Canillitas de leche are a traditional Guatemalan sweet made from milk and sugar cooked into a thick paste, shaped into small elongated rolls.
It’s a mild, creamy sweet, similar to dulce de leche but with a firmer texture, very popular in traditional candy shops.
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Guatemalan Milk Candy Rolls
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 20 pieces
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Guatemalan
Ingredients
- 4 cups of whole milk
- 2 cups of sugar
- 1 of cinnamon stick
- 1 pinch of baking soda
Instructions
- Combine, place the milk, sugar, cinnamon, and baking soda in a wide pot.
- Cook, cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens considerably and turns golden.
- Reduce heat, toward the end, lower the heat and stir constantly to keep it from sticking or burning.
- Check the point, the mixture is ready when lifting the spoon forms a thick thread and it pulls away from the bottom.
- Cool slightly, let the mixture cool for a few minutes, enough to handle without burning yourself.
- Shape the canillitas, with lightly greased hands, shape small elongated rolls.
- Cool and dry, let cool and dry completely at room temperature before serving.
Tips for getting it right
- Stirring frequently throughout cooking is essential to keep the milk from sticking or burning.
- The baking soda helps the mixture turn a more attractive golden color and gives it a smoother texture.
- Shaping the rolls while the mixture is still warm makes it easier to form them before they fully harden.
- Getting the right cooking point is key: removed too early it won’t set well; overcooked it will be too hard.
Traditional variations
- It’s a very popular sweet in traditional Guatemalan candy shops.
- Some versions are cut into pieces instead of rolled into little canillitas.
How to serve
Canillitas de leche are served at room temperature, as a treat.
They’re a traditional sweet very popular in Guatemalan candy shops.
Recommended sides
- Coffee
Did you know?
Canillitas de leche owe their name to their elongated shape, similar to a small cane or shin (“canilla”).
It’s a sweet from the same family as dulce de leche, but cooked to a firmer point so it can be shaped.
Frequently Asked Questions
They're a traditional Guatemalan sweet made from milk and sugar cooked into a thick paste, shaped into small rolls.
They're cooked to a firmer point than traditional dulce de leche, which allows them to be shaped into rolls.
It helps the mixture turn a more attractive golden color and contributes to a smoother texture.
The mixture is ready when lifting the spoon forms a thick thread and it pulls away from the bottom of the pot.
