What Are Buñuelos? A Culinary Guide to This Fried Dough Treat

Buñuelos are a popular treat made from fried dough and enjoyed in places like Spain, Latin America, and more. At their simplest, buñuelos are pieces of dough fried until golden and then usually sprinkled with cinnamon sugar or topped with a sweet syrup. What makes them special is how each region makes them differently-using local ingredients, changing shapes, and adding their own flavors. More than just a dessert, buñuelos are traditions shared at family gatherings, celebrations, and especially during holidays like Christmas and New Year’s.

Across the world, buñuelos are always fried dough at their base, but each country or region puts its own spin on the recipe. Whether light and airy or dense and cheesy, every kind of buñuelo has its own flavor and story, making each bite a small celebration of local culture and history.

What Are Buñuelos?

Buñuelos are a group of fried dough pastries found in the food traditions of many different cultures. The basic version is dough made from flour, eggs, and a liquid, shaped and deep-fried until golden brown and puffy. There are endless ways the dough can be prepared and flavored, which is why buñuelos can taste and look so different from one place to another.

Buñuelos are most often a sweet dessert, but in some places, they can be savory. Whether eaten plain, rolled in sugar, or coated with syrup, they are always comforting and often remind people of special times spent with family during the holidays.

Where Do Buñuelos Come From?

Buñuelos have been around for a very long time. Ancient recipes for fried dough with sweet toppings have been found in the Mediterranean, going back to at least the second century BC. For example, Cato the Elder described a “balloon” treat that was fried and served with honey and poppy seeds, much like buñuelos today.

The name “buñuelo” comes from old Spanish words boño or bonno, which come from the Gothic word *buggjō, meaning “lump.” It’s also related to the word “beignet” in French, another type of fried doughlet, which shares a background in old Germanic languages. All this shows that the idea of frying dough into tasty lumps is something people have enjoyed for centuries.

Buñuelos also play an important role in culture. In places like Mexico and Colombia, they are a symbol of celebration, especially at Christmas and New Year’s. Making buñuelos is often a family activity, and the food represents love, tradition, and sharing with others. For many, they are much more than just food-they are a part of family memories and festive traditions.

How Do Buñuelos Vary by Country?

The way people make and serve buñuelos changes depending on the country or even the specific region. Here are a few examples:

Other variations exist in Jewish, Greek, and Turkish cooking, further proving how buñuelos have traveled and changed over time.

Main Types of Buñuelos

There are many different types of buñuelos, each with their own texture and flavor. Here are some of the most widely enjoyed kinds:

Buñuelos de Viento (“Wind Buñuelos”)

These are light, airy, and hollow on the inside. Made from a dough similar to choux pastry, they puff up when fried. In Spain and Latin America, they’re often covered in sugar and sometimes filled with cream, custard, or jam. Their crispy outside and almost empty middle make them especially unique. They are a classic during Lent in Spain.

Colombian Buñuelos

These are small, round, and chewy with a mild cheesy flavor. The dough is made from cornstarch, yuca (cassava) flour, cheese (like Queso Costeño or feta), eggs, and a bit of sugar. When fried, they become golden on the outside and soft inside. They’re popular at Christmas, but people eat them throughout the year, often for breakfast with hot chocolate or coffee.

Mexican Buñuelos

These are large, thin, and very crispy. The dough is often rolled into wide circles and fried until crunchy. Once out of the oil, they are coated in plenty of cinnamon sugar. Some versions are topped with a sweet syrup made from piloncillo (unrefined cane sugar), cinnamon, or even guava. They are favorite treats during Christmas, New Year’s, fairs, and special festivals.

Other Popular Variations

• Cuban Buñuelos: Shaped into figure-eights, made from cassava and malanga, and topped with anise-flavored caramel.
• Dominican Buñuelos: Cassava-based balls, covered in cinnamon syrup, sometimes with coconut milk for flavor.
• Nicaraguan Buñuelos: Balls made from cassava, eggs, and cheese, served with a cinnamon-clove syrup.
• Peruvian Buñuelos: Often round or ring-shaped, made from flour, water, sugar, and anise, topped with chancaca syrup.
• Puerto Rican Buñuelos: Come in many types, often filled with cheese or ham, served with anise syrup at Christmas.
• Uruguayan Buñuelos: Can be savory or sweet, including versions with apple, banana, spinach, or even seaweed.
• Jewish Bimuelos: Yeast dough fritters, glazed with honey, sometimes flavored with orange or made with matzo meal.
• Filipino Buñuelos: Bite-sized or donut-shaped, sometimes with mashed bananas and eaten with Filipino hot chocolate.

