traditional buñuelos

Here’s a traditional recipe for Mexican buñuelos – crispy, golden discs of lightly sweetened fried dough, often dusted with cinnamon sugar or served with a warm piloncillo syrup. These are a beloved treat, especially around Christmas and festive occasions in Mexico.

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🇲🇽 Traditional Mexican Buñuelos

🍽️ Makes: 10–12 buñuelos

🕒 Time: 1 hour (plus resting)

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🛒 Ingredients:

For the Dough:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• ¼ tsp salt

• 2 tbsp sugar

• 2 tbsp butter, melted

• 1 egg

• ½ cup warm water (plus more as needed)

• ½ tsp vanilla extract

For Frying:

• Vegetable oil (enough for deep frying – about 2 cups)

For the Cinnamon Sugar:

• ½ cup sugar

• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon

Optional Piloncillo Syrup (Miel de Piloncillo):

• 1 cone piloncillo (about 8 oz) or 1 cup brown sugar

• 1 cup water

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 1–2 whole cloves

• 1 strip orange peel (optional)

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👨‍🍳 Instructions:

1. Make the Dough:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.

2. Add melted butter, egg, vanilla, and warm water gradually.

3. Mix and knead until you have a smooth, elastic dough (about 8–10 minutes).

4. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.

2. Divide & Roll:

1. Divide dough into 10–12 small balls.

2. On a floured surface, roll each ball out into a thin circle, like a tortilla – as thin as possible without tearing.

3. Fry the Buñuelos:

1. Heat 1–2 inches of oil in a large pan to 350°F (175°C).

2. Fry one buñuelo at a time, flipping once, until golden and crisp (about 30–60 seconds per side).

3. Drain on paper towels.

4. Coat in Cinnamon Sugar:

• While warm, sprinkle or dredge both sides in the cinnamon sugar mixture.

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🧉 Optional – Make the Piloncillo Syrup:

1. In a saucepan, combine piloncillo, water, cinnamon stick, cloves, and orange peel.

2. Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the piloncillo dissolves and syrup slightly thickens (about 10–15 minutes).

3. Drizzle syrup over buñuelos just before serving, or serve on the side for dipping.

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🎉 Tips & Variations:

• Extra crispy: Let rolled-out discs air dry for 10 minutes before frying.

• Storage: Best eaten the same day, but can be stored uncovered at room temp for 1–2 days.

• Shortcut: Use store-bought flour tortillas (uncooked or cooked), fry, and coat with cinnamon sugar.