Mexican Bunuelos Recipe [Video] (2024)

Mexican Bunuelos is made of a simple dough that’s fried until crispy and beautifully golden, then rolled in sweet cinnamon sugar. You only need 7 ingredients to make this traditional Mexican dessert!

Why not go all the way and make it a complete, Mexican-inspired meal? These Chicken Fajitas, Air Fryer Churros, and Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowls are so tasty and don’t take long at all!

Mexican Bunuelos Recipe [Video] (1)

Classic Mexican Bunuelos

Mexican Bunuelos are the real deal! These crispy-crunchy fritters doused in cinnamon sugar are a Mexican dessert staple during the holidays. With this easy recipe, however, you don’t have to wait for Christmas or the New Year to enjoy them! You can make them anytime at home using regular pantry ingredients you probably have already.

These bunuelos are incredibly simple to make, but they taste so good! They have a crispy exterior that puffs up a little while getting deep-fried, so you get these crunchy pockets that are so fun to bite into. While piping hot, they’re smothered in cinnamon sugar which melts slightly into the fritters. Sweet, effortless, and with a wonderful texture, we can’t wait for you to enjoy these treats!

Mexican Bunuelos Recipe [Video] (3)

What are bunuelos?

This is an old-fashioned dessert that’s popular during New Year and Christmas in Mexico. It’s made of plain dough that’s rolled flat then deep-fried until it becomes golden and crispy. While it’s still hot, the discs are showered in cinnamon sugar.

Mexican bunuelos ingredients

  • Dry: To regular flour, we’re adding salt plus baking powder to make the insides fluffy.
  • Wet: Warm water and a little oil will help the dough come together.
  • Topping: Mix a little cinnamon with sugar for the perfect bunuelos topping!
Mexican Bunuelos Recipe [Video] (4)

How to make homemade Mexican bunuelos from scratch

  1. Make the dough. Combine all the dry first, then finish the dough by adding the wet and mixing them until they come together. Afterward, knead for about 10 mins. until you achieve an elastic and smooth texture. Rest this for 30 mins. in a covered bowl.
  2. Shape. After resting, divide into 8 balls. Flatten each one out into a flat circle.
  3. Fry. Drop the discs into 350F oil and deep-fry until brown and golden.
  4. Sprinkle. Sprinkle the hot fritters with a lot of cinnamon sugar.
  5. Serve. Enjoy hot!
Mexican Bunuelos Recipe [Video] (5)

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s different between sopapillas versus Bunuelos?

They differ in both shape and texture. Specifically, sopapillas puff up more due to the greater amount of baking powder. They also resemble soft pillows rather than crispy fritters, because they’re fried more quickly.

How do you eat a Bunuelo?

You can eat these bunuelos the usual way sprinkled heavily with cinnamon sugar, or with a sweet caramel drizzle or piloncillo syrup (a sweetener made of raw cane sugar). Of course, don’t forget the tea or coffee on the side!

More Mexican desserts to try:

  • Instant Pot Flan Recipe [Video]
  • Classic Tres Leches Cake [video]
  • Mexican Wedding Cookies [video]
  • Instant Pot Dulce de Leche [Video]

How to store them?

Unlike other pastries, these fare better outside of a container. We recommend placing them on the counter, stacked, and covered loosely with a paper towel for up to 3 days. This way, they don’t lose that crispy and crunchy texture!

Mexican Bunuelos Recipe [Video] (10)

Can you make them in advance?

Sure! You can make the dough, divide, then freeze. When ready to cook, simply defrost and let come to room temperature before flattening and frying.

Since these will stay fresh at room temp for up to 3 days, you can also fry them up and place them in a cool area on the counter. We suggest cooling them down on a rack to get rid of any excess oil before stacking.

Mexican Bunuelos Recipe

  • Prep Time1H
  • Cook Time10 MIN
  • Servings 8 Bunuelos

Ingredients

Bunuelos:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup warm water
  • 4 tablespoons oil
  • 2 1/2 cups for frying

Cinnamon sugar topping:

  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

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Instructions

Cinnamon sugar topping:

  • Combine the ungredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Bunuelos:

  • Add all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to a large bowl and stir to combine.

  • Add the warm water and the 4 tablespoons of oil, and mix with a wooden spoon or using the hook attachment on a mixer, until the dough comes together.

  • Transfer the dough onto a clean flat surface and knead the dough for 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth.

  • Roll in into a ball and place back in the bowl,cover with a kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.

  • Divide the dough into 8 separate small balls and roll each one on a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin into an 8 to 10-inch circle.

  • Arrange the dough circles onto a large kitchen towel in ONE single layer.

  • Place a large and deep pan on the stove and add the 2 1/2 cups of oil and heat the oil to 350°F.

