a little bit of cognac added to it. The creamy filling also often contains cognac, or brandy. That’s what gives the dessert its distinct flavor. The filling can also be made of chocolate, or manjor blanco, for example. You can buy gaznates dulces, with its unique taste and texture, from many cafés or bakeries, though the ones you get from street vendors often have the most authentic taste.

Budin de quinoa

Quinoa pudding is a truly Bolivian treat, in that quinoa’s origins are in Bolivia. This superfood has been cultivated in the Andes already for thousands of years. Quinoa is full of proteins, fibres, and antioxidants, and it is also gluten free. Thus, it makes a great ingredient for dishes and desserts.

Budin de quinoa in Bolivia generally is a little bit like the dessert arroz con leche. The preparation involves cooking quinoa slowly with milk and sugar. Sometimes, honey, vanilla, or raisins are added. There is also a cake-like version, where eggs are added and the dessert is baked. Budin de quinoa is a real comfort food – I highly recommend trying some while visiting Bolivia.

Iced treats from the Andes

Thayacha – iced tubers, the “Andean ice cream”

This treat is also endemic to the mountainous regions of Bolivia. Thayacha is traditionally made from tubers, especially the roots of mashua, or isaño. Isaño grows in the higher altitudes of the Andes, and is a very nutritious plant, with high protein content. Thayacha “ice cream” is made by letting the isaño tubers first sweeten while drying in the sun. Then, the roots are soaked in water, after which they are allowed to freeze. Sometimes honey or sugar are used to sweeten thayacha a bit more.

Shikashika, Bolivia’s version of an ice slush

This is yet another Bolivian dessert that is highly endemic to the Andean regions – because it consists of ice, and ice comes from the mountain glaciers, traditionally speaking. Shikashika is kind of like Bolivia’s version of an ice slush.

Making shikashika in the traditional way is still a source of income for lots of people in Bolivia and Peru. The process involves cutting ice off the glaciers and transporting it down the mountains on the back of mules. The ice is then transported to villages and towns below, where shaved ice is scraped from the ice blocks, and the shaved ice is then sold on the streets in small plastic bags. The ice is usually flavored with sweet, colorful syrups, or sometimes with milk or honey. At times, shikashika is served from cups with a spoon. If you wish to try something truly local and Bolivian, shikashika is the thing to go for.

Melcocha

Melcocha is a traditional Bolivian candy-like sweet. It is also popular in some other parts of Latin America, especially Ecuador. Melcocha is made from panela, which is dehydrated sugarcane. The sweets are somewhat toffee-like. But panela has a rather distinctive flavor, and the melcochas are generally harder in texture. The ingredients for these delicious sweets also include molasses, butter, and citrus juice. A crucial part of making melcochas is hand pulling the mixture and folding it onto itself, until it becomes solid candy. You’ll not regret trying some of these Bolivian desserts during your visit.

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