Tradition has it that the custom of eating rosquillas during the San Isidro festivities stems from Tía Javiera, a 19th-century pastry chef who was likely from Fuenlabrada and became famous for how exquisite her pastries were.
The classic varieties are the “tontas,” “listas,” “Santa Clara,” and “French, ” but for the past two years there has been a new one, the “Año Santo” or “San Isidro, “ which is covered in chocolate.
La Mallorquina is the first stop when it comes to tradition and pastries in Madrid. They’ve been making San Isidro rosquillas in all their variations for over a century, and they’re slightly larger than the ones usually sold at other shops. This year, they’ve added a chocolate rosquilla to join the “Siempre seremos pequeños” line.
Casa Mira is where Madrileños have been buying turrón since 1842. But they also sell a wide variety of traditional and artisanal pastries, which means that, as May approaches, the Saint’s rings are also part of their menu. The special ring for 2024 is made with white chocolate, raspberry, and Petazetas.
At Viena Capellanes, the rosquillas have been made exactly the same way since the day they opened their doors, although they are slightly smaller in size. During this season, they usually offer a breakfast or snack option that includes three rosquillas (choose from tontas, listas, Santa Clara, or French) and a coffee or tea. You can also buy them in packs of 16 or 24.
Queen María Cristina of Habsburg’s pastry chef began making El Riojano rosquillas in 1855. Today we’re lucky that their products aren’t exclusive to royalty, and among them are their rosquillas, which you can buy to go or enjoy in the small café attached to the bakery. Their innovative offering for this San Isidro 2024 is a lollipop-flavored rosquilla.
San Onofre Bakery
El Horno de San Onofre has been sweetening the lives of Madrileños since 1972; its secret lies in carefully selecting the ingredients: cane sugar, Marcona almonds from Alicante, and steering as far away as possible from that industrial taste.
Since mid-April, Manacor has had all types of San Isidro rosquillas in production in their ovens to supply the eight bakeries they have scattered throughout Madrid. Since last year, the traditional, “listas,” “tontas,” “francesas,” and “Santa Clara” varieties have been joined by the San Isidro rosquilla, or “Año Santo,” which is covered in chocolate.
La Duquesita
La Duquesita is also a Madrid dessert institution, and as such, San Isidro rosquillas are a must on its menu. Every year, in addition to the classics, they release a special edition with a unique recipe that is part of the Madrid Dulce initiative to introduce this dessert to children. This year’s version features hazelnuts, Gianduja chocolate, and wafer, topped with raspberry and apricot.
VAIT
The VAIT bakery has been selling gourmet products in Madrid for over 30 years. The San Isidro rosquillas, especially the lemon ones, stand out among its wide variety of artisanal desserts. Their moist texture is sure to impress.
