This Mexican Bunuelos Recipe is made with eggs, milk, flour, sugar, baking powder, and fried to absolute perfection.
These buñuelo have been my favorite sweet recipe we made so far. The buñuelo consists of a beautifully flower shaped fried dough. The dough can be mixed with water, milk, and egg and sprinkled with sugar or cinnamon. You will need a buñuelo mold tool, which I saw can be purchased on Amazon. I myself am thinking of getting one at the famous Mexico City market next week.
If you love this recipe, feel free to try my Conchas recipe or my Rosca de Reyes.
Jump to:
- What are Buñuelos?
- Why you will love this recipe
- Where did buñuelos originate from?
- Why are bunuelos eaten during Christmas?
- Mexican Bunuelo Ingredients
- How to make this Mexican Bunuelos Recipe
- Why are my bunuelos not sticking?
- Substitutions
- Variations
- Equipment
- Storage
- Top tip
- Mexican Bunuelos Recipe
- Food safety
What are Buñuelos?
Mexican buñuelos are a type of sweet fried pastry that is popular in Mexico, particularly during the Christmas season. They are made by flattening a dough ball into a thin disc, then frying it in hot oil until it puffs up and becomes golden brown. The buñuelo is then sprinkled with cinnamon sugar or dipped in a syrup made from piloncillo (unrefined cane sugar), cinnamon, and water.
Buñuelos can be made in different shapes and sizes, but they are usually round and have a crispy texture on the outside, with a soft and slightly doughy interior. They are often served as a dessert or snack, and can be eaten on their own or dipped in hot chocolate or coffee.
Why you will love this recipe
Full of flavor: This dough is perfectly fried and tossed in sugar.
Kid Friendly: I love these sweet treats and I am sure your kids will too.
Great for any weather: Traditionally this is eaten during Christmastime in Latin America, but I love to eat them in the summer too.
Where did buñuelos originate from?
Buñuelos are traditionally Spanish, with many Latin American countries having their own variation. It comes from Spain – but not from the Spanish. It was most likely invented by the moors who ruled Spain from the early 8th until the late 15th centuries.
Why are bunuelos eaten during Christmas?
In many Hispanic countries, buñuelos are eaten for good luck. It's a traditional holiday dessert you can count on having at Mexican Christmas parties.
Mexican Bunuelo Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
- Eggs
- Vegetable oil
- Vanilla extract
- Milk
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
- Baking powder
- Refined sugar
- Oil, for frying
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make this Mexican Bunuelos Recipe
You will need a buñuelo mold tool, which I saw can be purchased on Amazon.
In a large bowl, add the eggs and whisk. Add the vegetable oil, vanilla extract and whole milk. In another large bowl, add the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar into a bowl and whisk. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Whisk the contents together. It should not be a dough, but a more liquid form. Add this in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, fill the pot with 1 to 2 inches of frying oil. Heat at medium heat and wait until it is very hot. If you have a candy thermometer, the temperature should read 350°F. You will need to heat up the buñuelo tool first. Add the mold into the hot oil for one minute. Remove and make sure excess oil drips back into the pot. Put the buñuelo tool in the batter, so that the flower part it is halfway in.
Immediately return the tool and dip it into the oil. Sometimes the buñuelo will come off by itself. Other times, you will need a knife to help it come off. When it finally comes off, fry until it is golden brown, about 1-2 minutes.
Flip over to the other side and fry until golden, about 2-3 minutes. Place paper towels on a baking sheet. With a slotted spoon, remove the buñuelo from the oil and place on the paper towel. Repeat with the rest.
In a large bowl, add the sugar (and cinnamon if you wish). Toss the buñuelo in on both sides.
Hint: Make sure the mold is hot before adding into the mixture. When frying, sometimes the buñuelo will come off by itself. Other times, you will need a knife to help it come off. Slowly scrape the sides while frying and it will eventually fall off.
Why are my bunuelos not sticking?
It is essential for the mold to be hot. Make sure to add the mold into the hot oil for a minute before adding into the mixture. Also, make sure to completely let the oil drip off of the mold.
Substitutions
Oil: If you don't have any vegetable oil on hand, you can substitute another neutral high-heat oil. Canola, safflower, peanut or grape-seed oils are all great choices.
Sugar: I used granulated sugar but feel free to use cane sugar or brown sugar. A lot of times, people mix in cinnamon with the sugar to make cinnamon sugar.
Milk: If you are lactose intolerant or want a dairy free option, you can use almond milk or oat milk instead.
Flour: I used all purpose flour but if you are gluten free, feel free to use almond flour.
Variations
Cooking is a chance to be creative! Have fun with it and feel free to make your own variation.
- Deluxe - add cinnamon into the sugar to make cinnamon sugar buñuelos.
- Kid friendly - add melted chocolate on top.
Check out my Champurrado recipe or my Mexican Croissant Pan Dulce Recipe.
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Stone bakeware takes longer to heat up than metal pans, and also retain heat for longer, which could make the recipe more watery, or burnt on the outsides.
I love using my Caraway pots, pans and baking sheets for best quality.
Storage
This will be good in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
These Mexican Bunuelos Recipe ingredients don't stand up well to freezing.
Top tip
Make sure the mold is super hot before adding to the mixture. To do this, put the mold into the hot oil for one minute until you add into the mixture. Make sure to let the oil drip off into the pot before putting into the mixture.
Mexican Bunuelos Recipe
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This Mexican Bunuelos Recipe is made with eggs, milk, flour, sugar, baking powder, and fried to absolute perfection.
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅕ tablespoons sugar
- Sugar, for garnish
- Oil, for frying
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the eggs and whisk. Add the vegetable oil, vanilla extract and whole milk.
- In another large bowl, add the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar into a bowl and whisk. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
- Whisk the contents together. It should not be a dough, but a more liquid form. Add this in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, fill the pot with 1 to 2 inches of frying oil. Heat at medium heat and wait until it is very hot. If you have a candy thermometer, the temperature should read 350°F.
- You will need to heat up the buñuelo tool first. Add the mold into the hot oil for one minute. Remove and make sure excess oil drips back into the pot.
- Put the buñuelo tool in the batter, so that the flower part it is halfway in. Immediately return the tool and dip it into the oil. Sometimes the buñuelo will come off by itself. Other times, you will need a knife to help it come off. When it finally comes off, fry until it is golden brown, about 1-2 minutes. Flip over to the other side and fry until golden, about 2-3 minutes.
- Place paper towels on a baking sheet. With a slotted spoon, remove the buñuelo from the oil and place on the paper towel. Repeat with the rest.
- In a large bowl, add the sugar (and cinnamon if you wish). Toss the buñuelo in on both sides.
Notes
Make sure the mold is super hot before adding to the mixture. To do this, put the mold into the hot oil for one minute until you add into the mixture.
Make sure to let the oil drip off into the pot before putting into the mixture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Mexican
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
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