The history of Doce de Abóbora dates back to Portugal’s long agricultural past. Pumpkins, or abóboras, were introduced to Europe after the discovery of the Americas in the 16th century. Portuguese explorers and traders played a key role in spreading New World ingredients like pumpkin throughout Europe, Africa, and Asia. Once adopted into Portuguese cuisine, pumpkin became a versatile ingredient used in soups, stews, pastries, and of course, sweet preserves.

Doce de Abóbora quickly became a favorite in Portuguese convents, where nuns were known for their mastery of sweets, collectively called doçaria conventual. These convent sweets often combined local produce with sugar, which Portugal had easy access to due to its colonial trade routes. The nuns experimented with pumpkin’s natural sweetness, cooking it slowly with sugar, cinnamon, and sometimes a touch of lemon peel, creating a fragrant and golden-orange jam that symbolized comfort and care.