Authentic Spanish Buñuelos Recipe - Visit Southern Spain (2024)

Jump to Recipe

The spooky season is finally here, so it’s time to start looking for recipes that can help you prepare the best table with the treats that nobody wants to miss.

Our recommendation is that you try to make the fantastic Spanish buñuelos recipe that we will present to you in this article. And you will love this Spanish dessert recipe.

Adults and children love these fritters, and the best part is that they are super easy to make.

Authentic Spanish Buñuelos Recipe - Visit Southern Spain (1)

You, dear reader, support this blog. If you purchase through a link, we earn a small commission. As an Amazon Affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Continue reading this article to learn how to make bunuelos, some changes you can make in the ingredients, and the most useful tips that will help you know how you can store or serve them.

Table of Contents show

Background of the Dish

Authentic Spanish Buñuelos Recipe - Visit Southern Spain (2)

The famous bunuelos recipe was created in Spain hundreds of years ago and was thanks to the Jewish community of the region.

They had other fried snacks and trying to imitate them, they created the popular recipe for buñuelos de Viento.

They are one of the best-known authentic Spanish recipes worldwide since the Jewish community was responsible for spreading them everywhere.

There are already records of their existence in the 10th century, so they have been with us for a long time.

The word “de Viento” that gives the name to these fritters means “of wind” since they are fluffy inside and double in size while you cook them. They are also super light and you can eat a thousand.

Pin for later!

Authentic Spanish Buñuelos Recipe - Visit Southern Spain (3)

Things You’ll Need for Spanish Buñuelos Recipe

To make this Spanish buñuelos recipe you will only need a couple of ingredients and a pan.

If you liked this recipe then try some of the best Spanish desserts such as the famous Leche Frita Recipe or the Torrijas that cannot be missed.

Authentic Spanish Buñuelos Recipe - Visit Southern Spain (4)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (125gr) flour
  • 1 cup (240ml) water
  • 2 tablespoons (30g) butter
  • 3 tablespoons (40g) sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 eggs
  • The skin of half a lemon
  • a pinch of salt
  • Olive (or sunflower) oil for frying
  • Sugar to sprinkle.

How to Make Spanish Buñuelos Recipe – Step by Step Guide

Authentic Spanish Buñuelos Recipe - Visit Southern Spain (5)
  1. To start with this recipe for buñuelos, put the water, butter, sugar, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt in a saucepan.
  1. Bring it to a boil and when it starts to boil, pour in the flour all at once, without removing it from the heat, and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough comes off the sides of the saucepan.
  1. Then remove from the heat and let the dough cool down, then start incorporating the eggs one by one, until the first one has not been integrated into the dough, do not add the next.
  1. Once the preparation of the fritter dough is finished, let it rest for one or two hours, it will acquire more consistency.
  1. After that time goes by, put a frying pan with plenty of oil over low heat, gradually pouring teaspoons of dough. Keep in mind that the dough will grow and need space, so don’t overcrowd the pan. Flip them over so they brown and puff up on all sides.
  1. Remove the Spanish treats from the oil and place them on absorbent paper to remove excess oil, then transfer the fritters to a plate to sprinkle sugar on them, it can be icing sugar.

Substitution of Ingredients

Authentic Spanish Buñuelos Recipe - Visit Southern Spain (6)

The bunuelos recipe is easy, and mainly thanks to that it managed to establish itself even though there are many traditional desserts from Spain.

This does not mean that you cannot innovate or change some ingredients. If you prepare them in autumn, you can make the Spanish pumpkin fritters that are just bunuelos with pumpkin puree.

You can use gluten-free flour instead of regular flour. You can also use margarine instead of shortening, or any vegan-friendly replacement.

In the case of oil, any vegetable oil works, although we only recommend using olive or sunflower oil.

Buñuelos are basically Spanish doughnuts, so you can also innovate with the glaze. Instead of just sprinkling some sugar, you can glaze doughnuts with either sugar, honey, or any flavoring.

Tips on Serving Spanish Buñuelos Recipe

Authentic Spanish Buñuelos Recipe - Visit Southern Spain (7)

If you prepare this authentic Spanish recipe, you can serve them in different ways.

Of course, the classic is to eat them for breakfast, snacks, or even for dessert, but here we will give you some tips to make it more Halloween-like.

You can buy some googly eyes and put them on top of your buñuelo, then you can throw some strawberry syrup, or any jam that has a red color to give a cute blood effect.

To eat these Buñuelos de Viento you can make a whole Andalusian table, serving other snacks and desserts from the region such as Churros, Huesos de Santo or Saint’s Bones, and Pestiños.

