Whether you’re interested in Mexican cuisine, or you’re looking for a unique dessert or snack to enjoy the evening, Mexican Bunuelos is the answer!
In today’s article, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about Mexican Bunuelos, what they are, where they came from, and how to make them the authentic way.
So without further ado, let’s dive in!
What Are Bunuelos?
A Bunuelo is a circular or snowflake-type shape of a fried dough fritter that is an extremely popular snack in multiple regions in the world, including South and Central America and Southwest Europe.
However, they’re also found in some non-Hispanic countries, such as Greece, Turkey, and the Philippines.
They’re also known as “Bimuelo”, “Birmuelo”, and “Barnyol”. It’s commonly regarded as an extremely popular Mexican dessert/snack during the holiday season in Mexico and other Latin communities.
The History of Bunuelos
The Bunuelos originally come from Spain and took many forms and variations to become close to the modern-day bunuelos we all know and love.
Not to be confused with the Colombian buñuelo, the dessert was introduced to Mexico during the Spanish settlement of the Americas where many explorers brought bunuelos with them as snacks.
As previously mentioned, Bunuelos are extremely popular among Mexicans during Christmas and Thanksgiving.
They’re believed to bring good luck during these times of the year, a tradition that also originated in the autonomous territories.
Each country has a slight variation in the ingredients of the bunuelos.
For example, a Mexican bunuelo is usually served with piloncillo (sugar cane) syrup and is made from a yeasted dough with a hint of anise.
How to Make Authentic Bunuelos the Mexican Way
Now that you know more about Bunuelos and where they come from, it’s time to know how to make it.
In the following section, you’ll find the authentic recipe for the Mexican Bunuelos.
The Mexican desert is often drizzled with piloncillo syrup.
Here’s everything you need to know, so you can prepare this delicious treat!
Tips Before Starting
Use Anise Tea Instead of Plain Water
If you want to add a hint of a sweet and fruity aroma to your Mexican bunuelos, you can use anise tea instead of plain water.
And don’t worry it’s quite easy to make!
All you have to do is pour about 1 1/2 cup of water and a handful of anise seeds in a small-sized saucepan, then bring the mix to a boil for a minute.
Set the tea aside to cool then strain the anise seeds to use the water for the dough.
Avoid Making Huge Air Pockets When Frying
One of the most interesting things about bunuelos is that it can fluff up and create air pockets when frying.
This accounts for the iconic look of the desert.
However, a huge air pocket might make the desert unappealing.
To avoid it, you need to submerge the dough in the oil for the first 5 to 10 seconds, so that the bunuelos are evenly fried and take an almost final form that doesn’t have huge bubbles.
Time Needed
Preparing the Bunuelos along with the Piloncillo Syrup takes about an hour. This hour is split into 20 minutes for preparing the Bunuelos and 40 minutes for cooking it.
This time is enough to prepare enough 15 servings of bunuelos.
Shape of Your Bunuelos
Some recipes use a Bunuelera to give their bunuelos a snowflake type shape. The recipe below will not be using a bunuelera.
Ingredients Needed
For Bunuelos Piloncillo Syrup
- 3 1/2 cups of plain water
- 1/2 teaspoon of anise seed
- 1/2 teaspoon of orange peel, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon of lemon peel, grated
- 12 ounces of piloncillo or panela (about the size of 1 large stick), coarsely chopped
- 1 1/2 sticks of cinnamon or 1/2 a teaspoon of cinnamon powder
- 4 to 6 medium guavas, cut into pieces or chopped (optional)
For the Mexican Bunuelos
- 2 to 3 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tablespoon of sugar
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon of lard or butter, melted then cooled
- About 3/4 cup of warm anise tea (milk and plain water will also work, but anise tea is how Mexican grandmas do it)
- 1 teaspoon of pure unsweetened vanilla extract
- Enough vegetable oil for frying
- Cinnamon Sugar for sprinkling (mix 1 cup of sugar with 1 tablespoon of cinnamon powder)
Bunuelos Instructions
- Start by bringing a medium-sized bowl and mix in the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Mix for a minute then set aside.
- Bring a larger bowl and add the egg, butter (or lard), vanilla, and anise tea (or milk). Mix the ingredients together until they’re well blended.
- While continuously mixing, gradually add the contents of the first bowl into the larger one until a dough starts to form. The dough should be a little sticky.
- Once a dough is formed, lightly flour your surface and transfer the dough out, add extra flour gradually until the dough holds together without being sticky.
- Cut the dough into 15 equal pieces and shape them like a ball, and cover the dough with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap to rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
- While the dough is resting, prepare the piloncillo syrup. The concoction of anise must be warm for the best results, so reheat the tea if it was refrigerated.
- Place the 1 cup of water in a medium-sized saucepan with the piloncillo and bring it to medium-high heat until you have a liquid caramel consistency.
- Add the rest of the piloncillo syrup ingredients gradually, including the rest of the water, and bring the mixture to a boil. Continue mixing and cooking the syrup for about 10 minutes then set aside. (the longer you leave it, the thicker it’ll be)
- With the piloncillo sauce ready, it’s time to revisit the doubt. Bring the balls of dough back on the lightly floured surface and use a roller to spread them into a 5 to 6 inch round disk each.
- Stack the disks of dough together by adding plastic wrap, parchment, or wax paper between them, and let them sit for 10 more minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare them for frying by pouring enough vegetable oil (about 2 or 2 1/2 cups) into a large and deep saucepan or skillet, then heat the oil on medium-high to high heat.
- Once the temperature reaches 360 to 370 °F (you can check it with a deep-fry thermometer), start frying the dough disk by adding them one at a time into the skillet.
- Once the bunuelos start to puff out, turn it to the other side and take it out once both sides are equally golden brown (that should take 2 minutes on each side)
- When you take the disks out of the heat, sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar mix immediately to glaze, then serve with the piloncillo syrup!
Wrap Up
There you have it! A complete guide with everything you need to know about Mexican Bunuelos!
As you can see, making Bunuelos the Mexican way is quite easy and fun.
To truly enjoy them, serve your bunuelos with a traditional cup of Champurrado.
Although they might take a bit longer than usual to make, the unique taste of the holiday fritters is totally worth the wait!
If you like trying holiday dishes check out the popular Lenten dish, Capirotada.
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Jorge Garcia is the founder of AmigoFoods, where he has spent over 20 years helping readers discover authentic Latin American and Spanish cuisine. Raised in a Cuban-American household, Jorge learned to cook at the hands of his mother and grandmother, carrying forward generations of family recipes. That heritage, backed by his family’s four-generation history in the Latin food industry, inspired him to launch AmigoFoods in 2003. With more than 1,000 published articles on recipes, ingredients, and food culture, Jorge’s mission is simple: make authentic Latin cooking approachable for home cooks everywhere while honoring the traditions behind every dish.