Mexican Buñuelos Recipe – Delicious Fried Cinnamon Sugar Treats

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This Mexican Buñuelos Recipe makes a delicious dessert that’s perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth. Made with simple ingredients, these crispy treats are fried until golden brown and then covered in a generous layer of cinnamon sugar.

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I know that readers like to skip to the recipe card, but I recommend reading the blog post all the way through so that you don’t miss any tips or substitution suggestions, to ensure that you have all the ingredients and equipment required and understand the steps and timings involved.

Mexican Buñuelos Recipe

A buñuelo is a fried dough fritter found in Spain, Mexico, Latin America, and other regions with a historical connection to Spaniards. – Wikipedia

Who can resist a fried dough dessert, covered with sugar? That smell is undeniably delicious, right?

Think funnel cakes (American), churros (Mexican), sufganiyah (Israeli), loukoumades (Greek), beignets (French), beavertails (Canadian), and of course, the humble doughnut to name a few. I bet your mouth is watering!

Well, time to add another to that list with this Mexican buñuelos recipe!

A very simple dough, made with flour, baking powder, salt, oil, and water is left to rise for 30 minutes, before being divided and rolled into circles.

The dough is then fried in oil before being covered with cinnamon sugar – yum!

Enjoy one of these crispy fritters with a cup of coffee or Mexican Hot Chocolate after dinner.

We have a collection of 70+ Mexican and Tex-Mex Recipes for you to try out too!

Ingredients & Equipment Used In This Recipe

While most ingredients can be bought in grocery stores, for your convenience, ingredients, and equipment needed for this recipe have been linked to Amazon, Amazon Fresh, or other stores if available online.

Equipment Needed For This Recipe

• Mixing Bowls
• Whisk
• Rubber/Silicone Spatula
• Pastry Scraper/Cutter – optional to cut the dough, but you can also use a Sharp Knife
• Rolling Pin
• Parchment Paper – also known as baking paper or greaseproof paper.
• Candy Thermometer – for checking the oil temperature.
• Paper Towels – for absorbing excess oil after frying.

Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog use cups and/or weighted measurements. American cups and kitchen food scales are handy pieces of equipment to have in your kitchen as it means you’ll be able to make all of the different recipes on my blog. I try to give American US customary, imperial, and metric measurements in my recipes. Please note, that you can mix cup measurements with weighted measures, but never mix US customary/imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.,) with metric (kilograms, grams, liters, etc.,).

More Recipes Using Cinnamon

One of the hero ingredients in this dish is cinnamon, so here are some more recipes using the same:

• Pumpkin Bars with Cinnamon Streusel Topping
• How to Make Mini Cinnamon Rolls with Homemade Caramel Sauce
• Mini Mardi Gras Cheesecakes – Cinnamon King Cake Flavor!
• Cinnamon & Cumin-Infused Cranberry Vodka Spritzer Cocktail
• Cinnamon Balls Gluten/Dairy Free for Passover

How Do I Make Mexican Buñuelos?

The printable recipe card with the full ingredients list and instructions can be found at the end of this post.

Step 1 – Make the Dough: Sift or whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large mixing bowl.

Whisk in the warm water, and four tablespoons of oil, then switch to a rubber spatula to mix until a soft dough forms.

Step 2 – Knead the Dough: Tip the dough out onto a clean counter and knead for 8-10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.

Form the dough into a ball, then place it into a large bowl. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and leave to rest in a warm place for 30 minutes.

Step 3 – Make Cinnamon Sugar: Place the sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl and stir to combine.

Step 4 – Prepare Buñuelos: When the 30 minutes is up, divide the dough into 8 parts and roll each one into a ball.

Flour your work surface and a rolling pin, and roll each dough ball into an 8-inch circle. Stack between pieces of parchment paper.

Step 5 – Heat Oil: Fill a large, high-sided saute/frying pan with 3 cups of oil. Heat the oil to 350°F/180°C (use a food/candy thermometer to check).

Prepare a plate or tray with some paper towels to remove excess oil.

Step 6 – Fry Buñuelos: When the oil has reached temperature, remove a dough circle from the parchment paper and carefully place it into the hot oil.

Fry on both sides for 45-60 seconds or until it is a light golden color. Remove from the oil and place onto the prepared paper towels to remove excess oil.

Step 7 – Coat Buñuelos: Place a fried buñuelo into the cinnamon sugar and lightly toss to coat.

TIP! Tossing the buñuelos in the sugar is best when they are still warm, so as you are cooking the next one, be coating the one you cooked in the sugar.

More Dessert Recipes

Looking for more desserts to make? Check these recipes out next:

• Mexican Sweet Corn Cake with Cinnamon Churro Icing
• Greek Baklava Recipe with Honey & Walnuts
• Spiced Rhubarb And Apple Crumble Recipe
• Key Lime Pie Cookies With Frosting On Top!
• Hawaiian Sweet Pineapple Coconut Loaf Cake

How to Deep-Fry Safely

If you have not deep-fried food before, it can be quite daunting. However, follow our tips below so that you can deep-fry food at home safely and confidently.

If you plan to deep-fry frequently, it is worth investing in a dedicated deep-fryer, which is safer and more convenient to use.

