Madrid is full of hidden secret spots that most of us would walk right past if we didn’t know about them. One of these hidden gems is buying cookies from the nuns. These aren’t your normal supermarket-bought cookies. These cookies are baked from ancient recipes dating back to the time of the Romans, and they are made exclusively by nuns who avoid being seen by the general public.
In this post, you will find out how to buy cookies from the nuns in Madrid.
You will need to go to the Monasterio del Corpus Christi las Carboneras in Plaza del Conde de Miranda. Once you are at the monastery, search for the door that says “Venta de Dulces”. They are open from 9.30 am – 1 pm and from 4.30 pm – 6.15 pm.
Press the button next to the door that says Monjas, and ask them: “Tiene dulces hoy?” (Do you have any sweets today?).
The nuns will then open the door for you. Follow the signs that say Torno, which takes you down a hallway to the area where you order the cookies.
When you get to the torno (turntable) you will see a menu with all the types of cookies you can buy.
The menu is in English and Spanish. You can order either 1 kg or 1/2 kg, but you cannot mix and match the cookies.
Tell the nuns which cookies you want, and put the money in the turntable. You can only pay with cash.
Once the nun gets your money, they spin the turntable back around with the cookies. This ensures that you aren’t running away without paying.
We had the Mantecados de Yema and they were delicious!
The Monasterio del Corpus Christi has been around since 1607 and selling cookies is a way for these nuns to make a living while remaining cloistered from the outside world.
In the past, the turntable used to be for people wanting to give away unwanted newborns to the nuns.
Have you tried the hidden nun cookies in Madrid? Which cookies did you get?