Cubanitos

01 / ABOUT THE DISH

About the dish

Cubanitos (lit. little Cubans) is an Argentine sweet and crispy wafer tube oozing a sweet filling. Wafer pastry is made by combining flour, sugar, butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and (sometimes) egg whites. Once baked, the wafer is rolled into the shape of a Cuban cigar, hence the name cubanitos . Although the most common filling is dulce de leche (a milky caramel spread), this treat may come with various other fillings such as chocolate, lemon-flavored cream, pasta bon o bon (peanut cream), or whipped cream. The filled wafer tubes are also often covered with chocolate and garnished with chopped nuts or sprinkles. A common street food fare, cubanitos can be enjoyed on their own, usually as a late-afternoon sweet snack, or served as accompaniments to helado de dulce de leche (milky caramel ice cream) or vanilla ice cream. In Argentina, these filled wafer tubes are typically prepared for special occasions, and they are commonly sold at fairs such as the Feria de Mataderos. A similar sweet is known as cuchuflí in Chile and barquillos in Spain.