Buñuelos
Mexican buñuelos are thin fried rounds as big as a plate, a favorite treat at Christmas and New Year's. The dough is rolled very thin and fried until puffed and crisp, then dusted with cinnamon sugar, so every bite shatters with a buttery crunch.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Rising or chilling
- 30 min
- Total time
- 1 hr 25 min
- Method
- Fried
Ingredients
Dough
Cinnamon sugar
Frying oil
Instructions
Step 1
Whisk 250 g all-purpose flour, 5 g baking powder, 3 g salt and 12 g granulated sugar together in a large bowl. Mixing the dry ingredients first spreads the baking powder evenly, so the buñuelos puff up all over instead of in patches. The mixture is ready when it's an even color with no lumps of baking powder.
Step 2
Melt 30 g unsalted butter, let it cool slightly, then add it to the flour along with 50 g eggs and 100 g warm water, mix into a dough and knead on the counter for about five minutes. Kneading long enough makes the dough elastic, so it rolls out almost see-through without tearing. The dough is ready when it's as smooth as a baby's skin and no longer sticky.
Step 3
Divide the dough into twelve equal balls, rub each with a thin layer of oil, cover with plastic wrap and let rest for about thirty minutes. Rested dough relaxes and won't shrink back as you roll it. The dough is ready when it feels soft and a gentle press doesn't spring back right away.
Step 4
Roll each ball on a lightly floured counter into a round about eighteen centimeters across, as thin as you possibly can, and set each one aside on parchment paper. The thinner the dough, the crispier it fries and the more pretty little bubbles it forms. A round is ready when it looks almost translucent held up to the light.
Step 5
Heat to taste oil for deep-frying to about 180°C in a wide pan, slip in one round at a time and fry for about a minute per side, pressing gently with tongs so it stays submerged. Thin buñuelos cook very fast, so stay right by the stove. They're ready when they're covered in bubbles, evenly golden and turn crisp as you lift them out.
Step 6
Mix 100 g granulated sugar with 4 g ground cinnamon, let the buñuelos drain on a rack for about half a minute, then sprinkle both sides evenly. While they're still warm and slightly oily, the cinnamon sugar sticks well. They're finished when coated in sparkling cinnamon sugar and they snap with a crisp crack when broken.
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Rolling pin
- Deep skillet
- Thermometer
- Wire cooling rack
- Plastic wrap
- Kitchen scale
Tips
- Try replacing the water with cooled anise tea; many Mexican families use it to perfume the dough.
- Another way to enjoy them is to drizzle them with a syrup of palm sugar simmered with a cinnamon stick instead of cinnamon sugar.
- If rolling is difficult, you can stretch the dough thin over the back of your hand, the traditional way.
Storage
Once completely cool, buñuelos keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days and stay crisp. Avoid the fridge, as the humidity will make them soft.
Common problems and how to fix them
- The buñuelos are chewy rather than crisp.
- The dough was still too thick. Roll it thinner still, or let it rest longer so it's easier to roll.
- The buñuelos scorch before they puff up.
- The oil is too hot. Lower the heat so the oil comes back to about 180°C, and check it with a thermometer before each batch.
This recipe is based on the common ratios for this bake and is written entirely in our own words.
