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Gorditas de Azucar (Sweet Griddle Cakes)
When it comes to making a sweet and simple treat, I love turning to this recipe for Gorditas de Azucar, which translates to “sugar gorditas.”
These sweet griddle cakes are basically the Mexican version of a scone or a sweet biscuit, traditionally topped with a dollop of butter or drizzled with dulce de leche, cajeta, or sweetened condensed milk. YUM!
When I was little, my Grandma Jesusita would tell me all about the restaurant she owned in Shafter, Texas. Apparently, the local miners were absolutely gaga for her gorditas de azucar, which she aptly renamed “pan-cakies.”
This recipe is inspired by Grandma’s homemade griddle cakes, but are jazzed up with the addition of cinnamon and vanilla for an unforgettable fall favorite.
About This Recipe
If you’re a fan of cinnamon toast, you’re going to love these griddle cakes. They’re tender, sweet, and delicately flavored with cinnamon and vanilla, and they’re absolutely perfect for loading up with your favorite toppings.
Unlike gorditas de harina, there is no need to split these in half. Simply top with your favorite topping – Maple Me Crazy™ Butter Spread, homemade jam, dulce de leche, or cajeta are all a delight – then eat with your hands.
While I based this recipe off of my Grandma’s gorditas de azucar, I made a few swaps that I think you’ll love. First, the addition of vanilla and warming cinnamon adds another dimension of flavor to the pan-cakies that pairs well with just about any sweet spread.
Second, I opted to swap out her shortening for some good ol’ Land O Lakes® Unsalted Butter. I’m a firm believer that butter makes everything better. It also doesn’t hurt that Land O’Lakes is farmer-owned and has been providing Americans with high-quality butter for more than 100 years. Made with sweet cream, Land O Lakes® Unsalted Butter is something you can feel good about feeding to your family.
While this recipe for gorditas de azucar does take a bit of time to pull off, the effort is well worth it. They’ll keep for two to three days in the fridge or up to three months in the freezer, so they’re a great project for the weekend – just pop them in the toaster to reheat.
How to Make Sweet Mexican Griddle Cakes
Place a comal (griddle or cast-iron skillet) over medium heat and allow it to heat up. Once heated, drop temperature to low.
In a bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Add the butter and combine until you have the consistency of small crumbs.
Add the egg and vanilla extract, and little by little add the warm milk and mix well with your hand. The mixture may be a little sticky. Knead dough in a bowl until the dough is pliable and springy.
TIP: If the dough feels too wet and is sticking to your hands, add a few extra tablespoons of flour. If it feels too dry, add an extra tablespoon or two of warm milk.
Knead for 5 to 10 minutes. Cover bowl with a clean dish towel and let dough rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
Form 2- to 2½-inch dough balls.
Use a tortilla press when making these gorditas. Place a piece of plastic wrap or wax paper over each end of the tortilla press. The ball of masa will sit between the two pieces of plastic wrap or wax paper during the pressing process. Place a ball of dough on one end of the tortilla press, directly on the plastic wrap. Close the tortilla press and gently press down on the handle, flattening the dough and creating a gordita.
Open the press and place gordita on preheated comal to cook for approximately 2 to 3 minutes or until browned and slightly puffy. Turn gordita over to brown on second side for approximately 2 to 3 minutes more.
TIP: If the gorditas are getting singed with black spots quickly, turn down the heat. Cast iron holds onto heat for a long time, so after the pan is heated initially, I recommend setting the heat on low.
Keep gorditas warm and covered while you make the rest. Place cooked griddle cakes in a tortilla warmer lined with a dish towel or wrap them in a dish towel to keep them warm. Any leftovers can be stored in a resealable bag (with the excess air pressed out) in the refrigerator for up to 2 to 3 days.
They taste great with a dollop of something sweet – try the limited batch butter spreads from Land O’Lakes like Maple Me Crazy™ or Pumpkin Pie Spice Butter Spread for an extra-special fall treat. Serve warm with café de olla, Mexican hot chocolate, or a glass of milk for a deliciously cozy fall breakfast.
Watch this video to see how this recipe comes together.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are actually many kinds of gorditas out there, all named because of how they are “chubby” and puff up when they are cooking. These sugar gorditas look a lot like fluffy pancakes collided with an English muffin.
While you might be familiar with savory gorditas de harina or gorditas de masa harina, this particular sweet gordita recipe is closer in relation to gorditas de nata or gorditas de trigo. This style of gordita is still eaten by hand, but is used as a vehicle for toppings rather than as a flatbread that you might split and stuff.
Absolutely! These little gems can be made, layered with parchment, and then frozen for up to three months, making them an excellent dish for meal prep. To reheat, just pop one out of the freezer and into the toaster.
No tortilla press? No problem! The dough can be rolled out and cut with a 4-inch round cookie cutter or canning jar lid (similar to making biscuits), you can flatten dough balls beneath a heavy skillet, you can roll dough balls with a rolling pin like you would to make flour tortillas, or you can form round patties by hand.
Looking for more Gordita recipes?
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Gorditas de Azucar (Sweet Griddle Cakes)
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks (8 tablespoons) Land O Lakes® Unsalted Butter in Half Sticks
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup warm milk
Instructions
- Place a comal (griddle or cast-iron skillet) over medium heat and allow it to heat up. Once heated, drop temperature to low.
- In a bowl combine all the dry ingredients. Add the butter and combine until you have the consistency of small crumbs.
- Add the egg, vanilla extract, and little by little add the warm milk, and mix well with your hand. The mixture may be a little sticky. Knead dough in bowl until dough is pliable and springy. Sprinkle with flour if dough is too sticky.
- Knead for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Cover bowl with a clean dish towel and let dough rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Form 2- to 2½-inch dough balls.
- Use a tortilla press when making these gorditas. Place a piece of plastic wrap or wax paper over each end of the tortilla press. The ball of masa will sit between the two pieces of plastic wrap or wax paper during the pressing process. Place a ball of dough on one end of the tortilla press, directly on the plastic wrap. Close the tortilla press and gently press down on the handle, flattening the dough and creating a gordita.
- Open the press and place gordita on preheated comal to cook for approximately 2 to 3 minutes or until browned and slightly puffy. Turn gordita over to brown on second side for approximately 2 to 3 minutes more.
- Keep the gorditas warm in a tortilla warmer or under a clean dish towel while you make the rest.
- Serve with flavored butter spreads or drizzled with cajeta, dulce de leche, sweetened condensed milk, or topping of your choice.
Video
Notes
- Refrigerate leftovers in a resealable bag for up to 2 to 3 days.
- To freeze, layer with parchment, for up to three months.
- To reheat, just pop one out of the freezer and into the toaster.
- No tortilla press? No problem! The dough can be rolled out and cut with a 4-inch round cookie cutter or canning jar lid (similar to making biscuits), you can flatten dough balls beneath a heavy skillet, you can roll dough balls with a rolling pin like you would to make flour tortillas, or you can form round patties by hand.
Photography by Jenna Sparks
This post is in partnership with Land O Lakes. As always, thank you for reading and for supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. All opinions are always my own.
2 Comments on “Gorditas de Azucar (Sweet Griddle Cakes)”
hi, can you use condensed milk instead of sugar?
I’m making this looks yamy.