Dulce de Pepita (Pumpkin Seed Brittle)

History & Origin

Dulce de pepita is one of the oldest sweets in Mexico, with roots in pre-Hispanic Mesoamerican culture. Pumpkin seeds (pepitas) were a sacred food for the Aztecs and other peoples of the Central Plateau and the Oaxacan region, eaten toasted as a snack and ground into ritual sauces such as pipián. The technique of binding pepitas with bee honey or maguey honey to create a brittle-style sweet was likely pre-Columbian; Aztec codices show representations of seed sweets at markets and ceremonies. With the arrival of the Spanish, piloncillo (raw cane sugar) was introduced, partially replacing indigenous honeys in many preparations. The result was dulce de pepita as we know it today: crispy, caramelised and enormously satisfying. In Puebla, dulce de pepita has been made since colonial times in the Callejón de los Sapos and the sweet shops of the historic centre. In Oaxaca it is prepared during the Day of the Dead season as an offering. There is also a variant with sesame seeds known as 'palanqueta de ajonjolí', and versions with peanuts. Dulce de pepita is one of the sweets that Mexican travellers always bring back from their visits to Oaxaca and Puebla.