How to Make Sweet Tamales

We've added a sweet twist to traditional tamales with these dessert tamales. Making tamales is a labor of love, but it is a fun and rewarding experience, especially if you get the whole family to join in. Sit everyone around the table and let them 'choose their own adventure' with a range of imaginative fillings from apple pie to brownie batter.

And if sweet masa isn't your thing, no worries! You can still join in the fun by wrapping brownie batter in a corn husk to make tamale-shaped brownies. It's a great alternative for the folks who don't care for sweet tamales (there are a few in our family).

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Prep Time: 1

Cook Time: 1

Total Time: 2

Servings: tamales

Calories: 316kcal

Author: Dahn Boquist

Ingredients

20 to 25 corn husks for tamales

Sweet Masa

3 cups instant corn masa flour masa harina (360 grams)
2-½ teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup butter softened
1 can 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
¼ cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ to 1-¼ cups coconut milk
2 cups mini chocolate chips

Filling Options (see notes for more ideas)

Raw brownie batter from a homemade recipe or a box mix
Apple pie filling homemade or from a can
Dulce de Leche or thick caramel sauce

Instructions

Preparing the Corn Husks:

Rinse the corn husks to remove debris and place them in a large bowl. Cover the husks with hot water and soak for at least 1 hour until they become soft.
Keep them submerged in water while you prepare the other components.

Sweet Masa Dough:

In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the corn masa flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
In a separate large bowl, beat the butter until it becomes light and fluffy, similar to frosting texture. It will take 4 to 5 minutes.
Gradually incorporate the dry masa mixture into the whipped butter, mixing well after each addition. The mixture will look dry and crumbly at this point.
Add the sweetened condensed milk, sugar, and vanilla extract to the masa mixture and blend until well combined. The dough will feel like a very soft play dough at this point.
Slowly pour in the coconut milk, ¼ cup at a time. Mix until the masa reaches a spreadable consistency. The amount of milk you need to add varies depending on the brand of masa flour. Just keep mixing in more milk until the dough is thin enough to spread with a knife.
Turn the mixer to medium high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes to aerate the dough. Fold in the mini chocolate chips.

Filling Preparation:

Prepare your raw brownie batter and apple pie filling according to your preferred recipes. If you want to use a box mix and a can of pie filling, that works fine, too.
Transfer dulce de leche into a piping bag for easy assembly.

Assembling the Tamales:

Dry the corn husks with a towel and lay one flat on your work surface. Spread about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the sweet masa mixture onto the top two-thirds of the husk, leaving a half-inch border at the top.
Add either a spoonful of raw brownie batter or apple pie filling in the center of the masa.
Drizzle a bit of dulce de leche over the filling.
Fold the sides of the husk toward the center, and then fold the narrow end upwards to seal your tamale. Place on a plate and repeat the process for the remaining tamales.
I used extra brownie batter to make several “brownie tamales” by wrapping the batter in the corn husks. These were perfect for the folks that don’t like the regular sweet tamale.

Cooking the Tamales:

Add 3 inches of water to the bottom of a large steaming pot.
Drop a coin into the water. The coin will jingle when the water boils. If it stops jiggling, that is a clue that the water evaporated and you need to add more water to the pot.
Place the tamales upright in a steamer basket, making sure the open end faces upward.
Cover the tamales with a clean towel or additional corn husks to keep the steam trapped.
Steam the tamales for 60 minutes, checking for doneness by removing one and peeling back the husk. If the masa separates cleanly from the husk, they're done!
Allow the tamales to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to firm up before serving. Serve while they are still warm. If they get too cold, the masa dough gets pretty firm. Plus they taste better warm.

Notes

Consistency of Sweet Masa: The dough should be a bit sticky and easy to spread. You can also use less liquid and go for a thicker consistency—akin to play dough—but we find that thinner, spreadable dough makes it quicker and easier to assemble the tamales.
Steaming Safeguard: If your tamales slip through the gaps in the steamer rack, cover the rack with additional corn husks to provide a safety net.
Cooking Time: The more tightly the tamales are packed in the steaming pot, the longer they may need to cook. It’s a balance between making sure they are upright and not overly squished together.
Water Level Indicator: Placing a coin in the bottom of your steaming pot will help you keep track of the water level. If you stop hearing it rattle, it's time to carefully add more water down the pot's side. Try not to pour water directly over the tamales.
Freezing and Reheating: These tamales can be frozen before or after steaming. For pre-cooked, frozen tamales, aim for a reheat time of about 45 minutes in the steamer. If they were frozen and uncooked, steam them for 1-1/2 to 2 hours from their frozen state.
More ideas for filling the sweet tamales: Jam (any flavor), pineapple with coconut and brown sugar, marshmallows with fudge sauce, and graham crackers (for a s’mores filling).
Instant Pot directions: Add 1 cup of water to the pot and place the tamales on a steamer rack. Cook on high pressure for 30 minutes then let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.

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