Solteritas are a Colombian street sweet made with thin, crisp fried flower-shaped cookies in a distinctive orange color. They are spread or filled with a sweet flour-based cream in the same bright shade and are often finished with a drizzle of sweetened condensed milk.
They are especially popular in parks, neighborhood stands, and outside schools, particularly in Cúcuta and other Colombian cities. Their combination of crunchy cookies and soft sweet filling makes them a recognizable part of Colombian popular pastry culture.
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 2 large eggs
- 15 g granulated sugar (1 tablespoon)
- 1 g salt (1 pinch)
- 175 g all-purpose flour (1 ¼ cups)
- 240 ml whole milk (1 cup)
- 5 ml vanilla extract (1 teaspoon)
- 2 ml orange food coloring (½ teaspoon)
- 750 ml vegetable oil, for frying (3 cups)
For the sweet cream
- 210 g all-purpose flour (1 ½ cups)
- 540 ml water (2 ¼ cups)
- 200 g granulated sugar (1 cup)
- 5 ml vanilla or banana extract (1 teaspoon)
- 2 ml orange food coloring (½ teaspoon)
- 30 g melted butter (2 tablespoons)
To finish
- 120 g sweetened condensed milk (⅓ cup)
Preparation
- Make the batter, whisk the eggs with the sugar and salt until combined, without creating too many large bubbles. Add the flour, milk, vanilla, and orange food coloring, then mix until smooth and lump-free. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
- Cook the cream, sift the flour into a bowl and gradually whisk in 300 ml water (1 ¼ cups), the vanilla or banana extract, and the food coloring until smooth. In a saucepan, heat the remaining 240 ml water (1 cup) with the sugar until dissolved; stir in the melted butter, then slowly add the flour mixture while stirring continuously until you have a thick, glossy cream. Let it cool completely.
- Heat the mold, pour the oil into a deep pot and heat it to 350 °F. Place a flower-shaped rosette mold in the hot oil for 30 seconds; drain it lightly, then dip it into the batter without covering the top edge of the mold.
- Fry the cookies, immediately lower the batter-coated mold into the hot oil and fry until the cookie releases, about 30 seconds. Use the tip of a knife to help loosen it if needed. Fry each piece for about 2 minutes, until firm and crisp, then drain it upside down on paper towels.
- Assemble the solteritas, let the fried cookies cool completely. Spread each one with 15 g sweet cream (1 tablespoon), add 5 g sweetened condensed milk (1 teaspoon), and serve promptly to keep the cookie crisp against the soft filling.
Chef’s Tips
- Keep the rosette mold hot before dipping it into the batter so the cookie adheres correctly and forms cleanly.
- Do not coat the mold all the way to the top, or the cookie may not release easily while frying.
- Fry only a few cookies at a time to keep the oil temperature steady.
- Store unfilled cookies in an airtight container and fill them shortly before serving.
Traditional Variations
In Colombia, some home cooks make the cream with cornstarch instead of wheat flour. Other versions finish solteritas with dulce de leche, shredded coconut, or clotted cream, although orange cream and condensed milk remain a widely known presentation.
How to Serve
Serve solteritas freshly assembled on a tray or in small paper bags, in the style of Colombian street vendors and afternoon snacks. They are usually enjoyed on their own, but Colombian coffee, hot chocolate, or a mild herbal tea pairs nicely with their sweetness.
Recommended Accompaniments
- Colombian coffee
- Hot chocolate
- Herbal tea
- Cold milk
Did You Know?
The cookie used for solteritas is related to fried flower cookies and rosettes made with iron molds. In Colombia, this technique was adapted with orange coloring and a distinctive sweet cream, creating a local version within popular Colombian pastry traditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Solteritas are made with a metal flower-cookie or rosette mold. It has a floral shape and a long handle, allowing you to heat it in oil before dipping it into the batter. That initial heat helps the batter stick to the mold and release once the cookie begins frying.
The most common reason is oil that is not hot enough or cookies that are stored before they cool completely. Keep the oil close to 350 °F, drain each cookie well, and cool them on a rack or paper towels before placing them in an airtight container.
Yes. You can fry the cookies one day ahead and keep them, completely cooled, in an airtight container. Make the cream in advance and refrigerate it. Assemble the solteritas shortly before serving, however, so the cookies retain their crisp texture.