What Ingredients Go Into Buñuelos?

Buñuelos are flexible and can be adapted with many different ingredients depending on location and taste. Here’s what you’ll typically find in a basic recipe:

Main Ingredients

• Flour: Regular all-purpose flour is usually the base, but other options like yuca (tapioca) flour, cornmeal, or rice flour are common in some areas.
• Liquid: Water or milk is needed to bring the dough together. Sometimes, fruit juice like fresh orange is used for extra flavor.
• Eggs: Eggs help bind the dough and make it tender. Some recipes whip egg whites for a lighter result.
• Leavening: Baking powder is often added to help the dough rise and get puffy. Some old-fashioned recipes use yeast or even natural fermentation from lime water.
• Fat: Oil, butter, lard, or shortening in the dough make it richer and more tender. Plenty of vegetable oil is needed for frying.
• Sugar & Salt: A little sugar is usually mixed into the dough, and a pinch of salt brings out the flavors.

Fillings and Toppings

• Cinnamon Sugar: Warm buñuelos are often rolled in a blend of sugar and cinnamon for sweetness and crunch.
• Syrups: Thick, flavored syrups like piloncillo with cinnamon in Mexico, anise caramel in Cuba, or chancaca in Peru are drizzled on top.
• Cream or Custard: Some types (especially “wind buñuelos”) are filled with pastry cream, dulce de leche, or jam.
• Cheese: Savory versions, like those from Colombia, have cheese in the dough and sometimes need no added toppings.

Gluten-Free and Vegan Buñuelos

Many buñuelos can be adjusted easily for special diets:

• For gluten-free: Use yuca/tapioca flour, rice flour, or gluten-free flour blends.
• For vegan: Replace eggs with mashed banana, flaxseed and water (“flax eggs”), or a commercial vegan egg substitute; use plant-based milk and oil instead of dairy/margarine/lard; swap out cheese for a vegan cheese if making a savory kind.

Each gluten-free flour works a bit differently, so you may have to try different combinations to get the texture you want.

How to Make Buñuelos

General Steps

1. Mix the dough: Combine flour, baking powder or yeast, salt, sugar, eggs, liquid, and fat, and knead until elastic.
2. Rest the dough: Let the dough sit for 20-30 minutes to relax. This makes it easier to roll out.
3. Shape: Divide dough into balls, then roll each very thin (especially for the flat, Mexican-style kind). For round or cheesy buñuelos, instead of rolling flat, form into balls.
4. Fry: Heat oil to the right temperature (about 350°F/175°C). Fry each buñuelo until golden, turning for even color. Remove and drain on paper towels.
5. Finish: While still warm, roll in cinnamon sugar or pour syrup over them. Fill with cream, custard, or dulce de leche, if desired.

Step-by-Step Mexican Buñuelos Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ cup warm water
• 4 tbsp oil (for dough), plus more oil for frying
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon

Equipment:

• Large bowl
• Rolling pin
• Plate with paper towels
• Frying pan or deep pot
• Tongs

Instructions:

1. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
2. Add warm water and 4 tbsp oil. Stir until mixed, then knead for about 10 minutes until smooth.
3. Let dough rest, covered, for at least 30 minutes.
4. Mix sugar and cinnamon in a bowl for the topping. Set aside. Prepare a plate with paper towels for draining.
5. Divide dough into 8 balls. Roll each ball into a thin circle (about 8-10 inches wide).
6. Heat oil in a pan (about 1-2 inches deep) to 350°F/175°C.
7. Fry each circle, one at a time, for about 1 minute per side or until golden brown. Use tongs to flip and hold under oil if needed.
8. Remove from oil, drain on paper towels, then immediately coat with cinnamon sugar.
9. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Serve warm.

