Dulce de Chepacorinas: Colombian Cookie Pudding

Chepacorinas sweet, Colombian recipe (Dulce de chepacorinas). Photo: Armando Trampas Diaz

If you want to experience a truly hyper-local and deeply historic Colombian dessert, the Dulce de Chepacorinas (Colombian Chepacorina Cookie Pudding) is a magnificent recipe straight from the heart of the Bolívar department. This unique, creamy pudding is built entirely around the Chepacorina—an iconic, dense, and slightly savory-sweet cookie born in the town of El Carmen de Bolívar in the late 1940s. Named after its creator, Doña Josefa (affectionately known as “Chepa”) Corina Ríos Torres, this cookie is so beloved that locals transform it into an incredible, velvety dessert during Semana Santa (Holy Week).

By blending these traditional cookies with a generous amount of milk and sugar, and slowly simmering the mixture with warm cinnamon, the cookies act as a natural thickener. The result is a smooth, caramel-colored pudding that is absolutely irresistible. Dotted with sweet raisins and served perfectly chilled, it is a testament to the creativity of Colombian Caribbean cooking and a beautiful way to celebrate regional history in your own kitchen!

Chepacorinas sweet, Colombian recipe (Dulce de chepacorinas)

Dulce de Chepacorinas (Colombian Cookie Pudding)

Discover a historic Caribbean recipe! A rich, creamy, and velvety Colombian pudding made from the famous sweet-and-salty Chepacorina cookies.

Pin Receta

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Course Dessert / Sweets

Cuisine Caribbean, Colombian, Latin American

Servings 12 people

Ingredients

6 Large Chepacorina cookies See Chef’s Notes for substitutes
3 Liters Whole milk approx. 12.5 cups
750 grams White sugar approx. 3 ¾ cups
Cinnamon sticks to taste
Raisins to taste optional, for garnish

Instructions

Prep the base: Break the Chepacorina cookies into small pieces. Place the cookie pieces, the whole milk, and the white sugar into a large blender. Blend everything thoroughly until completely smooth. (You may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your blender).
Strain: Pass the blended mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a large, heavy-bottomed pot or cauldron to ensure your final pudding is incredibly silky and free of any large cookie crumbs.
Simmer and thicken: Place the pot over medium-low heat. (Chef's Tip: If you want to infuse it with warm spices, toss in a few cinnamon sticks now). From this moment on, you must stir the mixture constantly with a wooden spoon. Because it is thickened by the starch of the cookies, it can stick to the bottom of the pot and burn very quickly if left unattended.
The boiling point: Continue stirring until the mixture thickens significantly. You will know the dessert is perfectly done when it develops a pudding-like consistency and starts to bubble thickly (often called "blup-blup" bubbles).
Cool and garnish: Remove the pot from the heat. Carefully fish out the cinnamon sticks. Pour the hot pudding into a large glass serving dish or individual dessert cups. Garnish the top with sweet raisins if desired. Let it cool to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator before serving!

Video

Notes

What is a Chepacorina?: It is a traditional Colombian cookie made with flour, sugar, milk, and a crucial touch of salty Queso Costeño (coastal cheese). This gives it a unique sweet-and-salty profile.
The International Substitute: Since authentic Chepacorinas are incredibly difficult to find outside of Colombia, you can recreate the texture and flavor by blending a dense, mildly sweet shortbread cookie or pound cake with a tiny pinch of grated salty cheese (like Cotija, Feta, or a firm Queso Fresco) into the milk!
A 1947 Legacy: Doña Josefa “Chepa” Corina baked her first batch of these cookies around 1947. Today, they are a registered cultural heritage symbol of El Carmen de Bolívar, and making this specific pudding is a cherished Holy Week tradition for local families.