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I used to bake conchas allllll the time, but then my busy life took over. This is one of my favorite things to bake.
Soft and sweet. Oh, and WARM from the oven!!! There is simply nothing better in the world than fresh Mexican sweet bread.
I wanted to ensure you success in making this bread at home. That’s why I am sharing with you step-by-step pictures. Or watch the video.
Flan, Pastel de Tres Leches, Carlota de Limón
This is an authentic Mexican Conchas recipe made several times in Mexico next to my Mexican grandmother. A recipe passed down many Mexican generations.
- Add warm water to the yeast.
- Mix slightly. Set is aside.
Don’t use hot water to the yeast, or you will kill the beast. Yeast is also used when making Rosca de Reyes and other Mexican breads.
Take out these ingredients to start:
Evaporated milk
Sugar
Salt
Egg
Room temperature butter
The butter has to be either room temperature or melted. Cold gets old, and it won’t fold when mixing.
These are all ingredients you’ll find in many traditional Mexican desserts like Arroz con Leche, Pan de Elote, and Pineapple Empanadas .
- Add all of the ingredients to a mixer EXCEPT for the flour.
- Mix.
- Slowly add a little bit of the flour and mix.
You can use a regular mixer too.
Add the cinnamon powder.. because a stick won’t do the trick.
Stop every so often and scrape the sides of the bowl. Take the opportunity to add more flour until there is none left to add.
Be sure not to turn on the Kitchen Aid mixer or the hand mixer on high. Flour will go everywhere!
- Turn over your dough on a floured surface.
- Roll up your sleeves. It’s time to knead.
This dough is needy. Wink. Wink. You don’t need to knead a lot if you use a Kitchen Aid mixer.
Word to the Wise: You can also do this in the machine itself, but you will constantly have to stop and move the dough back down as it likes to move up the sides of the bowl.
Place the dough in a greased bowl. Turn it around so you can grease the bottom side too.
Cover with plastic or a kitchen towel. If you don’t cover the dough, it will form a crust.
It will take roughly 1 hour for the dough to rise. It will double in size. In this case, size does matter. 😉
How to make the sugar topping
In the meantime, work on the topping. Any good authentic Mexican conchas recipe starts with the vanilla topping.
From there you can change it to whatever you like: strawberry, chocolate, purple, etc.
Here, we are doing two types of toppings – chocolate and vanilla.
How to Change the Color of the Toppings:
- For yellow conchas, add a few drops of yellow food coloring to the sugar topping.
- For pink conchas, add a few drops of red food coloring.
It all starts with butter.
- Add softened butter to the mixer.
- Mix for 1 minute.
Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. You want to mix everything well, and the mixer paddle will not reach the sides.
- Add powdered sugar to the mixer.
- Blend in the mixer until smooth.
Ah sugar… NOT honey, honey!
After you add the flour, the topping mixture will look like wet sand. This is exactly what you want.
By itself, this conchas topping tastes really, really good.
- Divide the sugar topping into two balls.
- Set one aside in a bowl, and the other in another bowl.
If you are only making white conchas (or as some people know them “Conchas de Novia”), then skip this step.
To one of the topping balls, add the cocoa powder. Mix well. That’s a pretty ballsy move. lol.
- You want the chocolate to be fully mixed in.
- Set the chocolate bowl aside until ready to use.
If you are making the topping using food coloring, my advice is to use gloves. It tends to stain your hands.
Time to play ball! Return to the dough for the conchas recipe.
Remove the plastic wrap, and place on a wooden surface. Cut a tennis-ball size piece of dough.
Roll out until smooth. You will end up with roughly 12 pieces.
Make sure they are the same size or they will not cook evenly. Place each of the dough balls on a greased sheet pan.
Separate them about 3 inches apart. They will expand when they are baking in the oven.
Pat them down with the back of your hand to flatten them out slightly.
Take the sugar topping and roll out 6 chocolate balls and 6 vanilla balls.
Place one of the balls between two pieces of wax papers.
Using a rolling pin, roll out the topping wide enough to cover the dough balls.
Use your judgement here. Eyeball the size you need.
See how thick this is? Do not roll this out too thin or it will crumble before you are able to place it on the dough.
Take the rolled out topping and gently place it on top of the dough balls.
I am using a serrated knife to create the pattern. If you use a knife, dip it in flour after each use.
That way the knife will not stick to the topping.
You can also buy a conchas cutter online. Same thing, dip the cutter in flour after each use. It will make things easier.
Cover the conchas and proof for an additional 45 minutes.
I am not a fan of double proofing, but it has to be done. Then bake for 20 minutes. The smell of the oven… LOVE IT!
How Long Do they Last?
Do NOT store conchas (or Mexican Sweet Bread) in the refrigerator. They will go stale faster.
You can freeze them for longer storage, but they won’t be the same. If you are making conchas bread pudding, you can use frozen conchas.
Pro Tip: Freeze the dough. Thaw and bake later.
Pan Dulce, or Mexican Sweet Bread, can make strong men weep and children smile. Conchas is one of those childhood favorites.