Tips for Crispy and Tasty Buñuelos

• Knead well to make the dough stretchy.
• Let the dough rest-this makes it easier to roll out thin or shape into balls.
• Use a thermometer to keep oil around 350°F/175°C. If oil is too hot or too cold, the buñuelos may burn or be greasy.
• Roll or shape each piece evenly for best frying.
• Sprinkle sugar or pour syrup while buñuelos are still hot so the topping sticks.
• For extra flavor, add a little orange zest, vanilla, or anise to the dough or syrup.

How to Serve and Store Buñuelos

Serving Buñuelos

• Best served warm and fresh for the crispiest texture and richest flavor.
• Top with cinnamon sugar or drizzle with syrups according to tradition.
• In Spain, Colombia, and other places, sometimes filled with cream or served with hot drinks.
• Commonly seen on festive tables at Christmas and New Year’s celebrations.

How to Store and Reheat Buñuelos

• Crispy types: Store at room temperature, uncovered or lightly covered with a towel, up to 3 days. Avoid airtight containers, which make them soft.
• Cake-like or cheese-filled buñuelos: Store in an airtight container for a day or two, or refrigerate for a short time-note that the texture may change.
• With syrup or cream: Refrigerate and eat within 1-2 days. May become softer.
• Reheat: Use an oven or air fryer at 300-350°F/150-175°C for a few minutes. Microwave is not recommended as it makes them soggy.

Buñuelos in Culture and Celebrations

Buñuelos and Holidays

• Christmas/New Year’s: Served at family tables, fairs, religious events, and street vendors, especially in Mexico, Colombia, and Puerto Rico.
• All Saints’ Day: Tradition in parts of Spain to make and share with the community.
• Lent and other festivals: Popular during religious or local festivals in Spain and Latin America.
• Year-round: In Colombia, Nicaragua, and other countries, they’re enjoyed any time as a breakfast or snack with hot drinks.

What Buñuelos Mean to People

• Celebration: A sign of good times and plenty, especially during holidays.
• Family Tradition: Often made together as a family, with recipes and memories passed down generations.
• Community: Shared with neighbors and friends, showing hospitality and kindness.
• Labor of Love: Making buñuelos can be a lengthy process, showing effort and care.
• Comfort Food: Reminds people of home and past celebrations, especially those living abroad.
• Unique Identity: Each type tells a story of its region and the people who make it.

Buñuelos are food, but also tradition, family, sharing, and cultural pride.

Nutrition and Buñuelos

Nutrition Facts

Buñuelos contain plenty of calories, carbs, and fats since they are deep fried and often sweet. The numbers will vary depending on the recipe and size but here are some examples:

Are They Healthy?

• Buñuelos are considered a special treat and not something for everyday eating.
• They’re high in calories, sugar, and fat, with little fiber and not many vitamins or minerals.
• Eating small portions during holidays and special events is the usual approach.
• Some changes-like using less sugar, different flours, or healthier oils-can be made, but buñuelos will always be an indulgent food.

Frequently Asked Questions about Buñuelos

Can Buñuelos Be Made in Advance?

• Buñuelos taste best right after frying but some steps (like making dough or syrup) can be done ahead.
• Dough can be chilled and used the next day-bring to room temperature first.
• Store syrup in the fridge up to 4 days; mix cinnamon sugar ahead and keep in a jar.

What’s the Difference Between Buñuelos and Sopaipillas?

• Both are fried doughs, but buñuelos are more varied in size, flavor, and shape. Sopaipillas are typically square, puff up with a hollow middle, and are softer and chewier. Buñuelos can be flat and crispy (Mexico), cheesy and round (Colombia), or ring-shaped (Peru).
• Sopaipillas are usually sweet snacks served with honey or sugar.

How Can I Keep My Buñuelos Crunchy?

• Fry at the right temperature-about 350-370°F (175-187°C). Too cool means oily; too hot means burnt.
• Drain well on paper towels after frying. Let them cool in a single layer before stacking to avoid trapping steam.
• Store in an open container, not airtight, to keep them from getting soft.
• For flat buñuelos, roll the dough very thin to help them bake up crunchy.