Marquesitas: what they are and how to make them

What is it?

The marquesita is a crisp, rolled wafer of Yucatecan origin, made with a thin batter of flour, egg, butter and vanilla cooked on hot iron plates. Freshly made, while still hot and malleable, it is filled with grated Edam ball cheese and, in its most popular modern version, with Nutella, cajeta, dulce de leche or jam, before being rolled into a tube. The marquesita is the street snack par excellence of Merida and the whole Yucatan Peninsula, sold in parks, squares and fairs by the marquesiteras from mobile carts. It combines the crunch of the wafer with the surprising contrast between salty cheese and sweet chocolate.

Origin and history

The marquesita was born in Merida, Yucatan, in the 1930s, attributed to Mr Leopoldo Mena Brito, a pioneering marquesitero who began by selling hot wafers in central Merida and experimented by filling them with ball cheese, an iconic ingredient of Yucatecan cooking due to the Dutch and Lebanese influences in the region. Larousse Cocina documents that Edam ball cheese arrived in Yucatan via the trade route with Havana and Holland during the 19th century. Mexico Desconocido details that the marquesita became massively popular in the 60s and 70s, when domestic tourism began arriving in Merida and marquesita carts multiplied in the parks of Santa Lucia and Santa Ana. The incorporation of Nutella, cajeta and other sweets is more recent, from the 1990s, and responded to demand from a young public. Today the marquesita is a marker of Yucatecan identity as much as cochinita pibil or pan de cazon.

Characteristic ingredients

Marquesita batter is made with wheat flour, eggs, sugar, milk, melted butter, vanilla and a little baking powder, beaten to a liquid, crepe-like texture. A spoonful is poured onto the plate of the marquesitera, a cast-iron machine with two hot plates that press and cook the batter into a thin, crisp disc. After 20-30 seconds the still-flexible wafer is removed and filled immediately: finely grated Edam ball cheese (classic), Nutella, cajeta, dulce de leche, cream cheese, condensed milk or jam. It is rolled quickly before it hardens. Edam ball cheese is essential in the traditional version: its salty, slightly aged flavour contrasts perfectly with the sweet batter. The sweet-savoury balance in the marquesita is one of the most original features of Mexican street cooking.

Cultural significance

The marquesita is a cultural emblem of Merida and the Yucatan Peninsula, present in every park, square and fair in the region. In the Plaza Grande, Santa Lucia and Paseo de Montejo, the marquesiteras form a century-old guild that has passed the trade down from generation to generation. The presence of Edam ball cheese reveals Yucatan's migratory diversity: Dutch, Spanish, Lebanese, Cuban and French left their mark on the local gastronomy, and the cheese is one of the tastiest reminders. Yucatecan cuisine is recognised as part of Mexico's Intangible Cultural Heritage and the marquesita is part of it. The snack has gone beyond the peninsular borders and is sold in Cancun, Merida, Playa del Carmen and even at fairs in Mexico City, where it is promoted as a Yucatecan exotic treat. The marquesita is one of the few Mexican snacks whose exact origin and authorship are documented.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a marquesita and an ordinary wafer cone?

The ordinary wafer cone is a hollow cone for ice cream, made with similar batter but served empty and usually thicker. The marquesita is a large, flat wafer rolled into a tube, filled to order with ball cheese and a sweet. Its size, presentation and sweet-savoury combination set it radically apart.

What does a marquesita taste like?

It tastes mainly of the crisp, slightly sweet and buttery wafer, with notes of vanilla. The Edam ball cheese adds salty intensity, umami and a slightly sharp point; sweet fillings such as Nutella or cajeta add creaminess and deep sweetness. The savoury-sweet contrast with the crisp texture is the snack's signature.

How are marquesitas served?

They are served freshly made, hot, rolled into a tube and handed over in a paper napkin. They are eaten on the spot, while the cheese is half-melted and the wafer still crunches. They are eaten in the street, usually as an afternoon snack or a night-time treat after strolling through the Yucatecan parks.

Where do marquesitas come from?

They come from Merida, Yucatan, where they were born in the 1930s, attributed to Leopoldo Mena Brito, a pioneering marquesitero. Their recipe combines European influences (the wafer) with the Dutch cheese tradition (Edam ball cheese that arrived via Havana). They are the most representative street snack of the Yucatan Peninsula.