It’s a lot of work, but totally worth it. You can taste the love baked into every bite. Hope you enjoy!
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Conchas + VIDEO
Ingredients
- For Dough:
- 2 1/2 teaspoons yeast
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup butter or margarine softened or melted
- 1 egg
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- For Topping:
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup butter or margarine
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder if using
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together the yeast and warm water.
- Mix in the evaporated milk, 1/3 cup sugar, salt, 1/3 cup butter, egg and 2 cups of the flour.
- Stop mixing and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Gradually add in the remaining flour and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured counter.
- Knead for 6 to 8 minutes, until smooth.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl.
- Turn the dough to coat the bottom.
- Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel.
- Let rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size. About 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, make the topping.
- In a bowl, beat 2/3 cup powdered sugar and 1/2 cup butter until light and fluffy.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl, making sure to mix everything.
- Stir in the flour, cinnamon, and vanilla.
- Mix until the mixture is the consistency of a thick paste. It will look like wet sand.
- Divide into two parts, and place one part in a separate bowl.
- If making chocolate conchas, add cocoa powder to one of the bowls, and mix until fully incorporated.
- When the dough is done rising, cut into 12 pieces.
- Make sure the dough pieces are the same size, or they will not bake evenly.
- Shape the dough into balls.
- Place on a greased cookie sheet.
- Space the dough pieces out about 3 inches apart.
- Gently press them down with the back of your hand.
- Make 6 balls of the chocolate topping mixture and 6 balls of the white topping mixture.
- Place each ball between wax paper.
- Using a rolling pin, roll out the balls enough to cover the dough balls.
- Place the rolled out topping on top of the dough balls.
- Pat down lightly.
- Use a knife to cut the grooves in the topping like a shell or criss cross.
- Cover and let rise until doubled. About 45 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Enjoy!
The Conchas look amazing, I’ve made Conchas before but every time I make the topping and then bake them the topping looks like its melting away and doesn’t hold its shape. I will try your recipe.
Hope you try it! this recipe is one of my favorites.
This is just the best recipe for conchas! They really took me back to my time living in Texas. These came out perfectly soft and fluffy — so delicious! Thanks so much for sharing your talent.
I think so too delicious. Glad you liked it!
Taste is amazing! But my conchas are too dense how would I make them fluffier? I did everything…but my yeast didn’t bloom.
It sounds like you might have added more flour than needed when making the dough. The dough doesn’t look like it will come together, and people will add flour. Have faith in the dough. It will come together. You just need to knead and knead and knead until it’s not sticky anymore, and your hands don’t stick to the dough.
I love trying out new yeast bread recipes and I’ve seen pictures of these before but haven’t given it a try yet. Can’t wait..and your step by step photos are so helpful..thank you!
Glad you enjoyed this! Hope you try it!
So cool! I’ve never heard of this sweet bread. So excited to make it, they look like little turtles haha
This bread it’s amazing! Hope you try it
I’ve been obsessed with making new types of bread lately and have never heard of conchas. Just added to my list of breads to try – sounds delish!
So glad you enjoyed this!
I love a good sweet bread recipe! This one looks exceptional. Drooling over your topping!
It’s so yummy! Hope you try it
I love trying new bread recipes since bred is one of my favourite things to make! I have heard of conchas but never made them before. Thank you for sharing this recipe, I will definitely be trying this out!
Glad you enjoyed this
I’ve never had conchas but I’m totally intrigued. Love the idea of the chocolate ones. Definitely on my to make list! Pinning for later!
Hope you try it! This recipe it’s amazing
I’m from California and very accustomed to conchas. The pink ones were always my favorite! But now that I’m in the south, I can never find these vibrant buns anywhere. I will definitely be trying your recipe, I bet they are even better than the ones I’d get. Also, your note about not turning the mixer on high made me chuckle. Having done this in the past and had flour fly all over the kitchen, ha ha!
Hope you try this recipe! It’s delicious
These Conchas are absolutely beaitiful. I love Mexican sweet bread. I am always fearful of making bread, but like anything have to walk through this fear, or bake through it! Thanks for sharing, and making it sound so easy!
So glad you enjoyed this Loreto!
I haven’t been able to find conchas since i moved, so this recipe was a true treat. They tasted just as good as my favorite bakery back in california!
That’s awesome! So glad you enjoyed this!
Great recipe, love it
Thank you very much! It’s delicious
These look so good!! I will have to try making these one day!!!
Hope you do. These are super yummy!
Hi! Our dough didn’t rise. We used active dry yeast (same as your picture) and warm (not hot water). The dough cracks easily as well? Is that normal? Thank you!
The number 1 reason why dough doesn’t rise – did you check the expiration date on the yeast? If it’s expired, it won’t work. The number 2 reason why dough doesn’t rise if using hot water. Hot water will kill the yeast. Lastly, you need to place the dough in a warm place. Sometimes, it needs longer than mentioned here in the recipe, depending on where you are located, what the weather is like. Give it time to rise. Hope all this helps.