Capirotada, sometimes described as a bread pudding, is a scrumptious dessert made with layers of bread drenched in a sweet and aromatic syrup. It is popular during Lent season and during the winter holidays, and is made with slices of toasted bread as well as a variety of toppings like nuts, cheese, and raisins. All these ingredients are layered in a baking dish and then soaked in a syrup made with piloncillo (Mexican brown sugar), cloves, and cinnamon, before being baked in the oven.
If you are into salty, sweet, soft, crunchy, spongy mixed all together with a dash of spice, this is for you. Yes, this concoction sounds really weird, but it is an explosion of flavors in your mouth. According to some books, this recipe is a long-lost relative to one served in the Middle Ages.
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Capirotada Origin-History
Capirotada is one of the many recipes brought to the New World by the Spaniards. A dish with a heavy Moorish influence, Capirotada was originally used as a convenient way to use leftover bread. It was also popular to make and consume it before and during the Lent season, a tradition that continues to this day. The Capirotada dish even carries Christian symbolism in its ingredients, with the bread believed to represent the body of Christ, and the syrup representing his blood. Capirotada was originally not as sweet as it is now, with the ingredients and flavors changing over time. Today, you can find many varieties of Capirotada all throughout Mexico.
Even though I prefer to think that a very savvy woman seeing the approach of lent decided to make good use of what she has leftover in the kitchen before the fasting days of Lent, and then Capirotada was created. Just picture her looking at the dry pieces of bread.
Capirotada: a Mexican Lenten Dish
Wondering what to do to make good use of it. Searching into her baskets for anything else to add. There she found a dry piece of salty cheese and some raisins. But still, the bread was 2 days old, well add some water to soften it, and since water is just too plain, then sweeten the water the only way they knew, with piloncillo. And what goes great with piloncillo? Cinnamon and clove! Shall we add it? Of course! And what about those peanuts over the top shelf? That sounds like a great idea, let’s add them too. And Viola! Let’s call it “Capirotada”.
The truth is that I don’t care what they called, as long as you let me have a huge portion of my dish.
I wonder how many times you find yourself in the same situation, looking at your freezer with the door wide open. Thinking about what to do with that lonely package of meat or chicken, then searching in your vegetable drawers and the spice’s jars asking yourself what to do with it. Then after an hour or so you have created a dish that now is your family favorite. Has that ever happened to you? If so, let me know if the comments/ I would love to hear about it.
Making Capirotada in Advance
If you make Capirotada in advance, keep in mind that the bread will get soggy, and it will become mushy if you let it sit for a long period of time. Some people prefer that texture, while others don’t. If you want the layers of bread to hold their shape, but still want to do some preparation in advance, one option is to prepare the toasted bread and have all your ingredients ready to assemble, then bake the dish later.
I have never stored Capirotada in the fridge for longer than two days after baking, because we usually finish it the same day or the next! This is a dish that is usually made to enjoy the same day you prepare it. It is not common to freeze Capirotada.
In Mexico, every region of the country has its own variation of this dish. From the famous Capirotada Michoacána, where people add chocolate chips and fried plantains or bananas, to the Capirotada found in Zacatecas, where guavas and local cheese are added to the toppings. You can be in Jalisco, Durango, Chihuahua, Sinaloa, or Guerrero, no matter the place in Mexico, you will always find this dish, and it will always be delicious!
Where to buy ready-made Capirotada
Years ago, this dish used to only be made at home, but nowadays you can find this delicious treat for sale at Latin grocery stores here in the States during Lent season. I can even find it in my local Facebook marketplace!
And now to the Capirotada recipe, which is a basic one. See notes below for substitutions and other additions.
Capirotada Toppings
How to make Capirotada
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 350F. In a medium-size pot place the Piloncillo, cinnamon stick, cloves, and water. Place in the stove and melt in medium heat. (Please check the ingredients list below)
- 2. Mix the melted butter with the oil and brush over the slices of bread. Place in a baking tray and bake for 8 minutes and then turn over to bake 5 more minutes. The bread should have a deep golden color.
Start assembling the slices of bread in a round oven-proof dish. With the help of a ladle slowly pour syrup over the bread making sure the bread absorbs the syrup, do not let it go to the bottom of the dish in order to have enough syrup to moist all the bread pieces. Better yet dip the bread into the syrup to get an even moist crumb.
