How to Make Calabazas Dulces (Mexican Candied Pumpkin)
Calabazas dulces, also known as calabaza en tacha, is a seasonal Mexican dessert made from sweetened pumpkin that’s simmered in a piloncillo syrup until it’s tender and flavorful. It is especially delicious in the fall and is a traditional food to enjoy for Day of the Dead.
The hardest part about making this dessert is cutting the pumpkin. After this, you simply let it simmer and absorb the flavors of the spiced piloncillo syrup! Other names for calabazas dulces include:
- calabaza dulce
- calabaza en dulce
- calabaza con piloncillo
- calabaza enmielada
- dulce de calabaza
- calabaza en tacha
Once you try this recipe, be sure to check out my Flan de Calabaza and Camote Enmielado recipes!
A BRIEF HISTORY OF CALABAZAS EN DULCE
This recipe dates back to pre-Hispanic Mexico, where the Aztecs and Mayans cultivated squash and pumpkins as staple foods along with corn, beans, and chili peppers.
- Calabazas en dulce was most likely prepared with natural sweeteners, like honey until the 16th century when Spanish colonizers introduced sugar to the region.
- The dish became symbolic of harvest time and fall festivals, embodying a blend of indigenous ingredients and Spanish colonial influences.
- Over time, pumpkin cooked in piloncillo syrup, became a popular dessert, especially during religious celebrations like Día de Muertos.
Today people add calabazas con piloncillo as a sweet offering on altars for the Day of the Dead, which is when when families come together to cook, share stories, and remember their ancestors. The warm, spiced dessert is believed to be a favorite of the spirits, who are said to consume the essence of the food placed on an altar.
INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED
The ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe are simple: pumpkin and piloncillo, canela sticks, cloves and a little water to make the syrup. I like to use calabaza de Castilla, fairytale squash, pie pumpkin, or sugar pumpkins for this recipe. I’m typically able to find calabaza de Castilla year-round at my local Asian market. I like that I’m able to buy half or a quarter of it because they tend to be quite large. I also like to use Ceylon cinnamon, which is softer and easier to break.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
1. Prep the pumpkin and make the syrup
- Prepare the pumpkin: Rinse the pumpkin, cut it into large chunks, and remove the seeds and stringy flesh if desired. I like the way they look and taste when candied, so I leave them in.
- PRO TIP: Leave the skin on for a rustic presentation. It’s hard to peel the pumpkins anyway!
2. Make the syrup
- In a large pot or saucepan, add piloncillo (or brown sugar), cinnamon sticks, cloves, and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the piloncillo dissolves completely and forms a syrup.
3. Simmer pumpkin
- Add pumpkin: Place the pumpkin chunks into the saucepan, skin-side down. The syrup should cover the bottom of the pumpkin pieces.
- Simmer: Cover the pot and simmer on low heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the pumpkin becomes tender and absorbs the syrup, basting the pumpkin pieces occasionally with the syrup. Add more water if needed to prevent burning.
- This process can take up to 2 hours depending on the size of the pumpkin. It’s ready when the pumpkins are fork tender.
PRO TIP: Even a small calabaza yields a large amount of calabazas en tacha, so if you have too much leftover, scoop out the flesh and mash or blend it to use as a filling for sweet empanadas or pop tarts (I made a quick version with ready-made pie crust). I even froze some of the puree and used it later to make a delicious pumpkin pie.
RECOMMENDED BY LOLA FOR THIS RECIPE
Large Cast-Iron Enameled Skillet with Lid
For this recipe, you’ll need the largest diameter pot or pan that you have, with a lid. It’s important that each piece of pumpkin touches the syrup so it’s able to absorb the flavors. The pumpkin should be as close to a single layer as possible. VIEW PRODUCT
HOW TO STORE AND REHEAT
Store calabazas en tacha in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, gently warm in a saucepan over low heat or microwave on low until heated through.
You can use leftover calabazas en tacha as a topping for pancakes, waffles, ice cream, cottage cheese, or yogurt. I’ve also used it to make sweet pumpkin empanadas and pumpkin pie (first remove as much of the skin as possible and mash or blend the flesh).
LOOKING FOR MORE MEXICAN DESSERT RECIPES?
Be sure to check out more of my paletas, sweets and desserts! A few of my other favorite fall postres include:
- How to Make Camote Enmielado (Mexican Candied Sweet Potatoes)
- How to Make Flan de Calabaza (Pumpkin Flan Recipe)
- How to Make Flan de Café (BEST Coffee Flan Recipe)
- How to Make Flan Casero (Classic Flan Topped with Fresh Berries)
- How to Make Flan de Chocolate
- Lola’s Holiday Flan de Rompope (Eggnog and Rum Flan)
- Mexican Rice Pudding (Arroz con leche)
- Lola’s Fancy Passion Fruit and Coconut Flan | Flan de Maracuyá y Coco
- Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream to Die For
- How to Make Helado de Chocolate (Chocolate Ice Cream)
- How to Make Paletas de Chocolate (Mexican Popsicles)
Calabazas Dulces (Mexican Candied Pumpkin)
Ingredients
- 5 pound pumpkin cut into large chunks (Castilla, sugar, or pie pumpkins work best)
- 14 ounces piloncillo from about 2 piloncillo cones; each cone is approximately 6-8 ounces (or 1 ½ cups dark brown sugar)
- 1.5 cups of water
- 3 cinnamon sticks broken in half
- 3 cloves
Instructions
- Prep the pumpkin. Rinse the pumpkin and cut it into large chunks. You can remove the seeds and stringy flesh if desired, but I like the way they look and taste when candied, so I leave them in.PRO TIP: Leave the skin on, too! It creates a beautiful, rustic presentation and is hard to peel off anyway.
