Dulce de Calabaza Recipe {Mexican Candied Pumpkin}

This Dulce de Calabaza recipe is a wonderful introduction to this traditional Mexican dessert, thick hunks of pumpkin dressed in a fantastic sauce of piloncillo and warm spices. Serve warm on its own or with a drizzle of cream.

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This gorgeous celebration of candied winter squash goes by many names in Mexico. You’ll see it called calabaza en tacha, calabaza en dulce, or calabaza enmielada. It is a traditional dessert served during the Día de Muertos season when the hefty pumpkins are everywhere and the spirits need a little guidance with the help of brown sugar and spice.

But it’s not only for special occasions, it is one of those seasonal desserts that is full of fall flavor like cinnamon, spice, and of course, pumpkin and is as common on the Mexican breakfast table as oatmeal or eggs.

For pumpkin lovers, this dessert is gold. Similar to my pumpkin tres leches cake, no-bake pumpkin chipotle cheesecake, and pumpkin dulce de leche layer cake it celebrates our favorite fall vegetable in all its glory.

Why You’ll Love This Dulce de Calabaza Recipe

• An easy recipe
• Thick pumpkin pieces infused with orange, sugar, and spice like my pumpkin spice pan de muerto
• A wonderful way to celebrate pumpkin season
• Learn more about Mexican culture with this sweet treat
• The perfect recipe to add to your Day of the Dead celebration
• Delicious for breakfast with milk or dessert with a scoop of ice cream

This recipe will show you how to make the traditional recipe of Mexican pumpkin in thick syrup. There is another type of pumpkin candy that is cooked until the syrup reaches hard-ball stage and the pumpkin comes out dry with a stiff, fudge-like texture.

This type of candy requires a much longer process where the large pieces (or sometimes the whole pumpkin) is soaked overnight in a calcium hydroxide (slaked lime) mixture which makes it stiffer so the slices don’t fall apart during cooking.

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What Type of Pumpkin Should I Use?

The most traditional kind of pumpkin is Calabaza de Castilla (curcubita moschata) also known as Cinderella pumpkin or Fairy Tale Squash, which I’ve been able to find at my local Latin market. Kabocha squash makes a good substitute. You can also use thick slices of sweet potatoes but the cook time will be much shorter, check after 10 minutes.

Do not use a Jack O’Lantern-type pumpkin you would use for carving on Halloween. Save it to make grilled pumpkin steaks.

You will also need these key ingredients:

1. Piloncillo: This is a raw sugar that is formed into cones. It is what we use to make capirotada and ponche navideño. Look for it at your local Latin market or find it online. You can also substitute dark brown sugar.
2. Spices: Cinnamon sticks, star anise, whole cloves, and black peppercorns. Like we always do (see mole sauce and rompope), we want to use Mexican canela (Ceylon cinnamon) instead of Cassia cinnamon sticks if possible.
3. Orange: I like to use slices of a whole orange but you can use the orange zest and juice if you prefer
4. Optional for serving: Milk, heavy cream, creme fraiche, whipped cream, or ice cream

Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds and strings. Some people prefer to leave them in and let the pumpkin seeds get candied along with the pumpkin, this is up to you.

Cut each half into quarters, then cut the quarters into 2-inch thick pieces. Cut each piece into roughly 2 to 3-inch squares.

Make The Piloncillo Syrup

In a large pot combine 4 cups of water, piloncillo, and spices. You will need a very large pot to fit all the pumpkin. I used my 9-quart Le Creuset Dutch oven. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally until the piloncillo dissolves.

Place pumpkin in the syrup and stir as best as you can to coat. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer and cook until the pumpkin is fork tender and has been soaked through with the syrup. It won’t seem like enough syrup at first but the pumpkin releases water as it cooks and it will be more than enough liquid.

No need to cover the pot. Stir occasionally to distribute the pumpkin pieces in the syrup but be careful not to break up the pumpkin as it cooks.

Once the pumpkin is cooked through (this takes about 2 hours), remove with a slotted spoon to a serving tray or plate. Increase heat to medium and gently boil remaining syrup until it has reduced and coats the back of a spoon, about another 20 minutes.

Pour reduced syrup over the pumpkin and serve. You can remove the spices if you’d like but I like to keep them in there to continue adding flavor.

Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to a week in the refrigerator.

Serving Suggestions

Serve hot, room temperature, or cold. For breakfast, place warm pumpkin pieces in a bowl and cover with milk or serve cold with yogurt and granola. For dessert, serve by itself or with a drizzle of cream, a scoop of ice cream (my canela ice cream would be really good here), or a dollop of whipped cream or creme fraiche.

Just like your favorite chicken mole, this pumpkin actually tastes better the next day after sitting overnight in the syrup. Rewarm gently on the stove or in the microwave.

Any leftovers can be used to make my candied pumpkin tart or squash empanadas!

Do I Peel The Sweet Pumpkin First?

You do not need to peel the pumpkin. The skin helps hold the pieces together so they don’t fall apart as they cook. Cut away from the skin with your fork or spoon as you enjoy the candied pumpkin.

Just like my Baked Mexican Street Corn Pumpkin Dip and Pumpkin Stuffed with Chorizo Rice, this is another excellent reason to buy a whole pumpkin and do something super delicious with it. I hope you give this recipe a try, I think you will absolutely LOVE it!