Candied Pumpkin Mexican Style

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Candied Pumpkin inspired in my Great Grandmother’s original recipe.

In my Mexican culture cooking and enjoying candied pumpkin is a must do for this time of the year. We eat it as a snack, with milk, to stuff empanadas and for making pies. The candied pumpkin is very simple to make. You just need a pumpkin cut in pieces (do not remove the seeds), water, piloncillo and cinnamon sticks. Some like to add cloves for an aromatic touch.

Ingredients for making candied pumpkin or calabaza en tacha

But what is piloncillo. This is raw sugar formed into a cone. In other latino cultures piloncillo it is also called panela and is made in disks not cones. This sweetener is very common in Mexico for flavoring desserts and also the famous cafe de olla that we serve on Day of the Dead.

Cut the pumpkin and do not discard the seeds

Candied Pumpkin Mexican Style

Chef Adriana Martin

The candied pumpkin is very simple to make. You just need a pumpkin cut in pieces, water, piloncillo and cinnamon sticks.

5 from 6 votes

Print Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Course Dessert, Easy Recipes

Cuisine Mexican

Servings servings

Calories

Ingredients

1 medium size pumpkin around 10 pieces
3 piloncillo cones
2 cinnamon sticks
4 cups of water

Instructions

Clean and cut the pumpkin in eight to ten pieces depending the size. Do not remove the seeds. Those taste very nice after cooked.
Place the pumpkin pieces inside a big pot and add the piloncillo, the cinnamon sticks and the water.
Cover the pot and cook for 15 - 20 minutes on medium heat. The pumpkin cooks fast, When tender it will be ready. You can scoop the cooked flesh with a spoon and eat warm. Or refrigerate and eat cold.

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Pumpkins are a good source of fiber and a good option during this time of the year. You can find them easily and most likely will be fresh and inexpensive.

You will need 8 - 10 pieces of pumpkin for making the candied pumpkin recipe — You will need 8 – 10 pieces of pumpkin for making the candied pumpkin recipe

Going to a pumpkin patch to select your special pumpkin with the family it is also a fun activity to do. Then come back home cook the pumpkin with yoru kids for them to learn something new.

When the candied pumpkin is ready to eat you can use for making butter pumpkin, to use in smoothies with milk, flanes, breads and so many other applications.

We keep the pumpkin seeds because those are very tasty

Besides it is also nice to use a pumpkin puree that has been cooked at home and with spices and the flavorings you want to use in your style of cooking. I am not against using canned pumpkin puree but fresh and homemade in my opinion is much better.

Candied Calabaza Mexican Style also called in Spanish Calabaza en Tacha

When cooking the candied pumpkin your house will start smelling delicious. Thanks to the cinnamon and the melted piloncillo. I love cooking it, feels just like home when my great grandmother was used to cook this for us to enjoy.

Author
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Chef Adriana Martin

Adriana Martin is a home chef and founder of adrianasbestrecipes.com. She is a Latina food writer specializing in recipe development influenced by Mexico's culinary culture and European cuisine. Her grandmother taught her how to cook, and now her mission is to inspire others to make homemade meals. Adriana teaches online cooking classes, is a trained food stylist and photographer, and has published thousands of recipes online. She is the author of "The Best of Mexican Cooking – 75 Authentic Home-Style Recipes for Beginners", "The Super Easy Taco Cookbook," and "Taco Obsession." LATISM has recognized Adriana as one of the Top 100 most influential Latina bloggers, and Telemundo awarded Adriana the TECLA Awards under the category of best food creator.

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