What is lúcuma?
Lúcuma (Pouteria lucuma), often spelled lucuma in English, is a fruit native to the Andean valleys of Peru, Chile and Ecuador. It’s round, with thin green skin and dry, deep-yellow flesh around one or two large brown seeds. “Lúcuma” is also its English name; there’s no other word for it.
The fresh fruit rarely travels, so outside Peru it’s sold as powder: the flesh is dried and milled into a fine, pale-orange flour. In Peru, lúcuma flavors ice cream, cakes, mousses and milkshakes.
| Plant | Lúcuma, Pouteria lucuma, a relative of sapodilla |
|---|---|
| Native to | Andean valleys of Peru, Chile and Ecuador |
| Where it grows in Peru | From the coastal valleys up to about 3,000 meters |
| Taste | Maple, caramel and a hint of sweet potato |
| Sweetness | Gently sweet, much less sweet than sugar |
| Best for | Smoothies, ice cream, desserts, oatmeal, baking |
| Gluten | Naturally gluten free; check the pack if you need a certified product |
| Keeps | See the best-before date; keep it dry once open |
What does lúcuma taste like?
Lúcuma tastes like maple syrup and caramel, with a hint of sweet potato and butterscotch. The powder is gently sweet rather than sugary, and its flavor comes through best in creamy things: ice cream, yogurt, milkshakes and custards. Our guide What does lúcuma taste like? goes into more detail.
How to use lúcuma powder
Start with a tablespoon in a smoothie or a bowl of yogurt, and follow the serving printed on the pack.
| Use | How much | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Smoothies | 1 tablespoon per glass | With banana, cacao or maca |
| Yogurt and oatmeal | 1 tablespoon per bowl | Stir it in after cooking |
| Ice cream and desserts | 2 to 4 tablespoons per batch | Mix it into the cream or custard base |
| Baking | 2 to 3 tablespoons per batch | Cakes, cookies, pancakes; adds flavor and color |
| Milkshakes | 1 to 2 tablespoons per glass | The classic way to drink it in Peru |
Tip: lúcuma powder can form small lumps. Sift it, or blend it with the liquid, before you add the rest.
Is lúcuma a sugar substitute?
Not one for one. Lúcuma powder is much less sweet than sugar, so it adds flavor more than sweetness; you’ll usually still need some sugar in a dessert. Most of the powder is carbohydrate, so it isn’t a low-carb or keto ingredient in large amounts. Check the nutrition panel on the pack for its exact values.
How to choose lúcuma powder
- 100% lúcuma: check the ingredients list says lúcuma and nothing else, with no added sugar or fillers.
- Organic: organic lúcuma powder carries a certification seal; each product page shows it as printed on the pack.
- Origin: look for “Product of Peru” on the label.
- Pack size: at one tablespoon a day, a 200 g pack lasts about four weeks.
- Sealed and in date: we check the seal and the best-before date on every pack before it leaves Lima.
