I have participated in many unique activities throughout my travels, but I think buying nun cookies in Madrid is at the top of the list.
The entire process of buying these secret nun cookies feels like an adventure. From ringing the intercom, to not being able to see the nuns because they are cloistered, to getting your cookies on a lazy Susan. It’s such a cool experience! If you need a sweet fix combined with adventure you should definitely go here.
Where in Madrid can you buy cookies from nuns?
The secret spot where you can buy nun cookies is the Monastery of Corpus Christi las Carboneras in Plaza del Conde de Miranda. The exact address is Calle del Codo 3, Madrid. It’s pretty close to Mercado de San Miguel, Plaza Mayor, and Puerta del Sol.
What is the process for buying nun cookies in Madrid?
Once you arrive to Calle del Codo 3, you will see a brown wooden door with this flyer saying “venta de dulces”, which means “sweets for sale”.
On the right hand side there is an intercom with 3 buttons. You have to press the first one, which says “monjas” or “nuns”. They usually don’t ask anything and will just let you in. In case they ask you something you can say “tienes dulces hoy” which means “do you have sweets today” and they will let you in.
Once you enter keep going straight until you see the sign for “torno” or “lazy susan” and the arrow.
Then take a left, as the arrow guides you, and keep going until the end of the hallway. You will pass by this statue of the Virgin Mary on the way.
Once you get to the end of the corridor you will see the menu up on the wall. They sell 8 types of cookies, but not all of them will be available when you go. So if you want a particular type of cookie and they didn’t make it in the morning, they might tell you to come back in the afternoon or the next day.
The cookies are sold in boxes of half a kilogram (that’s about a pound). Half a kilogram costs 12-13 euros, while a kilogram costs 24-26 euros.
Once you decide which cookies you want you have to give the nuns your order. You will not be able to see them as they are cloistered nuns, so you’ll just talk to them and use the lazy Susan.
They will then put your cookie order in a bag, place the bag on the lazy Susan and rotate it until you see the bag. You then have to put the cash next to the bag of cookies and rotate the lazy Susan.
They then take the money, place the change next to the bag of cookies and rotate the lazy Susan one last time. You can now take the bag and the change and head out.
The cookies are packaged in these beautiful white boxes with the Monasterio del Corpus Christi aka Corpus Christi Monastery branding. And they have a yellow sticker which indicates the type of cookie you purchased and its ingredients.
I went with the Nevaditos, which are powder sugar-dusted cookies. Nevaditos comes from the word “nieve”, which means “snow” in Spanish. That’s because the powder sugar on the cookies looks like snow.
They were delicious! Peep how short the list of ingredients is: flour, sugar, white wine, lard. It’s a simple cookie, with simple ingredients, and it tastes amazing. Another great option is their lemon cookies.
If you want to have a unique experience and eat some delicious cookies, then buying secret cookies from silent nuns in Madrid is a must.
FAQ for buying convent cookies in Madrid
Do you need cash or can you pay with card?
They only accept cash.
What is their schedule?
They are open to the general public from 9:30am – 1pm and 3:30 – 6:15pm every day.
Can you order in English?
The nuns don’t speak English and everyone has to order in Spanish.
How do you order cookies in Spanish?
You can greet them with “hola”, which means “hi”. Then you can tell them “un medio kilo de [cookie name from the menu above the lazy susan] por favor”, if you want to order half a kilogram. The actual translation is “half a kilo of [name of cookie], please”.
If you want to order a kilogram, say “un kilo de [cookie name from the menu above the lazy susan] por favor” instead. Once you get the cookies you can say “Gracias. Adios.” which means “Thank you. Bye.”
Heading to Europe soon? Check out my other articles:
Madrid in 5 days: the ultimate first visit itinerary
Athens 4 day itinerary: ultimate guide for your first visit