Buñuelos & Natilla at Christmas: Colombian Tradition

Colombia is the country where buñuelos and natilla are iconic Christmas treats.

Buñuelos

• Fried dough balls: cornmeal/cassava flour, cheese (queso costeño), egg, sugar, baking powder.
• Crispy outside, soft/cheesy inside. Served hot with hot chocolate.
• Eaten throughout December (Novena de Aguinaldos), especially Christmas Eve.

Natilla

• Custard-like pudding: milk, panela (unrefined cane sugar), cornstarch, cinnamon, cloves.
• Often with brevas (figs in syrup) or raisins.
• Served cold, sprinkled with cinnamon. Paired with buñuelos.

Cultural Context

• Family-made in large pots (cazo de cobre) — communal ritual.
• Sold by street vendors (buñueleras) — "¡Buñuelos calientes!"
• Part of Novena de Aguinaldos (9 nights of prayer/song/food before Christmas).

Also eaten in Venezuela, Ecuador, Panama — but Colombia is the heartland.