The Peanut Route: The Secret and Century-Old Business of the Palenqueras' Sweets in the Historic Center

Origins: From the palenques to the street, the legacy of freedom in a peanut cone

If you have walked through the Centro Histórico of Cartagena, you have surely seen them: women in colorful polleras, with adorned braids and an aluminum basin on their heads, offering sweets with a cadence that sounds like song. "¡Maní, coco, ajonjolí!", they shout as they spin gracefully. But what most tourists do not know is that the peanut cone they buy for a few thousand pesos is the visible tip of a century-old business born in the palenques, the free territories founded by the enslaved people who escaped Spanish rule.

The story begins long before Cartagena was the tourist destination you know today. In the 17th century, Africans brought by force to the New Kingdom of Granada found refuge in the Montes de María and the surrounding region. San Basilio de Palenque, founded around 1619, was the first free town in the Americas. There, women learned to turn peanuts, panela, and sesame seeds into sweets that nourished their communities. It was not a business: it was survival, memory, and resistance.

When formal freedom arrived in 1851, the palenquera women already had a trade and ancestral knowledge. They would walk down to Cartagena, carrying their products, and set up on the corners of the Centro to sell their sweets. The peanut, which the Spanish had brought from Asia but which found perfect soil in the Colombian Caribbean, became the star. Panela, that unrefined block of cane sugar, provided the necessary sweetness. And sesame, toasted and sprinkled, gave it that crunchy touch that is now their signature.

The cucurucho, that cone of cardboard or bijao leaf that wraps the sweet, is not a minor detail. Before plastic packaging existed, the palenqueras used dried corn husks or newspaper. Today, the cucurucho is part of the experience: eating peanut candy without the cucurucho would be like drinking coffee without the tinto. The tradition remains intact, and each bite is a piece of history that melts in your mouth.

But there is a fact few know: the palenqueras do not only sell sweets. They are economic agents who for centuries have supported their families and communities. In a city where racism and exclusion have been historical, they found in the street a territory of economic freedom. It is no coincidence that they are women: in Palenquero culture, women have been the guardians of culinary tradition and those who have kept the memory of their ancestors alive.

Timeline: The milestones that marked the peanut route

To understand how we got to the current point, we must look at the chronology of this trade that has survived wars, economic crises, and cultural changes.

1619: The birth of San Basilio de Palenque

Leader Benkos Biohó founds the most famous palenque in the Americas. The women of this community develop sweet-making techniques that are still in use today. The peanut was not just food: it was a strategic resource in times of scarcity.

1851: The abolition of slavery in Colombia

Palenquera women begin to regularly come down to Cartagena to sell their products. The first records of sweet sales in the Centro Histórico date from this era. They set up in Plaza de la Aduana and Plaza de los Coches, where the Torre del Reloj stands today.

1920-1950: The consolidation of the trade

The palenqueras become a visual icon of Cartagena. Photographers begin to portray them with their basins and polleras. Peanut candy becomes a symbol of the city, although its Palenquero origin is rarely mentioned in the tourist guides of the time.

1980-2000: Massification and imitations

With the tourism boom, vendors appear who imitate the Palenquero style without having roots in San Basilio. The original palenqueras begin to organize into associations to protect their trade and identity. In 2005, UNESCO declares San Basilio de Palenque a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, giving new impetus to the visibility of their culture.

2010-present: The generational shift

Projects led by young Palenqueros seek to ensure the trade does not die. Community tourism routes are created where visitors can go to San Basilio de Palenque and see the complete sweet-making process. As of August 2026, these experiences are gaining strength, although they are still little known among mass tourism.

The exact route: Where to find the original palenqueras

If you want to buy authentic sweets, not all sales points are the same. The original palenqueras have a way of dressing, a way of offering their products, and a history that backs them up. Here are the keys to distinguishing them.

