Here’s my local guide to the best Spanish sweets to try in Spain or buy as souvenirs and gifts. After living in Spain for 15 years, I regularly shop for sweet treats to bring to friends and family abroad, so I’ve had plenty of experience choosing what travels well and what people truly love.

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What Sweets to Try in Spain and Buy as Souvenirs

Traditional Sweets: One of the Best Spanish Food Souvenirs to Bring Home

After sharing my article about Spanish food souvenirs – including wines and cheeses – where I highlighted many delicious things you can bring home from Spain, I received quite a few questions about turrones and other traditional sweets. So I decided to create a separate post to dive deeper into the Spanish sweets I personally recommend trying while you’re here or buying as souvenirs, from a local’s perspective.

Let’s be honest – most people have a sweet tooth, and sweets are by far the easiest and safest option to pack in your suitcase. Unlike cheese or wine, they don’t require special handling, and they travel much better.

Most of the products featured in this post can be easily found in Spanish supermarkets, bakeries, and especially delicatessen shops. I don’t work with any of the brands mentioned, and many of these sweets are produced by several different Spanish brands – usually displayed side by side on the shelf. As long as it’s made in Spain, feel free to choose whichever brand you prefer, particularly since packaging can make a difference when you’re buying a gift.

For your convenience, I’ve also taken photos of each sweet in local supermarkets here in Spain. Knowing the name alone isn’t always helpful when you’re standing in front of a shelf, but recognizing the packaging definitely makes the souvenir shopping process much easier and faster.

Authentic Spanish Sweets Locals Love (Perfect for Gifts & Souvenirs)

Traditional Spanish sweets are typically enjoyed after a meal, just before coffee. You might have spotted some of them on my Instagram stories when I was sharing our Spanish Sunday meals and even our Christmas table.

Some of them are more seasonal, usually appearing in October in the lead-up to the Christmas holidays, but most are available all year round. At the end of this post, I’ll also share the must-try desserts in Spain so that all the foodies with a sweet tooth can make the absolute most of their visit.

1. Turrón (Duro y Blando)

When it comes to authentic Spanish sweets, turrón is an absolute must-try. The two most traditional varieties are turrón duro (or Turron de Alicante) – a hard version packed with whole almonds – and turrón blando, a softer, smooth almond paste also known as turrón de Jijona, named after the small town of Jijona in the Alicante region where it originates.

While you’ll find many sweets labeled as “turrón,” these two are the true classics of traditional Spanish cuisine – the ones locals return to year after year. Other popular traditional varieties include turrón de yema (made with egg yolk) and turrón crocanti, which adds a delicious crunchy twist.

2. Flavored Turrón (Seasonal Varieties)

From October through early January, supermarkets in Spain are brimming with creative turrón flavors. It’s traditional to have a turrón platter at Christmas gatherings throughout December and even into early January, and sometimes restaurants serve them as a complimentary treat with coffee during the winter holidays.

Technically, these non-traditional flavors are still called turrón because they are shaped like the classic bars, but the tastes can be surprisingly modern and inventive. Some of my personal favorites include mandarin with hazelnut praline and coconut. My Spanish in-laws are absolutely crazy about yema con naranja, or orange-and-egg-yolk turrón. If you’re visiting outside the Christmas season, these varieties are much harder to find – unless you’re in Madrid or Barcelona, where some Spanish turrón brands have dedicated shops (Madrid Airport even has one, though the prices there are much higher than in supermarkets).

I must confess, my absolute weakness is the caramel-flavored palitos de turrón. The last time I bought them as a gift, I ended up eating the entire box myself and had to go back to the shop to buy another one!

3. Polvorónes & Mantecados

Polvorones and mantecados are classic, crumbly, buttery pastries that often melt in your mouth. They’re especially popular around Christmas, when you can even buy them by weight and mix your favorites rather than buying pre-packaged boxes. Outside of the holiday season, it’s easier to find the boxes in the photo below.

My kids absolutely adore the purple one, which is essentially chocolate with a crunchy filling – so it’s not as light and powdery as traditional polvorones or mantecados. I’d also highly recommend trying rosco de vino the wine-flavored versions, as these are very traditional Spanish flavors that are hard to find anywhere else.

