These golden, crispy-sweet, tortilla-like fritters are sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar or topped with syrup.
What is the difference between Buñuelos and Sopaipillas?
My grandma made these crispy treats but never called them “buñuelos”. My grandma’s recipe was basically the same as her flour tortilla recipe and we drizzled them with miel virgen (honey). I still remember licking my sticky fingers wanting more.
She also made unforgettable sopaipillas, which she would cut in fourths, then fry them until light and puffy. That recipe is in the Muy Bueno cookbook.
Buñuelos are often mistaken for sopaipillas. Sopaipillas are more like a fry bread and puff up when fried like a pillow until golden brown on the outside and soft in the inside. Buñuelos, on the other hand are rolled out thin and fried until crispy.
While in college I remember seeing buñuelos sold in a Mexican grocery store around the holidays and said, “Hey, my grandma makes those!” I didn’t know there was a specific name for them.
My mom came up with her very own recipe for the Muy Bueno cookbook — I think I gained about five pounds in the test kitchen sampling three different recipes.
The recipe below was the clear winner and we invite you to make these tasty treats for your family and friends this Christmas season. Watch this video to see how simple these buñuelos are made.
Ingredients to make Buñuelos
(scroll down for detailed recipe)
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- salt
- ground cinnamon
- milk
- butter
- vanilla
- eggs
- oil for frying
- sugar
How to make Buñuelos?
- In a mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
- In a saucepan heat milk, butter, and vanilla and bring to a boil. Set aside to cool.
- In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, then add the beaten eggs to the room temperature milk mixture and whisk quickly.
- Add the liquid mixture to dry ingredients and mix well.
- Knead dough on lightly floured surface 2 to 3 minutes until smooth.
- After you knead the dough, divide into 20 dough balls. With a rolling pin, roll out thin tortillas.
- Lay out all the thin tortilla flats on a tablecloth and let them dry. Turn them over once to ensure drying on both sides. This helps remove most of the moisture before frying.
- Heat one-inch of oil in a skillet wide enough for the tortillas to fry flat. Deep-fry tortillas until golden brown, turning once. Remove from pan; stand vertically in a bowl lined with paper towels and drain excess oil.
- While warm, sprinkle fried tortillas on both sides with sugar-cinnamon mixture.
How long are Buñuelos good for?
I recommend stacking them on a plate and covering them with a simple paper towel or light kitchen linen on kitchen counter for up to three days to keep their crunch and texture.
Mexican Christmas recipes that will spice up your holiday menu
Like buñuelos are a part of our table at Christmas time. Enjoy these Mexican holiday favorites.
- Tamales
- Ensalada de Noche buena
- Pozole rojo
- Champurrado
- Ponche Navideño (Mexican Christmas Fruit Punch)
How to make Buñuelos with flour tortillas
How to make Buñuelos de Viento
Buñuelos (Mexican Fritters)
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ cup milk
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 beaten eggs
- Canola or vegetable oil for frying
Sugar coating
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
- In a saucepan heat milk, butter, and vanilla and bring to a boil. Set aside to cool.
- In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, then add the beaten eggs to the room temperature milk mixture and whisk quickly.
- Add the liquid mixture to dry ingredients and mix well.
- Knead dough on lightly floured surface 2 to 3 minutes until smooth.
- After you knead the dough, divide into 20 dough balls. With a rolling pin, roll out thin tortillas.
- Lay out all the thin tortilla flats on a tablecloth and let them dry. Turn them over once to ensure drying on both sides. This helps remove most of the moisture before frying.
- Heat one-inch of oil in a skillet wide enough for the tortillas to fry flat. Deep-fry tortillas until golden brown, turning once. Remove from pan; stand vertically in a bowl lined with paper towels and drain excess oil.
- While warm, sprinkle fried tortillas on both sides with sugar-cinnamon mixture.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Photography by Jeanine Thurston
Originally published: December 2010. This recipe is also published in the Muy Bueno cookbook.
I hope this isn’t weird for you, but that photo of hands rolling out tortilla rounds makes me think of, not a specific family member, but somehow all of my aunties and nanas and my mama all at once. 🙂 thank you!
My abuelita’s Christmas night gift to all of us, her wonderful Bunuleos, topped off with melted “panocha” (brown sugar in a cone shape) and a hard cheese she shredded. We opened our presents at midnight.
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Mmmm… I look forward to this all year long
How long do they stay crisp? What is the best way to store them?
Buñuelos may be stored in an airtight container up to 3 days.
Just saw your post on Insta. And I drooled a bit. My mother would call them azucaritas. Yum.
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Sounds like your mother used to make sopapillas not buñuelos. Sopapillas go with honey, can be plain or coated with sugar and cinnamon. Not round could be square or triangle. If she did make buñuelos they could also be eaten with honey.
I LOVE bunuelos. I grew up in San Antonio. Bunuelos are very popular there. The grocery stores even had them. I miss them so much! I am so excited to try your recipe.
I’m not very good with a rolling pin, could the dough be flattened in a tortilla press?
the bunuelos were amazing! super crispy and delicious
The bonuelos were super crispy and delicious!