- Top the first layer of bread with cheese, raisins, and peanut, or any other fruit or nuts you would like to add according to the suggestions given below or your own.
- Place another layer of bread and continue the process as in step 4.
- Pour the remaining syrup over the last layer of bread and top with the cheese, raisins, and peanut. Dot with the 2 tablespoons of butter cut into small cubes. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in your preheated oven for 45 minutes until the top crust is golden and the lower layers are moist. If you are also adding sliced bananas and candy sprinkles, add them at serving time. Serve warm or cold.
¡Buen provecho!
Mely,
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📖 Recipe
Capirotada Mexican Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 12 Ounces About 1 ¼ cup of piloncillo or dark brown sugar
- 1 ½ cup of water
- 1 stick of cinnamon
- 2 whole clove spice
- 3 Tablespoons melted butter
- 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 16 slices ⅓” thick of Bolillo or French bread at least 2 days old
- ¾ cup of Cotija Cheese
- ¼ cup of roasted peanut
- ¼ cup raisins
- 2 tablespoons of butter cut in small cubes
OPTIONAL EXTRA TOPPINGS
- 2 Bananas sliced
- 4 tablespoon rainvow decorative sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350F. In a medium size pot place the Piloncillo, cinnamon stick, cloves and water. Place in the stove and melt in a medium heat.( If you have a hard time cutting the piloncillo for the amount needed, place it in your microwave for intervals of 30 seconds until it is soften enough to cut. Be careful while removing it out of the microwave since it gets extremely hot.)
- Mix the melted butter with the oil and brush over the slices of bread. Place in a baking tray and bake 8 minutes and then turn over to bake 5 more minutes. The bread should have a deep golden color.
- Start assembling the slices of bread in an round oven proof dish. With the help of a ladle slowly pour syrup over the bread making sure the bread absorbs the syrup, do not let it go to the bottom of the dish in order to have enough syrup to moist all the bread pieces. Better yet dip the bread into the syrup to get and even moist crumb.
- Top the first layer of bread with cheese, raisins and peanut or any other fruit or nuts you would like to add according to the suggestions given above or your own.
- Place another layer or bread and continue the process as in step 4.
- Pour the remaining syrup over the last layer of bread and top with the cheese, raisings and peanut. Dot with the 2 tablespoons of butter cut in small cubes. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in your preheated oven for 45 minutes until the top crust is golden and the lower layers are moist. Serve warm or cold.
Prieta
Mely, I don't like capirotada but your introduction is amazing! What a nice way to describe the birth of this lenten food, I liked your version better, too. Your recipe, I'm sure, must be attractive to many people including my family who can kill for capirotada.
Felices Pascuas!
loves2spin
Oh, Mely, that is fabulous! Thank you for sharing it with us. Yolanda
Ben
When I was a kid I didn't use to like capirotada, but now I love it! Thanks for sharing this 🙂
Karen
I love capirotada, Mely. So many flavors and textures. I throw things together all the time for dinners. I've always said that I could never open a restaurant because you have to be consistent with recipes. I can hardly make the same thing twice! Have a great day, Mely!
Heather @girlichef.com
Mouthwatering Capirotada, Mely! I haven't had this in ages and I feel like I should make some. Wish I could just have a couple scoops of yours!
Sara Hahn
Loooooooove capirotada!!!! I want to eat it every day!!! My ama makes hers with benuelos...mmmmmmm!!!!! Now I want some!! 🙂
Pily
Qué rico!! me encanta!! y me gusta mucho que no los freíste completamente sino horneados!! qué rico Mely!! quiero hacer!!
un beso amiga
Ruth Sagrario Macotela
Yum!! me encanta este postre,mi Abue lo prepara cada a-o en estas fechas 🙂
Saludos, Mely!
Mexico in my kitchen
Yes, everyone, it is capirotada time. A either you love it or hate it. Personally, growing up I didn't like it. But now, I love it. Maybe, I was a very picky eater back there.
Thank you for your comments,
Mely
La Dama
Aye Mely!!
I spoke to mi Ama last weekend and she gave me the recipe pero con tortillas.
the receta is very similar to yours.
I am muriendome for Capirotada, but since I gave up sugar..I'm waiting till Easter to artarme.
