Mexican Buñuelos
Servings 8 people
Mexican Bunuelos are a sweet, deep-fried treat that's coated in cinnamon sugar before being drizzled with a 5-ingredient piloncillo syrup! Prep this tasty Mexican treat in just 35 minutes!
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon anise seeds
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2½ cups cake flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 large egg whisked
- vegetable oil for frying
Syrup
- 12 ounces piloncillo
- 3 cups water
- 1 orange peel
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 3 star anise
Coating
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Add 1 cup of water to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add the anise seeds and vanilla extract. Steep for 15 minutes then strain.1 cup water, 1 teaspoon anise seeds, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add the melted butter, whisked egg, and anise tea from step #1. Knead until smooth, about 5 minutes. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and rest for 15 minutes.2½ cups cake flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 large egg
- While the dough is resting, prepare the piloncillo syrup. Add piloncillo and water to a saucepan. Once the piloncillo has dissolved, add the orange peel, cinnamon sticks, and anise. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes then lower heat to a simmer for 10 minutes. Remove cinnamon, orange peel, and star anise.12 ounces piloncillo, 3 cups water, 1 orange peel, 3 cinnamon sticks, 3 star anise
- Fill a heavy-bottomed pot or deep frying pan with 2 inches of vegetable oil and heat to 350°F.vegetable oil
- Combine sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside.¼ cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- Divide dough into 16 equal sections and roll each section into a ball.
- Then use a rolling pin to roll out until paper thin and almost translucent. Use a tortilla press if possible. In the traditional way to prepare Bunuelos, flip a (greased) bowl upside down and press the dough into the bowl until paper thin.
- Fry one at a time for 1 minute each, 30 seconds per side. If the dough starts to form an air bubble, press down on the dough with a slotted metal spoon. You may fry more than one at a time to save time, just be careful not to overcrowd the oil and be prepared with an extra metal slotted spoon if air bubbles happen to form in multiple Bunuelos.
- Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and immediately sprinkle both sides with cinnamon sugar, or for less mess, toss with cinnamon sugar in the bowl.
- Repeat until all of the dough is fried. The texture will be fluffy inside and crunchy on the outside.
- Serve with the piloncillo syrup.
Notes
- Storage Instructions: These Mexican Bunuelos have the best taste and texture when eaten as soon as they’re made. However, if you have any leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Can I Store Any Leftover Syrup From This Mexican Dessert Recipe? Yes, if you have leftover syrup you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use up the leftover syrup within 3 weeks.
- Where Do I Find Anise Seeds For The Bunuelo Dough? Anise seeds are found in the spice section of your grocery store. If you’re unable to find them there, check Amazon! If you can’t get your hands on any anise seeds you can just use warm water instead. Keep in mind this will alter the final flavor of this Mexican dessert, though they will still be absolutely delicious!
- How Long Can I Keep The Dough In The Refrigerator? You can keep the Bunuelo dough in the refrigerator for up to a week. It can also be frozen for up to a month.
- What Else Can I Drizzle Onto These Mexican Bunuelos? You could drizzle them with honey, maple syrup, or even Chocolate Ganache!
- Why Did My Bunuelos Turn Out Soggy? Soggy buñuelos are likely from the oil not being hot enough to fry them up to a crip. Be sure the temperature of your oil is 350 degrees before cooking them. You can use a simple kitchen thermometer to track the temperature of the oil!
Nutrition
Calories: 364kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 161mg | Potassium: 100mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 145IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 1mg
Find it online: www.sugarandsoul.co/mexican-bunuelos/