• Use an oil with a high smoking point. Vegetable or groundnut/peanut oil is generally the best for deep-frying as they have a neutral taste, are economical to buy, and have a high smoke point. You do not want to use extra-virgin olive oil, which is best for dressing food.
• Use a large, deep, wide, sturdy pan. We use an old-fashioned pressure cooker saucepan, which fulfills all those requirements. A Dutch oven is another good option.
• Do not overfill the pan. Never fill the pan more than two-thirds with oil; it may bubble up when you add food and spill over.
• NEVER throw water on an oil/grease fire. Keep a damp (not wet) cloth nearby to help smother the flames. Alternatively, invest in a fire blanket.
• Keep a well-fitting lid close at hand. If you don’t have a lid for the pot you are using, you can use a baking sheet. Use this to cover the pan should it catch fire.
• Invest in a fire extinguisher. If you don’t have a fire extinguisher in your kitchen, this is the perfect time to purchase one. You never know when you will need it.
• Use a thermometer. Oil for deep-frying should be between 180°C and 200°C/350°F and 400°F. A food thermometer will help you to keep an eye on the temperature.
• NEVER leave a pan of hot oil unattended. In just a minute or two, oil can overheat and catch fire. It is not worth the risk.
• Never put wet food in the fryer. Excess liquid causes the oil to splutter, which can cause injuries. Particularly wet foods should be patted dry with a paper towel before frying.
• Turn off the heat. If the oil starts smoking, it has become too hot and may catch fire. Turn off the heat, move the pan to another ring on your stovetop/hob, and allow it to cool completely.
• Turn the pan’s handle away from the front of the cooker. This is a good kitchen practice for any type of cooking. It will help you to avoid knocking the pan from the stovetop/hob.
• A Child-free and pet-free zone. This doesn’t need explaining, but hot oil is dangerous stuff. Keep kids and animals shut out of the kitchen when deep-frying.
• Dispose of the oil safely. Never pour the oil down the sink unless you want blocked pipes. Leave it to cool completely before pouring it into a jug/pitcher and funneling it into its original (empty) bottle or another sealable container for disposal in the trash.

What to Do When Deep-Frying Goes Wrong

Now, if you’ve read through all of that and are panicking, please don’t. Just be sensible and follow the tips provided.

However, if something does happen:

• Keep calm.
• Turn off the heat and smother the flames with a lid, a large baking sheet, a damp (not wet) kitchen towel, or a fire blanket.
• Use a fire extinguisher if you have one.
• DO NOT spray water on an oil/grease fire. This will cause the flames to spread.
• Evacuate the area and close the door.
• Call the emergency fire services on the number in your country of residence when it is safe to do so.

Storing Leftovers & Freezing

• Storing Leftovers:
  • Mexican buñuelos are best served fresh, but if you have leftovers you can stack them on a plate, and cover them with paper towels or napkins. Storing in an airtight container will mean the buñuelos will lose some of their crispness!
• Not suitable for freezing.
• With all leftovers, make sure the food looks and smells okay before consuming.
• You can always consult the Food Standards Agency in your country for the most up-to-date advice on storing and freezing foods: Food Standards Agency (UK) | Food Safety (USA).

Printable Mexican Buñuelos Recipe Card

To save ink, any demonstration photos on the recipe card do not print.

Continue to Content

Mexican Buñuelos

Yield: 8

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Additional Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

If you're craving a sweet and crunchy treat, try making these Mexican Buñuelos covered with cinnamon sugar.

Print

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose (plain) flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ¾ cup warm water
• 4 Tbsp canola oil
• 3 cups canola for frying

For the Cinnamon Sugar

• 2 cups white sugar
• 5 Tbsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Sift or whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the warm water, and four tablespoons of oil, then switch to a rubber spatula to mix until a soft dough forms.
2. Tip the dough out onto a clean counter and knead for 8-10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a ball, then place it into a large bowl. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and leave to rest in a warm place for 30 minutes.
3. Place the sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl and stir to combine.
4. When the 30 minutes is up, divide the dough into 8 parts and roll each one into a ball. Flour your work surface and a rolling pin, and roll each dough ball into an 8-inch circle. Stack between pieces of parchment paper.
5. Fill a large, high-sided saute/frying pan with 3 cups of oil. Heat the oil to 350°F/180°C (use a food/candy thermometer to check). Prepare a plate or tray with some paper towels to remove excess oil.
6. When the oil has reached temperature, remove a dough circle from the parchment paper and carefully place it into the hot oil.
   Fry on both sides for 45-60 seconds or until it is a light golden color. Remove from the oil and place onto the prepared paper towels to remove excess oil.
7. Place a fried buñuelo into the cinnamon sugar and lightly toss to coat. Serve and enjoy!
   
   

Notes

TIP! Tossing the buñuelos in the sugar is best when they are still warm, so as you are cooking the next one, be coating the one you cooked in the sugar.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 457Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 225mgCarbohydrates: 88gFiber: 4gSugar: 51gProtein: 4g

This site uses Nutritionix to provide estimated nutrition. Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.

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Dinner Party Menu Suggestions

You’ve made the dessert, but what about the rest of the courses?

Here are additional recipes to create a menu for a dinner party or special meal:

• Appetizer: Tex-Mex Loaded Black Bean Dip Recipe – Perfect for Tortilla Chips
• Soup: Instant Pot Chicken Fajita Soup
• Salad: Mexican Chopped Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing
• Main Dish: Quick & Easy Steak Street Tacos with Homemade Taco Seasoning
• Side Dish: Quick & Easy Pickled Jalapeño and Red Onions For Nachos & Tacos
• Beverage: Sparkling Mexican Paloma Cocktail with Blanco Tequila & Grapefruit

There are 500+ Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog for you to enjoy – please feel free to check them out too.

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