Besios
Mexico in my kitchen
Hello Dora,
You are right in the North part of the country some people add a layer or two of toasted tortillas.
Good job in giving up sugar.
Besos guapa
Carmen
Mely, recién hice capirotada, pero no me gustó el no freirla, veo que tu usaste mantequilla. La verdad extrañé el sabor grasoso de siempre, ja. ¿Sabes? hay un estupendo queso que venden aquí. EL queso de cincho, aquél que lo fotografíe cuando me pediste fotos del mercado. Ese queso que enchilan y hacen paredes. Queda mejor que el cotija.
Oye está muy bonitas tus fotos, tienes otro formato en tu blog y no me había dado cuenta, lo siento.
Recibe mi cariño.
Mexico in my kitchen
Hola Carmen,
SI me acuerdo se ese queso, y lo venden por aqui en el area aunque algo lejos. Lo tendren en cuenta para la proxima. Me creeras que nunca lo he hecho con el pan frito, lo he probado. Frito o tostado es cuestion de gustos, como quiera sabe delicioso.
El formato del blog sigue igual.
Un abrazo,
Mely
Byte64
Mely,
como se me antoja tu capirotada, yo la hice nomas una vez pero no me salió como la esperaba, pero voy a hacerla otra vez con tu receta. Oye, ya no me acuerdo, el queso cotija es muy salado o bastante neutro?
Un abrazo
Tlaz
Mexico in my kitchen
Hola Flavio,
EL queso cotiza es bastante salado. Si tienes un parmesano o romano seria buena idea usarlo. Por eso la receta que yo ahgo lleva muy poco y de acuerdo a las ocasiones que lo he hecho no necesita mas. Asi queda muy bien balanceados los sabores.
Cuando lo prepares dejalo reposar unos minutos despues de haberlo sacado del horno para que todos los sabores esten en su punto.
Un abrazo a ti tambien
Mely
NORMA RUIZ
Que rico, sabes este es el postre favorito de mi madre, le encanta y me gusta como lo haz preparado tú, voy a probar con esta receta mil gracias Mely un abrazo afectuoso.
Mother Rimmy
I love cinnamon and raisins. What a delicious sweet treat!
Miz Helen
Hi Mely,
This is an awesome dish that we would really enjoy, it looks so full of flavor! Hope you are having a great week end and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Miz Helen
Nora
Mely, me hiciste recordar cuando mi mamá nos hacía capirotada. Ella lo hacía como antes por supuesto, el pan frito.
Lo demás igual, qué rico, son los sabores de la infancia.
Besos
Mexico in my kitchen
Hola Nora,
Como hay comidas que nos llevan al pasado, a las memorias que tenemos asociadas con ese platillo y a la gente que nos une a esas memorias.
Un abrazo,
Mely
Rebecca Subbiah
looks great loved the way you wrote this blog post fun
MyCookingTime
Hola mely
Qué rico, me encanta la capirotada, un recuerdo de mi infancia, me encantaba cómo la preparaba mi abuelita!
Lo he intentado pero no me queda igual y ahora, lástima porque no puedo comer pan =(
Enid
Todas las culturas tenemos algun tipo de budin de pan. Tengo una amiga que nos preparo este postre para Easter pero ella le echa a la leche cebolla y oregano al hervirla. Nuevo para mi. Le quedo estupendo y no e ncuentras el sabor de la cebolla o el oregano. Ella es de Mexico.
Mexico in my kitchen
Hola Enid,
Gracias por compartir como lo prepara tu amiga. Estoy segura que sera de mucha ayuda para otras personas que tambien usan otros ingredientes en la receta o que les gusta experimentar con sabores diferentes.
Feliz dia!
Mely
Carmen
Pasaba por aquí, pasaba por aquí, ningún teléfono cerca y no lo pude resistir, pasaba por aquí, larán, larín, larán
Beso
Mely
Gracis por la serenta Carmen.
Me alegraste el rato.
Saludos,
Mely
Pily
Aquí ya había pasado !! jajaja!!
saludos
Azzucena y Jardín
Mely,
Muchas gracias por compartir todo esto en tu blog. Yo soy mexicana y ahora estoy viviendo en Suecia. Cuando me entró la añoranza por la comida mexicana me encontré con tu maravilloso recetario y ahora, nomás de preparar las recetas, me siento más cerca de los que quiero.
