Mexican Bolillos: Crusty Rolls

Mexican Bolillos( Crusty Rolls) are the most famous savory bread in the country, and here I will teach you how to make them. Many years ago, long before the Internet era, my dear college friend Alma sent me an important letter. I could feel her excitement for the little surprise she was sending in that letter. It had two recipes, one for the famous sweet bread (“conchas”) and the other for the bolillos.

Pan Frances (Mexican Crusty Rolls)

She described how she spent an entire Saturday at her neighborhood bakery learning how to make bolillos and wanted to share the recipes with me, knowing how much I enjoyed cooking. When I started to work with this recipe, my bread was a mess, but throughout the years, with practice and tweaking the recipes, I finally had bread that resembled the one sold in Mexico.

Jump to:

• Pan Frances (Mexican Crusty Rolls)
• Frequently Asked Questions About Homemade Bolillos
• How to make Bolillos
• How to store your Bolillos
• More Mexican Recipes To Enjoy
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

I still have to keep practicing with it since it’s not that easy to make bread, precisely like those sold in bakeries in a home oven without the commercial flours and enhancers, but the texture, smell, and even the crunchy sound of the bolillos are there.

Enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions About Homemade Bolillos

Before I share my Mexican Bolillos recipe, here are a few questions about this recipe.

What are Bolillos?

This bread is also known as “Pan Francés,”; which is the equivalent of a French baguette. With the French intervention around the 1860s, the recipe was transformed and became the Mexican bread “bolillo”. It is also known as “Birote” and “pan Blanco” in some areas of the country. 

At home, we love them with refried beans and queso fresco, in Tortas (sandwiches)

How to eat Bolillos

In Mexico, bolillos are consumed daily as molletes , tortas  (Mexican Sandwiches), and even to make mole poblano and capirotada. Another favorite way to eat it is by slicing the bolillo bread with a sharp knife and toasting it with butter on a comal or pan. Toasted bolillos with butter (Pan con mantequilla) is my Mother’s favorite way to eat it, next to a cup of coffee.

How to make Bolillos

JUMP TO FULL INSTRUCTIONS

Ingredients:

STARTER

• Water 
• Instant or active yeast
• All Purpose Flour or Bread flour

DOUGH

• All Purpose Flour 
• Instant or active yeast 
• Salt 
• Shortening 
• Warm water 

DIRECTIONS:

Make the Starter for the Bolillos:

• The night before baking, place yeast and water in a small bowl, stir and mix well, add the flour.

Prepare the Dough:

• Place the starter, flour, salt, yeast, and melted shortening in a large bowl or your heavy-duty stand mixer. Start kneading the dough with the dough hook, adding the warm water slowly at the beginning of the kneading process to mix it.

Let the Dough Rest:

• Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on your working surface to form a ball.
• Grease a large bowl with shortening, oil, or PAM spray. Place the dough and turn it all over to ensure all sides get a coat of grease. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest in a warm place for 2 to 3 hours.

Form the Bread:

• After the dough has doubled in volume, gently push your fist to deflate it. Then, divide the dough into 10 pieces.
• To form the bolillos rolls, dust your work surface with flour very lightly, flatten one piece of dough with the palm of your hand, fold ⅓ of the dough towards you and press down with your fingers, sealing it very well. Fold the dough again, repeating the sealing process until you form a roll, pinching the dough tightly. Make sure all the ends are sealed.

Note: To shape the bolillos, place your hands over the dough and press gently but firmly, cupping your fingers, and rolling back and forth.

Let the Formed Bread Rest:

• Place each bolillo/roll seam down on the greased baking sheet and cover it with a greased plastic. LINK to baguette pan.

Bake your Bolillos:

• Once the bolillos have doubled in volume, and just before placing them inside the oven, make a deep cut using a sharp serrated knife or a razor blade.
• Spray the bolillos with warm water, place them in a preheated oven and add 1 ½ cups of cold water to the metallic tray you placed on the oven floor. The steam will create that beautiful thin, and crunchy crust.

Take them out of the oven, let them rest for a few minutes, and enjoy!

How to store your Bolillos

Bolillos are better when eaten fresh or within a day of baking. If you have some leftovers, let them cool off and store them in an airtight container for up to three days. If you have bolillos past three days and still want to do a recipe with them, try Capirotada or Mexican Bread Pudding.   

Please leave all your questions in the comments section, I will be happy to answer them.

More Mexican Recipes To Enjoy

If you enjoyed this recipe for Mexican Bolillos, take a look at some of these other authentic Mexican recipes:
How to make Pozole Rojo.
How to make Caldo de Pollo.

For more recipes, follow Us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. in español Visit Us at Mexico en mi cocina 

Receta en Español Pan Francés.

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