Mantecados de Estepa

Mantecadas de Estepa is a type of Christmas sweet cake traditionally made in the municipality of Estepa, in the province of Seville. The recipe for these sweets has remained unchanged for more than a hundred years and still calls for plain flour, lard, and sugar that are mixed together and baked. There are many varieties of these cakes, and many recipes call for other additional ingredients such as cinnamon, olive oil, almonds, hazelnuts, cocoa, coconut, or vanilla. Mantecados de Estepa are very sweet and mild in flavor, dominated by nutty aromas. These small cakes usually weigh around 50 grams are often served and sold alongside other Christmas sweets such as roscos de vino, polvorones and alfajores.