Typical pastry from Mallorca

They say that no matter how much you have eaten, a sweet treat always goes down well and it seems that desserts go straight to a different stomach, which is never ending. Desserts are always appetising, so when you go on a trip it is good to be able to try the best products of the typical confectionery of the area where you are.

Mallorca is the largest island in the Balearic archipelago and has a long baking and pastry-making tradition that dates back to the end of the 14th century. One of the most typical products from Mallorca is the ensaimada, the island’s most famous sweet, but here at ROIG we are going to present you with a selection of the best typical pastry from Mallorca that you have to try on your holidays.

The ensaimada

We begin our selection of the best typical pastry from Mallorca with the famous ensaimada, considered one of the wonders of the island. It is a puff pastry rolled into a spiral shape and made with flour, eggs, yeast, sugar and lard. It can contain different fillings: chocolate, almond cream, apricot jam, angel hair, etc.

You can also find salted ensaimadas filled with sobrassada and pumpkin. This is a very versatile sweet that you can enjoy in the morning with a coffee, in the afternoon as an afternoon snack, as a dessert, etc. If you are looking for the most typical dishes of Mallorcan gastronomy, you should definitely try the ensaimada.

Also, you should know that if you book a car rental in Mallorca with ROIG, you can order an ensaimada to take home and we will deliver it to you in time for your return.

Coca

Coca is one of Mallorca’s most famous pastries, becoming the islanders’ favourite after ensaimada. It is a kind of low, compact sponge cake that takes on different shapes. They are made all over the island and there are many varieties. 

One of the best known is the Coca de Sant Joan, which was traditionally made to welcome the shortest night of the year, but can now be found at any time of the year. Another well-known coca is the potato coca from Valldemossa, which is very spongy, followed by the apricot coca and the nougat coca.

Cardenal de Lloseta

Cardenal de Lloseta is a lesser-known dessert whose origins lie in an oven that was located at the foot of the Tramuntana mountain range. It is a real delicacy made with Genoese sponge cake, cherry liqueur, meringue and whipped cream, which is given an elongated shape to make it easier for diners to eat.

It is a very creamy delicacy that gives almost all the attention to the cream, with a rough touch that is very characteristic of Genoese sponge cake. When you take a bite of this dessert, you will taste the elegance itself. It is a very complex preparation that has been considered a luxury dessert.

Old fritters

Old Mallorcan fritters are another typical pastry from Mallorca. They are made with potatoes and sweet potatoes and a classic dough containing flour, butter, milk, eggs and yeast. This is one of the island’s most traditional snacks and its flavour is delicious, despite the simplicity of its preparation and its basic ingredients. This sweet is perfect for any occasion!

Rubiols

Rubiols are delicious Mallorcan sweets that are very typical at Easter. They are presented in the shape of a half moon, as if they were pasties. The dough is sweet and you can find them filled with apricot jam, homemade jam, cream, angel hair, cottage cheese or chocolate.

It is of Jewish origin and is related to the dried unleavened pastries eaten during the Hebrew Passover. You can find these delicacies at any time of the year in bakeries, small shops, cafés, restaurants, gastronomic fairs, etc. They are ideal for breakfast or an afternoon snack, and at celebrations they are often served as an aperitif.

Potato coca

We have talked about the coca de patata (potato coca) before in the section on cocas, but we believe that this delicious delicacy deserves a special place in our list of the best typical Mallorcan sweets. Coca de patata originates from the beautiful village of Valldemossa, but you can find it in any bakery on the island.

This small puffy coca has a very soft texture and is made with potato, lard, sugar, yeast, flour, eggs, milk and sunflower oil. We recommend that you accompany your coca de patata with a hot chocolate in winter or with an almond ice cream when it’s hot, and you won’t regret trying it!

Quartos embetumats

This curiously named dessert is made mainly in the capital of Mallorca, the city of Palma, although you can find it almost anywhere on the island. To make this sweet, they use the traditional “quartos”, which are spongy and very light sponge cakes simply made with eggs, sugar and cornflour.

To make the icing for the ‘quartos’, they are filled with custard and covered with a layer of meringue or chocolate. This is a real flavour bomb that will make your palate jump for joy, with all the flavour nuances of the best quality ingredients from the island of Mallorca.

Crespells

Crespells are biscuits that are served at Easter and can be found in all the island’s bakeries at that time of year, so do not miss out on the opportunity if you are visiting Mallorca in spring. These sweet morsels are shaped like hearts, flowers, fish, six-pointed stars, etc. In the town of Manacor they bake a human-shaped variety called “señorets”, which translates as “little men”.

Almond Gató 

Gató de almendras‘ (or almond gató) is a moist sponge cake with a rather thick and consistent texture, due to the large amount of ground almonds in it. It also contains eggs and sugar and is usually accompanied by a scoop of Mallorcan almond ice cream, a cup of coffee or a glass of sweet wine.

As it is flourless, this is a favourite dessert for coeliacs and you can find it not only in Mallorca, but also in the other Balearic Islands. This is a dessert that you must try on your trip to the island and we are sure you will repeat.

Almond ice cream

We finish our selection of typical sweets and pastries from Mallorca with our favourite preparation. Almond ice cream or better known by Mallorcans as “gelat d’ametlla” is a typical recipe of Mallorcan gastronomy. You can find it all year round, but especially in summer, as it is very refreshing and tasty. It is served in ice cream parlours, but also in restaurants as a dessert.

In Mallorca it is very typical to eat this homemade ice cream accompanied by an almond gató, as we said before, or a good coca. In addition, there are some places that make variations such as almond granita or almond sorbet, so you can choose the one you fancy the most.

Are your mouths already watering with the best typical sweets and pastries in Mallorca? We are! At ROIG we want you to have an unforgettable holiday and to be able to travel from one patisserie to another at your own pace. That’s why we offer you the best offers and promotions for your car hire in Mallorca.