  • Fry each dough circle for about 1 minute, turning once, it shoulbe be nicely golden brown on both sides.

  • Transfer to cooling rack placed onto a baking sheet for the excess oil to drain.

  • While still warm, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Nutrition Facts

Mexican Bunuelos Recipe [Video] (11)
Mexican Bunuelos Recipe [Video] (2024)

FAQs

What are Mexican bunuelos made of? ›

Buñuelos are a dessert made from fried dough covered in cinnamon sugar. They're usually flattened into disks and served around Christmas and New Years in many Mexican households. My family always made them exactly as shown in this recipe, but there are tons of variations throughout Mexico and Latin America.

What is the difference between Mexican and Colombian Bunuelos? ›

While the Mexican buñuelos are rolled out into flat discs, Colombian buñuelos are altogether different. Slightly savory, round and filled with cheese, Colombian buñuelos are another delicious take on buñuelos.

Why do Mexicans eat buñuelos? ›

Buñuelos may be filled with a variety of things, sweet or savory. They can be round in ball shapes or disc-shaped. In Latin America, buñuelos are seen as a symbol of good luck.

Why are my buñuelos not sticking to the mold? ›

Let excess oil on the mold drip off before dipping it into the batter, or the batter may not stick. If your mold is too hot, the batter will cook instantly and slide off the mold.

What does buñuelo mean in English? ›

noun. bu·​ñu·​e·​lo. ˌbünyəˈwā(ˌ)lō plural -s. : a flat, semisweet cake made mainly of eggs, flour, and milk fried in deep fat and usually served with sugar and cinnamon or cane syrup.

What is the difference between a sopapilla and a buñuelo? ›

Sopapillas vs Buñuelos: A sopapilla (soap/pah/pee/ya) is soft, sweet dough (made with flour), flash-fried to puff up into a pillow and drizzled with honey when served hot. A buñuelo (boon/whale/oh) is the same dough, deep fried to a flaky crispness, dredged in sugar and cinnamon, and usually served cool.

What are Cuban buñuelos made of? ›

Traditionally made with anise-spiced fried dough made from tubers (sweet potato, yuca, taro root, etc.) and often glazed with a syrup, Buñuelos en Almibar is the perfect combination of sweet and savory. If you're looking for a great breakfast dish, look no further than these delicious cuban style beignets.

What is a fun fact about buñuelos? ›

But it's also cause for some interesting — and unexpected — history. The buñuelo wasn't born in Colombia or anywhere in Latin America. It comes from Spain — but not from the Spanish. It was most likely invented by the Moors – the Muslim Arabs who ruled medieval Spain for eight centuries.

What does one traditionally do after you have eaten your buñuelos? ›

In Oaxaca, there is a tradition for New Year where after you eat your buñuelos you smash the ceramic dish on the ground.

Why are buñuelos eaten at Christmas? ›

In a word: luck. Many Southerners eat black-eyed peas on New Year's Day to guarantee good luck in the coming year; similarly, many people of Hispanic heritage believe buñuelos bring good luck when eaten during the holiday season.

What country made buñuelos? ›

Buñuelos are a holiday tradition in Mexico, but they are Spanish in origin and also Arabic, since Spain was under Arab rule for 800 years, until 1492. In Granada, Spanish/Arabic kitchens made buñuelos by first frying the wheat pastries and then dipping them in boiling honey.

What is the difference between pan de bono and buñuelos? ›

Buñuelos are deep fried, while pan de bono is baked. Here in the United States it's difficult to find queso costeño so my grandma has been making them using ingredients available to her in Ohio.

What's the difference between bunuelos and rosettes? ›

These are made using iron molds, also called rosettes in english, as opposed to the more traditional Mexican buñuelos that are made by rolling out the dough and forming circles (like a flour tortilla) which are then fried and dusted with sugar!

What are bimbuñuelos? ›

One of my fondest memories as a child includes eating this light filled crunchy, sugary, pastry called a bimbuñuelo which is like the sister to the buñuelo. I loved how messy I would get eating this sugary and yummy pastry that melted in my mouth.

Where are Mexican buñuelos from? ›

Buñuelos, a sweet, fried dough sometimes served with a syrup, is a popular street food and Christmastime treat throughout Latin America. It has roots in Spain, and many countries have their own versions (and sometimes other names).

What is the fourth ingredient in buñuelos? ›

Remy will identify wheat, milk, and eggs. However, he'll leave players to guess a mysterious fourth ingredient, which turns out to be cheese.

What do buñuelos taste like? ›

Colombian buñuelos are magical cheese-based donuts that are crunchy on the outside, with a soft, pillowy angel food cake consistency, and the tiniest hint of sweetness. Oh. My. Word.

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