Bunuelo
intro
Crispy, airily puffed fried dough rounds dusted with warm cinnamon sugar, a beloved festive holiday treat with a delicate crunch and sweet spiced finish.
Ingredients
Steps
Combine dry ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 240g all-purpose flour, 4g baking powder, 3g fine salt, and 12g granulated sugar for 30 seconds until fully blended, with no visible clumps of baking powder remaining.
Mix and knead dough
Create a shallow well in the center of the dry mix, then pour in cooled melted butter, lightly beaten room-temperature eggs, warm milk, and vanilla. Stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy, lumpy dough forms, then turn out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead steadily for 5 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and only slightly tacky; add up to 1 extra tablespoon (8g) of flour only if the dough sticks heavily to your hands.
Rest dough balls
Divide the kneaded dough into 12 equal 40g pieces, roll each piece into a tight, smooth ball, and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover loosely with a clean, damp cotton kitchen towel, and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to relax the gluten, which prevents the dough from shrinking when rolled.
Roll thin rounds
Working with one dough ball at a time (keep remaining balls covered to prevent surface drying), roll each into a 15cm/6-inch wide, 2mm thin even round on a very lightly floured surface. Set rolled rounds on a separate parchment-lined tray, and do not stack them, as the thin dough will stick and tear.
Heat frying oil
Pour 960ml vegetable oil into a deep heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, clip a candy thermometer to the pot’s inner edge, and heat over medium heat until the oil reaches a steady 180°C/350°F. Adjust stovetop heat as needed to hold this temperature for the entire frying process, as overheating will burn bunuelo exteriors before insides cook.
Fry until golden crisp
Carefully slide 1-2 rolled dough rounds into the hot oil at a time (do not overcrowd the pot, as this drops oil temperature below the ideal range). Fry for 45 seconds on the first side until puffed and deep golden brown, then flip with a slotted metal spoon and fry for 30-45 seconds on the second side. Watch closely, as the thin dough can burn in as little as 10 seconds if left unattended.
Coat in cinnamon sugar
Lift fried bunuelos from the oil with the slotted spoon, let excess oil drain for 10 seconds over the pot, then transfer immediately to a shallow dish holding the pre-mixed 200g granulated sugar and 12g ground cinnamon. Toss gently to coat both sides fully while the bunuelos are still hot (this helps sugar stick evenly), then set on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Tips
2.Keep a close eye on oil temperature: if it drops below 340°F/170°C, bunuelos will absorb excess oil and turn greasy; above 375°F/190°C, exteriors burn before insides cook through.
3.For a traditional serving variation, drizzle cooled bunuelos with warm piloncillo (unrefined cane sugar) syrup spiced with orange zest and star anise instead of cinnamon sugar.
OMG these are SO good! I made them for our annual neighborhood posada last weekend and everyone was begging for the recipe. The cinnamon-sugar ratio is absolutely perfect, not too heavy on the cinnamon so even my picky 7 year old ate three in one sitting. Took me a little longer than the listed cook time because my oil temp was wonky at first, but totally worth it. 10/10 will make again for Christmas Eve dinner!
Has anyone tried making these with a gluten-free all purpose flour blend? My daughter has celiac and I’ve been hunting for a good GF bunuelo recipe that doesn’t turn out tough or crumbly. This looks exactly like the ones my abuela used to make, I’m dying to adapt it!
Game changer for dorm movie nights! I used a small countertop deep fryer my roommate got for his birthday and these came out crispy, sweet, and totally hit the spot. Way better than the store bought churros we usually get for our watch parties. Didn’t even have to adjust anything, followed the recipe exactly and they turned out first try.
Made these for my office potluck yesterday and they were the first plate empty! I even brought a little side of cajeta for dipping and people went wild. Only note is that I’d recommend rolling the dough extra thin if you like that super shattery crisp texture, that’s how my family always makes them.
Full transparency, this was my first time ever frying dough at home and I was so nervous I’d mess it up. Difficulty level felt totally fair for medium, the instructions were super clear about rolling the dough evenly and keeping oil at 375F. Mine came out a little lopsided but they tasted incredible, my roommate said they’re better than the ones from our local Mexican bakery. Wild!
I’ve been making bunuelos for 40+ years and this recipe is spot on. The touch of orange zest in the dough? *Chef’s kiss* That little extra brightness cuts through the richness of the fried dough so well, I’m adding that to my regular recipe from now on. My grandkids devoured a whole batch in 20 minutes flat.
Quick question—can I make the dough ahead of time and keep it in the fridge to fry up fresh the next day? I’m hosting a brunch this Saturday and want to get as much prep done the night before as possible so I’m not stuck in the kitchen while guests are over.
These were good but way too sweet for my taste! I ended up cutting the cinnamon sugar mix by about a third and it was perfect for me. Also, pro tip for anyone watching their oil: use a candy thermometer, don’t just guess, I burned the first two because my oil was too hot.
Made these for our family Nochebuena celebration last year and they were such a hit they’re now a permanent part of our holiday menu! We serve them with warm champurrado and it’s the coziest combo ever. Even my tio who swears no one makes bunuelos as good as his mom’s went back for seconds. Total win.
My kids loved it! I let them help shake the warm bunuelos in the bag of cinnamon sugar and they had a total blast. It was such a fun weekend activity to do together, and the end result was delicious. Will definitely be making these again on our next lazy Sunday.
Help! I followed the recipe exactly but my dough kept shrinking when I tried to roll it out, so my bunuelos came out really thick and doughy instead of crispy. What did I do wrong? I really want these to turn out for my partner’s birthday dinner next week!
SO good! Made these for brunch with my girls and paired them with a Mexican hot chocolate whipped cream dip and we were all in heaven. Crispy, cinnamony, not greasy at all when you fry them at the right temp. 10/10 would recommend for any brunch spread.
Has anyone tried air frying these instead of deep frying? I try to avoid deep fried food when I can but I’m craving these so bad, wondering if they’d still get crispy enough in the air fryer.
I brought these to our small town fall festival bake sale last month and they sold out in 15 minutes! So many people came up to ask for the recipe, I had to write the link down on napkins for half a dozen people. Who knew something so simple would be such a massive hit?
These taste exactly like the bunuelos my grandma used to make when we’d visit her in San Antonio over Christmas! I was worried I’d never be able to replicate that flavor, but the recipe is so straightforward even a beginner like me could nail it. The only thing I added was a tiny pinch of ancho chile to the cinnamon sugar for a little kick, it’s chef’s kiss.