Sisters from the Convent of San Cristóbal y Santa Rita © Michelle Chaplow |
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Sweets and Pastries from the Convent
By Fiona Flores Watson
Discover one of Andalucía’s sweetest traditions — Dulces de Convento. Across the region, nuns bake handmade cakes, biscuits, pastries, and sweets crafted from centuries-old recipes, often with Moorish origins. Each convent offers its own delicious specialties, blending devotion and artistry into treats that capture the true flavour and history of multi-cultural Andalucia. The money that they earn contributes to maintaining the historic religious buildings where they live.
Some of these nuns are cloistered (monjas de clausura or convento de clausura), which means that they have minimal contact with outsiders – they usually pass products that via a revolving hatch, after collecting the money via the hatch, so that the person buying does not see them. Other orders are not cloistered, and interact with the public in person through visits and food stalls or shops.
There is such a wide variety of cakes available (as well as jams) that it’s a good idea to buy a selection so you can try plenty. Like all food items, they have a sell-by date.
 Medina Sidonia © Michelle Chaplow |
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The white town of Medina Sidonia
The white hill town of Medina Sidonia in Cadiz province is renowned for its convent pastries. You will find several convents in the town:
 The Turntable at the Convent of San Cristóbal y Santa Rita © Michelle Chaplow |
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Monasterio de Jesús, María y José, Plaza Descalzas 2
This Augustinian convent is home to cloistered nuns from the Agustinas Recoletas order. Located in the upper part of the town, its nuns are known as las monjas de arriba to differentiate them from the town’s other Augustinian convent, see below (these nuns are also called Las Descalzas). Visitors can purchase sweets by ringing the bell and paid for (cash only), the treats are delivered through a revolving hatch.
The convent is famous for its alfajores (almond, hazelnut and honey biscuits), coconut cakes, and amarguillos (almond and cinnamon cakes). In this convent the nuns have made enough money from selling pastries to paint the building’s entire façade. Many of the nuns hail from South America.
Opening times: 9.30-12.15 and 16.30-18.15
 To purchase the pastries, just ring the bell at Monasterio de Jesús, María y José |
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Convento de San Cristóbal y Santa Rita, Calle Hércules, 6
The other Augustinian convent, in the lower part of town near the main plaza (hence las monjas de abajo), is also famous for its alfajores, amarguillos, and Medina Sidonia speciality tortas pardas (almond and pumpkin pastries). You follow the same process as mentioned above, ringing a bell at the window; here they also accept card payments.
These holy sisters are not cloistered, and they have a stall on weekends and holidays, located in the doorway of the church, which is centrally located with lots of cafes nearby. They also have a side entrance open all year, which is a little tricky to find, where you can buy pastries via a revolving hatch.
Opening times: 11.00-13.00 and 17.00-19.00.
 The Augustinian convent, Convento de San Cristóbal y Santa Rita, Calle Hércules 6 © Michelle Chaplow |
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Which towns in Andalucia are known for their convent pastries?
Towns which are known for their convent pastries include Arcos de la Frontera (Mercedarias Descalzadas), Ronda (Carmelite Convent) , Granada (several convents), Estepa (Santa Clara Convent especially for Christmas polvorones), and Seville (several convents), where there is also a shop, El Torno, selling local convent pastries and jams, in Plaza del Cabildo opposite the cathedral. Bakeries and small food shops often sell these sweet treats too.
