Mexican Buñuelos

Mexican Buñuelos - This is the basic and simple way to make a treat that I am sure many Mexicans living abroad remember their grandmothers, aunts or mothers prepare this time of the year.

Course Desserts

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword how to make mexican buñuelos, Mexican Bunuelos Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Total Time 40

Servings

Calories 105kcal

Author Mely Martínez

Ingredients

Piloncillo Syrup for buñuelos:

3 ½ cups of water
1 large piloncillo stick (about 12 oz.)
1 stick of cinnamon
6 guayabas chopped or cut in quarters(guavas)
⅓ teaspoon anise seed
¼ of an orange peel

Mexican Buñuelos:

2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 tablespoon of sugar
½ teaspoon of salt
1 egg
1 tablespoon of butter melted and already cool
About ¾ cup of warm water *
1 teaspoon of vanilla essence **
About 2 cups of vegetable oil to fry the Buñuelos
Sugar to sprinkle

Instructions

Piloncillo Syrup for buñuelos

Place the 1 cup of water and the piloncillo in a medium-size saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat until the piloncillo dissolves and it looks like liquid caramel.
Carefully add the rest of the water, cinnamon stick, guavas, aniseed and orange peel and bring to a boil. Cook for about 6 minutes, stir and boil for 4 more minutes. Set aside to use as a topping for the buñuelos.
If you want a thicker consistency, simmer for a longer period of time until desired thickness. The syrup keeps well refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

Mexican Buñuelos

In a large bowl mix flour, baking powder, 1 Tablespoon of sugar and ½ teaspoon of salt.
Form a well in the center and add the egg, melted butter and vanilla. Mix until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Slowly add the water a tablespoon at a time, mixing and kneading until you have a soft and smooth dough. This will take less than 5 minutes. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.
While the dough is resting prepare your working area with a rolling pin, a large dish with paper towel or open paper bags, extra flour for rolling the circles, a large frying pan with the vegetable oil ready for the moment you start frying the Buñuelos.
Divide the dough in 12 small balls and cover. Heat ¾ inch of oil the large frying pan.
Place one of the dough balls in your already floured working surface and stretch with your rolling pin. Roll out each ball to forma a circle as thin as possible without breaking the dough.
To give that extra stretching to the Buñuelo, place on the inverted bowl or clay pot covered with the pastry towel and pull the edges very gentle. The Buñuelo should be thin almost transparent. Before cooking, some people like to place all the already former buñuelos over a clean tablecloth, in a large table, making sure they don’t touch each other. This step will dry the dough, the buñuelos will be even crispier, and absorb less oil while cooking.
Fry the buñuelos in very hot oil until they are golden and crispy. This step will take a few seconds. Place the buñuelos on a plate covered with paper towels to drain the excess oil. Serve warm or at room temperature and sprinkle with sugar. If you do not sprinkle the sugar right away they can still be nice and crispy for another day and just add the sugar at serving time. If you prefer to serve them warm, place them in your oven in a low setting for 5 minutes. Now, we need some hot chocolate to go along with the buñuelos.

Video

Notes

*Anise tea is very often used instead of plain water and vanilla lending a sweet aroma to the buñuelos. To make anise tea, place 1 ½ cup of water in a small saucepan. Bring the water to a boil, add the anise seeds and set aside to cool. Strain and use the amount needed to make a dough.

** You can also use orange liqueur or essence instead of vanilla.

Nutrition