Crispy Homemade Mexican Buñuelos
shared by Nibblore Español
These Mexican buñuelos are thin, crisp, and coated in fragrant cinnamon sugar. Resting the dough makes it easier to roll without springing back, while quick frying at a steady temperature keeps the pastries light rather than oily. They are perfect for a festive snack or served freshly made with café de olla. • A kitchen thermometer helps produce a light texture: oil that is too cool makes the dough absorb grease, while overly hot oil browns it before it becomes crisp. • For thin rounds, roll from the center toward the edges, then finish by carefully stretching the dough over your knuckles. • Do not stack the buñuelos while hot, as trapped steam will soften their crisp surface. • Once the oil has cooled, strain and discard it if it contains too much burnt flour; never pour cooking oil down the drain. • Replace the butter with the same amount of melted vegetable shortening for a slightly more brittle texture. • Instead of vanilla extract, use 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest for a citrus aroma. • If vegetable oil is unavailable, use neutral-flavored canola or refined sunflower oil. • For a more warmly spiced coating, add a pinch of ground cloves to the cinnamon sugar. Store completely cooled buñuelos between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days; refrigeration will make them damp. To restore some crispness, arrange them in a single layer and bake at 160°C for 3 to 5 minutes, then cool on a wire rack. Freezing the fried buñuelos is not recommended.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Servings
- 12
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
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Save to my cookbook — freeIngredients
- 250 gall-purpose flour
- 1 tspbaking powder
- ½ tspfine salt
- 1 tbspgranulated sugar
- 1egg, large
- 30 gunsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 100 mlwater, warm, plus 1 tbsp if needed
- 1 tspvanilla extract
- 750 mlneutral vegetable oil, for frying
- 100 ggranulated sugar, for coating
- 2 tspground cinnamon
Instructions
- 1Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and 1 tablespoon sugar in a large bowl. Make a well in the center, then add the egg, melted butter, warm water, and vanilla. Mix until a shaggy dough forms; if dry flour remains at the bottom, gradually add up to 1 additional tablespoon of water.
- 2Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 6 to 8 minutes, until smooth, elastic, and only slightly tacky. Divide it into 12 equal portions of about 35 g each, shape them into balls, and keep them under a damp kitchen towel. Rest at room temperature for 30 minutes so the dough can be rolled without springing back.
- 3Combine the 100 g sugar and cinnamon on a wide plate. Set a wire rack over a baking sheet and have a pair of tongs ready; prepare everything before heating the oil because the buñuelos fry quickly.
- 4Pour the oil into a heavy 28 cm skillet to a depth of about 2 cm. Heat over medium heat to 180°C; adjust the heat during frying to keep the oil between 175 and 185°C.
- 5Working with one dough ball at a time and keeping the others covered, flatten and roll it on a lightly floured surface into an 18 to 20 cm round that is almost translucent in the center. Rotate it frequently and use as little flour as possible. Roll 2 rounds before frying, then shape the remaining rounds as each batch cooks.
- 6Carefully slide one round into the hot oil. Fry for 35 to 50 seconds, briefly pressing down any large bubbles with the tongs so it cooks evenly; turn and fry for another 25 to 40 seconds, until golden and rigid. Cook one buñuelo at a time to prevent folding and avoid lowering the oil temperature too much.
- 7Drain each buñuelo on the wire rack for 20 seconds. While still hot, coat both sides with the cinnamon sugar. Repeat with the remaining dough, allowing the oil to return to 180°C between pieces. Serve the buñuelos warm or completely cooled.