Español
Just thinking about sweet apple cinnamon tamales makes me happy. I'm sure that's reason enough to make them, don't you agree? Learn how to make them at home with our easy recipe.
I've noticed some friends and acquaintances act a bit surprised when I mention sweet tamales. I guess they consider
But growing up, we always had both kinds, savory and sweet, and I loved them all.
When I was a child, my mom would buy tamales from her favorite vendor of tamales for our merienda, or evening snack. I mention this because that vendor was passionate about her creations, and she always had a fantastic assortment of tamales.
She would sell beef, pork, chicken, chile verde, poblano chile and cheese, as well as sweet tamales like pineapple-coconut, guava and strawberry.
RELATED POSTS: Lime Atole
You may know that many Mexican families make tamales of all sorts this time of year. That's true.
They are perfect for Las Posadas, for instance, a festival we celebrate for nine consecutive days before Christmas. We also commonly have them on Christmas, and for Dia de Candelaria, also know as Candlemas, in February.
For these, or any other occasion, anytime the weather gets cold is the perfect time for tamales.
RELATED POST: Pumpkin Atole
Apple Cinnamon Tamales' Variations
My recipe calls for pecans, they are my preference because I like their crunchiness balanced with the softness of the apples, but if you are not a fan, you can omit them.
If you like, my husband prefers raisins to pecans, so you can add them instead of the pecans. You can also leave both of them out, if you choose.
Finally, if you are looking for vegan tamales, sweet tamales are ideal. Just substitute the butter for vegan butter or vegetable oil. That's it!
If you make
Apple Cinnamon Tamales
Makes 18 tamales – Prep time 10 minutes – Start to finish 1 hour 50 minutes
Ingredients
- 25-30 dried corn husks
- 8 tablespoons softened unsalted butter, divided
- 2 green apples, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 cups corn (tortilla) flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups of lukewarm water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 oz (30 gr) chopped pecans (approx 12 pieces) or raisins, optional
You will also need (affiliate links)
Instructions
Place dried corn husks in a bowl and cover with boiling water. As they tend to float, I recommend placing a heavy pot filled with water on top of them to keep them submerged. See photo.
Melt one tablespoon of butter in a warm pan. Add chopped green apples and cook over
In the mixer, beat the other 7 tablespoons of butter with the brown sugar until completely integrated and fluffy, approx 7 minutes.
You may need to stop your mixer a couple of times to scrape mix from walls in the bowl and to remove mixture that may be stuck in the beater.
In a small bowl, mix corn (tortilla) flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt.
Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients and a little bit of the warm water to the butter mixture. Keep mixing while adding a little bit more of the dry ingredients and water, repeat until the masa is moist and completely integrated.
Pour vanilla in and beat at a medium-high speed for another 7-8 minutes.
Add apples and pecans (if you like, you can also use raisins instead) and using the spatula mix well.
Dry corn husks with a kitchen towel.
Take a corn husk and spread about one heaping tablespoon of masa in the center of the wider part of the leaf, from the middle down (see photo).
Fold over the corn husk left and right to cover the masa.
Then fold down from the top to create the package.
Pour water into the bottom of the steamer or tamalera, place the rack inside, cover with half the corn husks you have leftover. Stand tamales vertically making sure the folded crease faces the bottom. Place the rest of the corn husks on top of the tamales.
Cover and cook over high heat until water starts boiling (approx 6-8 minutes), lower temperature to medium and steam for approx 55 minutes. You will know the tamales are ready when they come off the leaf easily.
Enjoy!
Print the Apple Cinnamon Tamales Recipe below
Apple Cinnamon Tamales
Ingredients
- 25-30 dried corn husks
- 8 tablespoons softened unsalted butter divided
- 2 green apples peeled and chopped
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 cups corn tortilla flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups of lukewarm water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 oz 30 gr chopped pecans (approx 12 pieces) or raisins, optional
You will also need
- Tamalera steamer or a big pot with rack
- Big bowl for softening dried corn husks
- Pan
- Mixer
- Spatula
Instructions
- Place dried corn husks in a bowl and cover with boiling water. As they tend to float, I recommend placing a heavy pot filled with water on top of them to keep them submerged. See photo.
- Melt one tablespoon of butter in a warm pan. Add chopped green apples and cook over medium-heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover and set aside.
- In the mixer, beat the other 7 tablespoons of butter with the brown sugar until completely integrated and fluffy, approx 7 minutes. You may need to stop your mixer a couple of times to scrape mix from walls in the bowl and to remove mixture that may be stuck in the beater.
- In a small bowl mix corn (tortilla) flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt.
- Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients and a little bit of the warm water to the butter mixture. Keep mixing while adding a little bit more of the dry ingredients and water, repeat until the masa is moist and completely integrated.
- Pour vanilla in and beat at a medium-high speed for another 7-8 minutes. An easy way to know if the masa is ready is by putting a small amount in a glass with water. If it goes to the bottom, return to the mixer and beat for 2 more minutes. If the masa floats, it is ready.
- Add apples and pecans (if you like, you can also use raisins instead) and using the spatula mix well.
- Dry corn husks with a kitchen towel.
- Take a corn husk and spread about one heaping tablespoon of masa in the center of the wider part of the leaf, from the middle down (see photo).
- Fold over the corn husk left and right to cover the masa.
- Then fold down from the top to create the package.
- Pour water into the bottom of the steamer or tamalera, place the rack inside, cover with half the corn husks you have leftover. Stand tamales vertically making sure the folded crease faces the bottom. Place the rest of the corn husks on top of the tamales.
- Cover and cook over high heat until water starts boiling (approx 6-8 minutes), lower temperature to medium and steam for approx 55 minutes. You will know the tamales are ready when they come off the leaf easily.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @mamalatina on Instagram and hashtag it #mamalatinatips
- Easy Mexican Flan Recipe (Crème Caramel) - February 26, 2024
- Easy Homemade Flour Tortilla Recipe - January 25, 2024
- 50+ Mexican Side Dishes and Drinks to Serve with Tamales - December 8, 2023
