Bread & BakingMedium

Nata Sweet Bread

Name: Nata Sweet Bread
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 120 g Sugar; 2 Eggs; 120 ml Warm milk; 10 g Fresh yeast; 60 g Butter; 150 g Milk cream (nata); 0.5 tsp Salt; 500 g Plain flour

55 min (30 prep + 25 cook) Medium 12 servings Nacional

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 24 Mar 2026 · Updated: 3 Jun 2026

Soft sweet bread with milk cream, a Mexican bakery classic.

About this recipe

Mexican sweet bread made with milk cream (nata), with a soft texture and delicate flavour. A classic from traditional bakeries.

History & Origin

Nata bread is one of the lesser-known but most delicious jewels of Mexican baking. Its tradition dates back to the bakeries of New Spain in the 17th century, when Spanish bakers discovered that the cream from Creole cow's milk was especially rich and perfect for sweet doughs. Bakers stored the cream in clay containers for several days until they gathered enough for a batch. Traditional nata bread has an oval shape with decorations of the same dough, a slightly golden crust and an incredibly spongy interior.

Estimated cost

£6.09

Total cost

£0.51

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

220

Calories

Protein

32g

Carbohydrates

Fat

Fibre

200mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Dissolve the yeast in warm milk with a tablespoon of sugar. Leave to rest for 10 minutes until it bubbles.
2
In a large bowl, mix the flour with sugar, salt and milk cream (nata). Add the activated yeast and eggs.
3
Knead for 10 minutes until you have a smooth, elastic dough. Incorporate the softened butter and continue kneading until fully combined.
💡 The dough should be soft and not sticky.
4
Cover the dough and leave to prove in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled in volume.
5
Knock back the dough, divide into 12 equal portions and shape into oval rolls. Place on a greased baking tray.
6
Leave to rest for 30 more minutes. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 180C for 20-25 minutes until golden.

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Edmond Bojalil

Founder, Recetas Mexas

Mexican from Puebla, IT professional and foodie. Author of 1000+ authentic Mexican recipes adapted for home kitchens worldwide. Based in Madrid since 2018.