If you want to try another light and delicious recipe, make sure you try the Spanish sponge cake for breakfast or the Spanish olive oil cake with lemon.

How to Store Spanish Buñuelos Recipe

Authentic Spanish Buñuelos Recipe - Visit Southern Spain (8)

What makes traditional Spanish desserts stand out from those from other parts of the world is that there are many ways to store them.

If you follow this easy bunuelos recipe you can store them at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for 5.

You can also freeze them for up to 30 days. You can even freeze the raw dough (whole or portioned) and cook as many as you want. You should let it thaw the night before in the fridge.

Do not forget that this is a fried snack dusted with sugar, but if you are not going to eat them immediately then you should wait to dust the sugar.

You should always sprinkle when they are hot and when you are ready to eat them.

Recipe Card: Spanish Buñuelos Recipe

Yield: 8

Spanish Buñuelos Recipe

Authentic Spanish Buñuelos Recipe - Visit Southern Spain (9)

The spooky season is finally here, so it's time to start looking for recipes that can help you prepare the best table with the treats that nobody wants to miss.

Our recommendation is that you try to make the fantastic Spanish buñuelos recipe that we will present to you in this article.

Adults and children love these fritters, and the best part is that they are super easy to make.

Prep Time35 minutes

Cook Time20 minutes

Total Time55 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (125gr) flour
  • 1 cup (240ml) water
  • 2 tablespoons (30g) butter
  • 3 tablespoons (40g) sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 eggs
  • The skin of half a lemon
  • a pinch of salt
  • Olive (or sunflower) oil for frying
  • Sugar to sprinkle.

Instructions

  1. Put the water, butter, sugar, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt in a saucepan.
  2. Bring it to a boil and when it starts to boil, pour in the flour all at once, without removing it from the heat, and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough comes off the sides of the saucepan.
  3. Then remove from the heat and let the dough cool down, then start incorporating the eggs one by one, until the first one has not been integrated into the dough, do not add the next.
  4. Once the preparation of the fritter dough is finished, let it rest for one or two hours, it will acquire more consistency.
  5. After this time, put a frying pan with plenty of oil over low heat, gradually depositing teaspoons of dough, the dough will inflate and need space. Flip them over so they brown and puff up on all sides.
  6. Remove the fritters by placing them on absorbent paper to remove excess oil, then transfer the fritters to a plate to sprinkle sugar on them, it can be icing sugar.

Notes

The recipe for Buñuelos de Viento is basically to make fried dough with powdered sugar, so the ideal way of cooking is to fry them.

This is the best way of cooking them since it is fast and gives them a unique taste.

Otherwise, you still can follow this buñuelo recipe and try cooking them in the oven for 30 minutes or until they are cooked (test by inserting a toothpick until it comes out clean).

Nutrition Information

Yield

8

Serving Size

1

Amount Per ServingCalories 132Total Fat 5.2gSaturated Fat 2.5gCholesterol 89mgSodium 53mgCarbohydrates 16.7gFiber 0.4gSugar 4.8gProtein 4.4g

Did you make this recipe?

Tag@visit.southernspainon Instagram and hashtag it #visitsouthernspain

Authentic Spanish Buñuelos Recipe - Visit Southern Spain (10)
Authentic Spanish Buñuelos Recipe - Visit Southern Spain (11)

Authentic Spanish Buñuelos Recipe - Visit Southern Spain (12)

Paulina

Hola, I’m Paulina! Together with my team, we are passionate about Southern Spain. Here we share all you need to know for great times in Southern Spain with the best places to visit, stay and, of course, the best food to eat.

Let’s dive in and explore Southern Spain’s outdoors, food and culture con pasión!

Authentic Spanish Buñuelos Recipe - Visit Southern Spain (2024)

FAQs

Where did Mexican buñuelos originate? ›

Buñuelo
Typical Spanish pumpkin buñuelo
Alternative namesBimuelo, birmuelo, bermuelo, bumuelo, burmuelo, bonuelo
Place of originSpain
Region or stateSouthwest Europe, Latin America, Israel, and Spanish influenced parts of Africa and Asia
Serving temperatureHot or room temperature
3 more rows

Where are buñuelos most popular? ›

And she's a paisa – someone from Colombia's second-largest city, Medellín, where the most common Colombian buñuelo recipe originated. The buñuelo, in fact, is one of the most popular Christmas foods not just for Colombians but a number of Latin American cultures.

What does one traditional do after you have eaten your buñuelos? ›

In Mexico, they are eaten during Christmas and New Year's. Some believe them to be a symbol of good luck. What does one traditionally do after you have eaten your buñuelos? In Oaxaca, there is a tradition for New Year where after you eat your buñuelos you smash the ceramic dish on the ground.

