Sweet Tamales

My mother often made us sweet tamales for special occasions, including Christmas. She would sometimes dye the masa pink and wrap the tamales like party favors, as is customary in many parts of Mexico. Mother used pink food coloring, though I have seen even pinker tamales in the state of Michoacán dyed with tiny wild fruits called capulines. If black walnuts or piñones (pine nuts) were in season, she would use them in place of the pecans.