Muchos saludos,
Carmen
Mely
Gracias por tu comentario Carmen.
Que bueno que te sirvan las recetas y te ayuden a recordar a nuestro Mexico Lindo y Querido.
Saludos,
Mely
Joy Alegria
que deli!!!! mil gracias por compartir esta deliciosidad!
Andrea Castaneda-Acosta
Acabo de encontrar su página gracias a Diana de My Humble Kitchen y estoy encantada! He querido aprender a hacer Muchas de estas recetas! Me encanta la sencillez para describir todo(fácil para mi porque muchas receta auténticas mexicanas son difíciles de entender) El año pasado, mi mamá le pidió a mi tía abuela está receta. Lo malo es que ella no sabe dar medidas (porque ella no más le tantea). Nos quedó horrible! Ji ji!
Q contenta se pondrá mi mamá cuando le diga q tengo esta receta!
Gracias!!
Mely
Hello Andrea,
Gracias por tus comentarios. Yo tambien usaba el "tanteometro" para cocinar, pero el tener el blog me ha obligado a escribir las recetas con cantidades 🙂
Espero les guste la receta tanto como nos gusta aqui en casa.
Saludos!
Mely
Laly Today
Hola Mely, admiro todas tus recetas.. Riquísima tu receta de Capirotada y gracias por las fotos para ver paso a paso. Sabes yo lo hago así igualito como tu receta y también agregamos el anís, y UNAS. 3 RAMAS DE CILANTRO EN EL JARABE --- somos de Monterrey Nuevo Leon mas bien de ALLENDE, un pueblo magico entre montañas y mi receta es muy antigua de mi tatarabuela de parte de mama. Ojala la pruebes con el cilantro queda deliciosa. Felicidades por tu gran blog y trabajo!!
Esther
Hi Mely,
I have never liked capirotada, but the rest of my family/does. So I learned how to make it like my mom did. Her version didn't include peanuts, & she used shredded cheddar cheese.
Instead of using piloncillo, she made her own syrup with brown sugar, water & cinnamon sticks.
Brings back good memories....
Sandy W. White
I love this dish, my grandma used to make it for all her grandkids during Easter time. Now, I'm making it for my own kids thanks to you.
Jackie
Hello!
Thank you so much for sharing.
Total n00b question: is it fresh cotija or añejo?
mmartinez
Hello Jackie,
Añejo!
Martha E. Trevino
At our house, Mom always made capirotada during the holidays. None of us liked cheese or peanuts in capirotada, therefore, these ingredients were always omitted. Pineapple, raisins and thin banana slices were added, along with the anise seeds, cinnamon and piloncillo. It is still a revered dish to all of us. I loved seeing your recipe because it feels great to see our Mexican cuisine taking center stage. Keep up the excellent work, Mely!
Jessi Narváez
My mom used to make this dish around Semana Santa, I didn’t remember all the ingredients and found your recipe online. It tastes very authentic, it reminds me of my mom’s capirotada. Thank you!
PS. All your recipes seem very traditional! I'm so happy I found your blog!
Irma
Thank you
reyna
Mely thank you best recipe ever.
reyna
one last thing i ccould not find cotija cheese so i used mild cheddar cheese
Mely Martínez
Hello Reyna,
If you do not find cotija cheese, you will have to resource to whatever is available in your area. I hope your capirotada taste delicious!
Kim
Mely!
I grew up in with the Mexican culture and my grandma cooked this during lent and I LOVE IT! We don’t have all her recipes and now I’m so happy to have yours! Looks like hers and I’m going to make this and comment after. This brings back such beautiful memories! Thank you!
Mely Martínez
Hello Kim,
I hope you enjoy it!
Jay Lynch
Mely: Thank you for your fabulous recipe book!!
When I came across this Capirotada Recipe, it took back 70+ years to when my Grandmother Mercedes used to make her "Spanish" Tex-Mex version. She used the day old French Bread but soaked it in Brandy/Cognac. From your recipe, she substituted the Mexican cheese with Cheddar Cheese, the nuts for Pecans, she did include the raisins but I remember she included Cranberries.
I have her recipes for most of her dishes but the Capirotada was a true "treat" - better than the Easter Basket!! LOL