Traditional sales points

• Plaza Santo Domingo: This is the most well-known spot. Here you will find palenqueras who have worked on the same corner for decades. They are usually near the statue of the "Gorda de Botero". Typical hours: 9am to 6pm, although some stay until nightfall.
• Avenida del Malecón (Bocagrande): In the hotel zone, the palenqueras walk along the avenue offering their sweets to beachgoers. It is a more mobile spot: they do not have a fixed location, but you will see them walking with their basin between Playa de Bocagrande and the Centro de Convenciones.
• Plaza de los Coches and Portal de los Dulces: This is the historic place par excellence. The Portal de los Dulces, in front of the Torre del Reloj, is where sweet vendors have concentrated for centuries. Here you will find both original palenqueras and other vendors who do not share the same origin. Ask directly: "¿Usted es de San Basilio?" and the answer will give you the clue.
• Parque del Centenario: A lesser-known spot but with a constant presence of palenqueras, especially on weekends.

How to distinguish the originals from the imitations

This is not about making a value judgment: all vendors deserve respect. But if your interest is to directly support the Palenquero community, here is what you should observe:

• The clothing: Original palenqueras wear brightly colored polleras, blouses with a square neckline, and a headscarf. Imitations usually wear more generic clothing.
• The basin: The original is made of aluminum and goes on the head, held with one hand. Imitations usually carry baskets or trays.
• The call: Original palenqueras sing their offers with a particular melody that comes from African tradition. Listen to the tone: if it is a rhythmic chant, it is likely authentic.
• The conversation: If you ask them about San Basilio de Palenque, they will speak proudly of their land. Many have family there and travel regularly. Imitations usually avoid the topic.

A practical tip: if you want the complete experience, go to Plaza Santo Domingo in the morning. There you will find several palenqueras who have worked together for years. Some will tell you stories of their grandmothers and great-grandmothers who did the same.

The making process: The ancestral recipe and the secret of the "point"

Palenquero peanut candy seems simple, but it has a complexity that is only mastered with years of practice. The base recipe has three ingredients: peanuts, panela, and sesame. But the secret lies in the "point", that exact moment when the mixture reaches the perfect consistency.

The exact ingredients

• Peanuts: The local variety is used, which is smaller and more aromatic than what is found in supermarkets. The palenqueras buy them in San Basilio de Palenque or at local farmers' markets in the region.
• Panela: It is unrefined cane sugar, pressed into blocks. Good quality panela melts slowly and gives a deep flavor, almost like caramel with molasses notes.
• Sesame: It is lightly toasted and sprinkled over the candy before it cools. It adds the crunchy touch and a nutty flavor that complements the peanut.

The step-by-step

1. Toasting the peanuts: They are toasted in an iron or aluminum paila over medium heat. They must be stirred constantly so they do not burn. The perfect point is when the peanut releases its aroma and the skin comes off easily.
2. Preparing the panela: The panela is grated or cut into small pieces and melted with a little water until it forms a thick honey. This process can take up to 30 minutes.
3. The mixture: When the panela honey reaches the "thread point" (that is, when lifting the spoon, the honey falls in a continuous thread), the toasted peanuts are added. It is stirred without stopping.
4. The key "point": Here is the secret. If the mixture is too liquid, the candy does not harden. If it is too dry, it becomes brittle. The palenqueras test with a wooden spoon: if when blowing on the mixture small bubbles form and pop, it is ready. This knowledge is not taught in books: it is passed down from mother to daughter.
5. Shaping: The hot mixture is poured into wooden molds or formed into small balls with greased hands. It is left to cool and sprinkled with toasted sesame.
6. The packaging: Traditionally it is wrapped in bijao leaves or cardboard cones. Today, some sell it in plastic bags, but the classic presentation remains the cucurucho.

Fun fact: peanut candy is not the only thing they make. They also prepare cocadas (coconut candy), alegrías (toasted corn with honey), and enyucados (yuca with anise). But the peanut is the undisputed king, the one that gave their trade its name.