DessertsMedium

Buñuelos

Name: Buñuelos
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 70 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 500 ml Oil for deep-frying; 500 ml Water for the syrup; 200 ml Warm water; 500 g Plain flour; 2 Eggs; 60 g Butter; 250 g Piloncillo; 1 tsp Baking powder; 2 Cinnamon stick; 0.5 tsp Salt

70 min (40 prep + 30 cook) Medium 10 servings Nacional

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 4 Feb 2026 · Updated: 16 Apr 2026

Crispy fried tortilla rounds drenched in warm piloncillo syrup.

About this recipe

Buñuelos are thin, crispy fried dough discs bathed in a fragrant piloncillo and cinnamon syrup. A cherished Christmas treat in Mexico, they are enjoyed throughout the posadas season and New Year festivities. The dough is stretched paper-thin by hand, fried until golden, and served in shallow bowls swimming in warm, spiced syrup.

History & Origin

Buñuelos are a dessert of Spanish origin with Arab antecedents that became deeply integrated into Mexican Christmas traditions during the colonial era. In México they are prepared as very thin discs of dough, fried until crisp and bathed in piloncillo syrup with cinnamon, unlike the Spanish buñuelos de viento which are more spherical. In Oaxaca there is a tradition of eating them on clay plates in the Zócalo during the Noches de Rábanos and Christmas, and upon finishing, the plate is smashed on the ground to bring good luck. They are an essential element of the December posadas and Christmas Eve suppers across the country.

Estimated cost

£13.50

Total cost

£1.35

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

341

Calories

Protein

49g

Carbohydrates

14g

Fat

Fibre

269mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Prepare the piloncillo syrup: in a saucepan, bring 500 ml of water to the boil with the piloncillo broken into chunks and the cinnamon sticks. Cook over medium heat for 20-25 minutes until slightly thickened to a syrupy consistency. Set aside.
2
In a large bowl, mix the flour with the baking powder and salt. Make a well in the centre and add the eggs and softened butter.
3
Gradually add the warm water while kneading. Work the dough on a floured surface for 10 minutes until you have an elastic, smooth dough that does not stick to your hands.
💡 A good buñuelo dough should stretch very thin without tearing. If it tears, knead for a few more minutes.
4
Divide the dough into 10 equal balls. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rest for 20 minutes.
5
Using a rolling pin, roll each ball on a floured surface into the thinnest possible disc, about 20 cm in diameter. It should be almost transparent.
💡 Traditionally, the dough is stretched over the knee covered with a floured cloth to achieve larger, thinner discs.
6
Heat plenty of oil in a large frying pan or deep pan to 180°C. Fry each disc one at a time, carefully lowering it in. Fry for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden and crisp.
7
Remove with a slotted spoon and place on kitchen paper to drain off excess oil.
8
Serve the buñuelos in shallow bowls, generously drenched in the warm piloncillo syrup. In some regions, the buñuelos are broken into pieces in a clay bowl before being bathed in syrup.