Posted on May 09, 2018 | antigua guatemala, guatemala culture
Canillitas de leche (milk canillitas), Zapotes, Colochos de Guayaba and Camotes… these are just a few of many many candies that you can find in Antigua Guatemala. Each one has a unique flavor and texture, yet some of them share a few key ingredients like condensed milk and cinnamon.
Perhaps the most famous of them all is the Canillita de Leche (made of milk, sugar and cinnamon), these candy is white as milk, very sweet and soft, so soft that it will immediately melt in your mouth inviting you to have more. The name Canillitas refers to its shape, like a melted candle.
Some of the Typical Guatemalan Candies come from the spanish colony, however, they have changed over the years to be unique to Guatemala. The local people keep the tradition very much alive as it is part of the Guatemala’s signature and identity (over 400 year tradition); when visiting Antigua Guatemala, you will find that there are several Candy Stores around… but perhaps the most famous one of them all is Maria Gordillo store due to their high quality, located on 4a Calle Oriente, this store is full most of the time, so you will need to have patience and wait for your turn before tasting one of these delicacies. But you can also visit El Sombreron, located a little farther east on the 4a Calle Oriente as well.
We’ll share a short list of candies you should not miss in your shopping list : guayaba curls, tamarind balls, coconut candy, marzipan candy, pepitoria bars, coffee candy, honey drops, of course Canillitas de Leche… the list is so long that we could easily continue with dozens of names.