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Baked Gorditas

Name: Baked Gorditas
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 500 g Cornflour; 120 g Pork lard; 100 g Piloncillo (raw cane sugar) rallado; 5 g Anise en grano; 5 g Baking powder; 3 g Salt; 300 ml Water tibia; 250 g Refried beans

55 min (30 prep + 25 cook) Medium 8 servings Coahuila

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 11 Mar 2026 · Updated: 16 Apr 2026

Northern-style baked gorditas with piloncillo and anise, filled with beans or cheese.

About this recipe

Gorditas de horno are a specialty of northern Mexico, particularly Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Zacatecas. Unlike the fried gorditas of central Mexico, these are baked, giving them a firm, slightly crispy exterior with a soft, aromatic interior. The dough is made with corn flour, lard, grated piloncillo (raw cane sugar), and anise, creating a unique sweet-savory flavor profile. They are traditionally filled with beans, chicharrón, or cheese, though in their sweet version they are enjoyed on their own, straight from the oven. They are daily bread in many northern households, eaten from breakfast through afternoon snack time.

History & Origin

Gorditas de horno originated in rural communities of northern Mexico, where the clay oven was the heart of the family kitchen. In Coahuila, the tradition of baking gorditas dates back to the 18th century, when ranch families made large batches for the entire week since baking preserved them better than frying. Piloncillo and anise were integrated through the influence of New Spain's convent baking traditions, creating a unique fusion of indigenous and Spanish elements. In Saltillo, baked gorditas are an identity symbol: sold in traditional bakeries and market stalls, no family celebration is complete without them. In Zacatecas they are called "gorditas de cuajada" because fresh curd cheese is added to the dough. In Nuevo León they are made thinner and crispier. Each northern state defends its version as the original, but all share that unmistakable aroma of anise and piloncillo that fills the kitchen when they bake.

Estimated cost

£12.00

Total cost

£1.50

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

290

Calories

10g

Protein

38g

Carbohydrates

12g

Fat

Fibre

480mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Toast slightly the seeds of anise in a frying pan dry for 1 minuto until desprendan its aroma. Grind them in a molcajete (stone mortar) or mortero.
2
In a large bowl, mixture the cornflour, the piloncillo (raw cane sugar) grated, the anise molido, the polvo for hornear and the salt. Fold in the lard suavizada and mixture with your hands until well combined evenly with the flour.
💡 La lard should estar at room temperature, not melted, for that the gordita is with buena texture.
3
Add the warm water gradualmente while amasas until you get a dough soft, manejable and that doesn't stick to your hands. Leave to rest 10 minutes cubierta with a trapo.
4
Divide the dough into 8 portions equal. Shape each one into a ball, flatten it with your hands until it has some 10 cm of diameter and 1.5 cm of thickness. If deseas rellenarlas, place a tablespoon of refried beans in the centro, cierra and vuelve a aplanar.
5
Place the gorditas on a baking tray engrasada or with papel for hornear. Bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping them in half of the tiempo, until they are firmes and slightly doradas.
💡 Estarán listas when to the golpear gently the parte inferior suene hueco.
6
Remove of the oven and leave them enfriar some minutes. Serve tibias, solas or abiertas with butter, cream or more beans. Se conservan well 3-4 days in a container cerrado.