What is buñuelos in English? ›

bu·​ñu·​e·​lo. ˌbünyəˈwā(ˌ)lō plural -s. : a flat, semisweet cake made mainly of eggs, flour, and milk fried in deep fat and usually served with sugar and cinnamon or cane syrup.

What country made buñuelos? ›

Buñuelos are a holiday tradition in Mexico, but they are Spanish in origin and also Arabic, since Spain was under Arab rule for 800 years, until 1492. In Granada, Spanish/Arabic kitchens made buñuelos by first frying the wheat pastries and then dipping them in boiling honey.

What countries have buñuelos? ›

Buñuelos are bite-size dough balls popular in South American countries like Venezuela, Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba, Puerto Rico. They are also commonly found in parts of Mexico and Spain.

What is the difference between beignets and buñuelos? ›

Buñuelos are beignets in Spanish. Fried puffy dough balls. They may be sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon, or – as is preferred in the Dominican Republic – bathed in a spiced light syrup. Buñuelos de yuca are unique in that instead of using flour, they are cassava-based.

What are some interesting facts about buñuelos? ›

Buñuelos are first known to have been consumed among Spain's Morisco population. They typically consist of a simple, wheat-based yeast dough, often flavored with anise, that is thinly rolled, cut or shaped into individual pieces, then fried and finished off with a sweet topping.

What is the difference between Mexican and Colombian Bunuelos? ›

In Mexico, the flour-based dough is rolled out until it's paper-thin, then it's deep-fried until it puffs up. In places like Cuba and Nicaragua, they are made with yuca, the root of the cassava plant. In Colombia, buñuelos are typically made with cheese.

Why are my buñuelos not sticking to the mold? ›

Let excess oil on the mold drip off before dipping it into the batter, or the batter may not stick. If your mold is too hot, the batter will cook instantly and slide off the mold.

When should I eat buñuelos? ›

Buñuelos are a sweet tortilla traditionally made by hand and eaten during Christmas and new year celebrations.

Why are my buñuelos sticking? ›

The batter is stuck to my buñuelo mold, how can I fix it? Your oil or your buñuleo mold is too hot. Make sure your oil is exactly 350°F degrees and that you are only heating it up in the hot oil for about a minute.

What are Spanish buñuelos made of? ›

Spanish buñuelos are made from a simple dough that consists of butter, flour, baking powder, eggs, and milk infused with cinnamon and lemon. The dough is made in a saucepan, and then it's cooled and deep fried.

What is Mexican buñuelos made of? ›

Some are made of fried dough while some are made from fried cake. However, there's another version of bunuelos made from flour tortillas and this is my preferred method for making bunuelos. Using flour tortillas makes this recipe super easy and keeps the prep and cooking time to minutes. Yes, literally minutes.

What is the difference between buñuelos and Sopapillas? ›

Sopapillas vs Buñuelos: A sopapilla (soap/pah/pee/ya) is soft, sweet dough (made with flour), flash-fried to puff up into a pillow and drizzled with honey when served hot. A buñuelo (boon/whale/oh) is the same dough, deep fried to a flaky crispness, dredged in sugar and cinnamon, and usually served cool.

Where did Mexican fried ice cream come from? ›

First things first: fried ice cream is not Mexican. As far as I can tell, Chi-Chi's just thought it sounded vaguely exotic and added it to their menu when the chain started in 1975, at a time when Tex-Mex was taking off as a food trend.

Where are Mexican churros from? ›

Most people believe that the churro originated in Spain, but this dessert has a messy past. There are two theories on where it came from. The first claim is that it was founded in China from a pastry called youtiao, which is fried in oil. However, this salty pastry did not pair with chocolate or cinnamon.

Are churros originated from Mexico? ›

Spain: The birthplace of churros, Spain offers the traditional long and twisted churro, often served with a thick, rich hot chocolate for dipping. In some regions, they may be thinner or thicker, and they are typically dusted with sugar and cinnamon.

Did Mexicans invent fried ice cream? ›

Although we often associate fried ice cream with Mexican restaurants, the origins of the dish can be traced back to U.S. state fairs as well as Japanese tempura restaurants.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Carmelo Roob

Last Updated:

Views: 5842

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (45 voted)

Reviews: 92% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Carmelo Roob

Birthday: 1995-01-09

Address: Apt. 915 481 Sipes Cliff, New Gonzalobury, CO 80176

Phone: +6773780339780

Job: Sales Executive

Hobby: Gaming, Jogging, Rugby, Video gaming, Handball, Ice skating, Web surfing

Introduction: My name is Carmelo Roob, I am a modern, handsome, delightful, comfortable, attractive, vast, good person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.