Habichuelas con Dulce (Dominican Sweet Beans)

5 from 1 vote

Habichuelas con Dulce (Dominican Sweet Beans) is a traditional Dominican Easter dessert made with creamy blended beans, warm spices, and sweet coconut milk. A holiday favorite that’s unique and delicious!

Prep Time50

Cook Time50

Total Time1 40

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Dominican

Servings:

Calories: 366kcal

Author: Catherine Arena

Equipment

1 large pot for cooking dessert
pressure cooker to cook the dry beans but not necessary

Ingredients

1 pound dry small red beans can also use Roman or kidney beans
2 cans evaporated milk
1 (13 oz) can condensed milk
1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk
1½ cups light brown sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
8 whole cloves
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 pound Caribbean sweet potato peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup raisins or to your liking optional
galletas de leche or animal crackers

Instructions

Preparing the Beans for Cooking

Add the dry beans to a bowl and sort through them, removing any rocks or debris. Rinse thoroughly under cool water, then drain.

Cooking the Beans (Pressure Cooker)

Cook the beans with enough water to cover them by at least 2 inches. Seal the lid and cook on high pressure for 30–35 minutes, then allow a natural release for about 10 minutes before opening.
Once cooked, drain the beans and reserve some of the cooking liquid for blending the beans.

Cooking the Beans (Stovetop)

Add the rinsed beans to a large pot and cover with enough water to cover them by at least 3–4 inches of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and let them simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the beans are soft and easily mashable. Add more water if needed during cooking. (Do not add salt to water while cooking)

Blending the Beans

Add half of the cooked beans to a blender along with some of their cooking liquid and half of the evaporated milk. Blend until completely smooth. Pour the blended mixture into a large bowl.
Repeat the process with the remaining beans, cooking liquid, and evaporated milk. Blend again until smooth.
Using a colander over a large cooking pot, strain the blended beans to remove any bean skins.

Cooking the Mixture

Over medium heat, bring the blended bean mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally.
Add the remaining evaporated milk and the coconut milk, stirring to combine. Pour in the condensed milk and mix well.
Add the brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, whole cloves, and stir again. Let the mixture cook for 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes to prevent the sugar from caramelizing and sticking to the bottom.

Finishing the Habichuelas con Dulce

Stir in the butter, vanilla extract, salt, and raisins.
Add the Caribbean sweet potato (batata) to the pot, stir, and continue cooking for 20 minutes, or until the batata is fork-tender, stirring occasionally.
Allow the mixture to cool slightly, then carefully strain out the cinnamon sticks and cloves. Return the raisins to the mixture and stir. Your dessert is now ready to serve.

Serve Hot or Cold

To serve hot, serve right away in small bowls or mugs and top with the galletas con leche or animal crackers.
To serve it cold, allow the mixture to cool some and then chill for a few hours in the refrigerator. Serve in small bowls or mugs and top with the galletas con leche or animal crackers.

Notes

Recipe Notes:

Caribbean Sweet Potato (Batata): Traditional but Optional
Adding Caribbean sweet potato (batata) is a traditional touch, but completely optional. If you’d like to include it but can’t find batata, feel free to substitute it with regular sweet potato.

Storing Leftovers

Leftovers can be stored right in the pot or transferred to an airtight container and kept in the refrigerator for 4–5 days. If it thickens too much, just stir in a little milk before serving.

For longer storage, freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a little milk to bring back its creamy texture.

Nutrition