- Prepare the syrup. In a large pot or saucepan, add piloncillo (or brown sugar), water, cinnamon sticks, and cloves. Cook over medium heat stirring until the piloncillo dissolves completely and forms a syrup, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. You may have to break up large chucks of piloncillo with a wooden spatula.
- Add pumpkin and simmer. Place the pumpkin pieces into the saucepan, skin-side down. The syrup should cover the bottom of the pumpkin pieces. Cover the pot and simmer on low heat for 1 hour, or until the pumpkin becomes fork-tender and absorbs the syrup, basting the pumpkin pieces occasionally with the syrup. This process can take up to 2 hours, depending on the size and thickness of the pumpkin pieces. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before serving.PRO TIP: Only add more water if it looks like the syrup is dissolving too quickly and the pumpkin will burn. This shouldn't happen though, if you have it covered and are simmering it on low.
- Serve and enjoy. Serve warm or at room temperature, with chopped pepitas on top, if desired. See the "How to Serve" section for more of my favorite serving suggestions.
A Note from Lola
WHAT IS THE BEST TYPE OF PUMPKIN TO USE FOR CALABAZAS EN TACHA?
For calabazas dulces, pumpkins with a sweet and dense flesh work best. Avoid pumpkins that are too watery or stringy like Halloween (Jack-o’-Lantern) pumpkins. Here are a few options:- Calabaza de Castilla, also known as musquee de provence or fairytale squash, is a type of winter squash that is commonly found in Mexico and Central America. Calabaza de Castilla is often used in a variety of dishes, including soups, stews, and desserts. It’s especially popular during the Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico.
- Pie pumpkins: Known for their sweet, smooth flesh, pie pumpkins are a popular choice for this dish.
- Sugar pumpkins: These pumpkins also have a sweet flavor and are often used in pies and other desserts.
- Butternut squash: While butternut squash can be used as a substitute for pumpkin in this recipe, I’d only use butternut squash if the other pumpkin varieties are no longer in season.
- Kabocha squash: Kabocha squash will hold up well during the cooking process, but I prefer calabazas de Castilla. The texture of kabocha squash is more dense and mealy.
TIPS AND TRICKS
-
- Only add more water if it looks like the syrup is dissolving too quickly and the pumpkin will burn. This shouldn’t happen though, if you have it covered and are simmering it on low.
-
- Use a saucepan or pot that is large enough to accommodate all of the pumpkin chunks in a single layer so that they’re able to absorb the full flavor of the syrup. If you’re working with a large pumpkin, you have have to use two pots or saucepans.
-
- Try to find the smallest Castilla pumpkin possible, 4 to 5 pounds at most because this recipe can yield a large amount. I have seen it sold cut in half at Asian grocery stores, which s great because even half will yield a lot! Trader Joe’s also has small 1 to 2 pound pie pumpkins if you’re looking to create a small batch of this Mexican candied pumpkin recipe.
- Even a small calabaza yields a large amount of calabazas en tacha, so if you too much leftover, scoop out the flesh and mash or blend it to use as a filling for sweet empanadas or pop tarts (I made a quick version with ready-made pie crust). I even froze some of the puree and used it later to make a delicious pumpkin pie.
HOW TO SERVE
Calabazas en dulce is a delicious and versatile Mexican dessert, so there are many ways to enjoy it:- Straight from the pot: One of the simplest ways to enjoy calabazas en tacha is to serve it warm or at room temperature straight from the pan. The sweet pumpkin and syrup are perfect on their own.
- With milk: In my family, the most common accompaniment is warm or cold milk. It helps to balance the sweetness of the pumpkin and syrup and is served over the calabazas, the way you would serve milk over cereal.
- As a topping: I also love it with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream, or with greek yogurt or cottage cheese.
HOW TO STORE AND REHEAT
- To store: Store calabazas en tacha in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freezer for up to 3 months.
- To reheat: Gently warm in a saucepan over low heat or microwave on low until heated through.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted on October 9, 2024 and updated on October 7, 2025.
Lola’s Cocina is a small business that earns various revenue streams. This includes sponsored posts and affiliate commissions from linked products, which I use and love. This commission is an agreement between Lola’s Cocina and retailers, with no extra cost to readers. This income helps sustains the site.
Photography: Cacey McReavy (images 1,2, and 4 only)
Lola Wiarco Dweck
Lola is a Mexican-American recipe developer, writer, and cooking instructor who loves sharing her culture with the world. Growing up in California and spending summers in Mexico, Lola celebrates her family’s Mexican recipes and vibrant culture through Lola’s Cocina.
I made this recipe over the weekend and it was simple and delightful! I enjoyed it greatly, and appreciate the thoughtful tips to help perfect the Mexican classic. Gracias!
I think that the most important part is using the right pumpkin and getting the correct piloncillo-to-water ratio. Too much water will make the syrup too watery and the flavor will be off.
Such an amazing recipe that reminds me of my childhood.
I tasted these recently in Mexico City and came home to make a batch!