4. Mazapán & Huesos de Santo

Almond-based sweets are deeply rooted in Spanish tradition, and mazapán is one of the most iconic. It’s especially famous in central Spain – particularly in Toledo, where you’ll even find dedicated shops like Santo Tomé specializing in mazapán treats.

Another similar delicacy is huesos de santo, which combine almond paste with egg yolk. They are traditionally enjoyed around All Saints’ Day and throughout the Christmas holidays.

5. Pasteles de Yema & Yemitas del Obrador

Pasteles de Yema and Yemitas del Obrador are among the most popular egg-yolk–based sweets and are deeply rooted in Spanish tradition. Pasteles de yema are rich and indulgent, these small pastries are filled with luscious egg yolk cream and are often beautifully packaged, making them ideal for gifting.

Yemitas del Obrador are slightly different from pasteles de yema in both texture and flavor. They’re made simply from egg yolk and sugar, resulting in a denser texture and a more intense sweetness. Personally, I prefer the creamier pasteles de yema, but many Spaniards absolutely adore yemitas for their rich, traditional flavor.

6. Peladillas

Peladillas are sugar-coated almonds are traditionally served at celebrations in Spain. Some varieties are available year-round; the ones with the white glaze are the most traditional.

You can also find beautifully packaged gift options from the Delaviuda brand, which are even available on Spanish Amazon. This brand is often featured in the souvenir sections of many gas stations across Spain.

7. Pan de higo

Pan de higo is a dense fig-and-nut cake that keeps well without refrigeration. It has a rustic, countryside charm – very evocative of rural Spain, where figs are among the most beloved fruits. Many locals genuinely enjoy pan de higo, but personally, I prefer fresh figs, so it’s not my favorite.

8. Barquitos rellenos

Barquitos rellenos are my ultimate guilty pleasure. These crispy wafer “boats” are filled with cream or chocolate and are commonly found in Spanish supermarkets. Chocolate is the classic flavor, but barquitos de turrón are also delicious. It’s one of my favorite sweets in Spain – once you open a pack, I find it almost impossible to stop eating!

9. Ensaimada

Most famously associated with Mallorca and the Balearic Islands, ensaimadas are fluffy spiral pastries dusted with powdered sugar. Nearly every pastry shop in Mallorca sells them – the last time I visited, I bought a few to bring home as food souvenirs.

Other regions have their own versions as well; for example, Castilla-La Mancha has its own take on the ensaimada, so you can often find them in supermarkets across Spain.

10. Tejas & Cigarillos

Tejas and Cigarillos are among my favorite sweet gifts to buy in Spain. Tejas are thin, buttery almond cookies, while cigarillos are delicate rolled wafers. Originally from Tolosa in the Basque Country, they are now widely available across Spain in most large supermarkets.

Both are incredibly flavorful, though a bit fragile – for traveling, it’s best to choose versions packaged in a sturdy aluminum-style tin rather than a paper box.

11. Regional Sweet Specialties

Spain is wonderfully diverse when it comes to regional sweets, with each region offering its own traditional pastries – many of which don’t require refrigeration. I’ll just highlight a few here, as this topic could easily fill an entire book. For more ideas, check out Spain for Foodies blog series, where I dive deeper into local foods.

In Valencia, you’ll find Pastissets de cabello de ángel, made with a translucent, thread-like jam from Siam pumpkin (which you can also buy canned in Spain for use at home). These treats are delicate, so they can break easily.

Central Spain offers delights like Miguelitos and Flores de La Mancha – both delicious but somewhat fragile. In general, cookie-style pastries tend to survive the journey home much better.

In northern Spain, you’ll also find mantecadas de Astorga, which I recently spotted at AlCampo. These pastries are popular throughout Spain, as many traditional recipes use manteca de cerdo (lard) to achieve their signature rich, tender texture.

12. Spanish Chocolate

Spain also has excellent chocolate brands. The two most internationally recognized and available in nearly every supermarket are Valor and Clavileño. If you are looking for something more unique, consider Pazo de Coruxo or Bresco (if you are traveling to the Spanish Pyrenees, you can even visit their shop in Benabarre).

13. Spanish Desserts

Spain is also home to some must-try desserts, from churros con chocolate in Madrid to Tarta de Santiago in Galicia. Other popular treats include Crema Catalana, flan, arroz con leche, La Viña Cheesecake, torrijas, peras al vino, and natillas. You can find more details about these and other Spanish desserts in this post.

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