If you spend any time in southern Spain during Lent or Easter, you will almost certainly come across pestiños.
They are golden, sticky, slightly spiced and dangerously easy to keep eating.
But like many traditional Spanish sweets, there is more going on here than flour, oil and honey.
A recipe shaped by centuries
Pestiños are very much a product of Andalucía’s layered past. Roman, Jewish and Muslim influences all left their mark, and this little fried pastry is a perfect example of that mix.
Back in Roman times, there was already something similar. A sweet called frictilia was made with fried dough and honey, often eaten during festivals.
Later, during the Muslim presence in southern Spain, spices like anise and sesame became part of the recipe. Even today, you can find a similar sweet in North Africa called shebakia, especially during Ramadan.
There is also a link to Sephardic Jewish cooking, with sweets like fijuelas or hojuelas, fried dough soaked in syrup, still made in parts of Spain.
In short, pestiños are not just a dessert. They are a quiet blend of cultures that have shared the same kitchens over time.
Honey or sugar?
Traditionally, pestiños are tied to religious periods like Christmas, Carnival and especially Easter.
There is also a long-running debate that still pops up in Spanish households:
honey or sugar?
Some prefer them drenched in warm honey, soft and sticky. Others go for a lighter touch, just a dusting of sugar.
Make pestiños at home
They take a little time, but the process is straightforward.
Ingredients (serves around 10)
- 250 g plain flour
- 70 ml olive oil (plus extra for frying)
- 70 ml white wine
- Strip of lemon peel
- 1 tsp anise seeds (matalahúva)
- Honey (for coating) or sugar (for dusting)
- A little water (to loosen the honey)
Method
Infuse the oil
Heat the olive oil gently with the lemon peel until it starts to brown slightly. Remove the peel, add the anise seeds, then turn off the heat and let the oil cool.
Make the dough
In a bowl, mix the flour with the cooled oil and white wine. Knead until you get a smooth dough that does not stick to your hands.
Let it rest
Cover the dough with a cloth and leave it to rest for about 30 minutes.
Shape the pestiños
Roll the dough out thin, about the thickness of a coin. Cut into small squares (around 4 cm). Fold two opposite corners towards the centre and press lightly to seal.
Rest again
Leave them for another 30 minutes before frying.
Fry until golden
Heat plenty of olive oil and fry the pestiños in batches until golden on both sides. Drain on kitchen paper.
Finish them your way
- For honey: warm the honey with a splash of water and dip the pestiños.
- For sugar: simply sprinkle while still warm.
