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My favorite kind of enchiladas are Enchiladas Dulces (or Sweet Enchiladas).
Years later, I discovered that this type of Sweet Enchiladas was only made in the State of Durango where my parents are from and where my father currently still lives.
Here, I’m going to show you how to make these absolutely delicious Enchiladas Dulces estilo Durango, otherwise known as “Enchiladas Duranguenses.”
How to Choose Dried Chiles?
Look for the ones that are not too dry and are still flexible. They also should look a little shiny and smell like a dried fruit.
- To make a spicier sauce, use only guajillo chiles to make the sauce.
- To make a less spicy sauce, use only ancho chiles.
You can also do a combination of Ancho and Guajillo Chiles as I’m doing in this recipe.
Ancho Chiles are basically dried poblano peppers. That’s why when they are rehydrated, they sometimes have a green color. They add a ton of flavor to dishes like Chile Colorado, Ancho Beef Tacos, Birria de Res.
Chile Guajillo is spicier than ancho chile. It’s the same chile used to make Guajillo Sauce.
How to Make Enchiladas Dulces
- Cut the stems off and cut open the chiles. Remove the seeds.
- Rehydrate the chiles.
- Add the rehydrated chiles to the blender.
- Add the water to the blender.
There are two ways to rehydrate chiles:
- Cover the dried chiles in a stockpot. Bring to a boil. Turn heat off. Let sit for 5 minutes. Drain the water.
- Or, put the dried chiles in a large bowl and cover them with water for 1 hour.
For a more savory sauce, you can also add ¼ onion and 1 garlic clove.
- Blend until smooth.
- Strain the sauce over the stock pot you will be using.
- Add a piece of whole cinnamon. About ¼ of a whole cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil.
- Add 1 tablet of Mexican chocolate, salt, and sugar to the stock pot.
Once the chocolate melts, turn the heat off.
Technically, we are making a mole sauce. It’s very similar to the sauce used for Enmoladas, or Chicken Mole Enchiladas. It’s completely different from Enchiladas Suizas or Entomatadas.
Table of Contents
Mexican Chocolate Substitute:
3 ounces semisweet chocolate + 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon + 3 drops almond extract = 1 tablet of Mexican chocolate.
Also check out these Mexican Chocolate Recipes: Champurrado and Atole de Chocolate
- Fry the tortillas. Pat dry them with a paper towel, removing any excess oil.
- Dip the tortillas in the sweet enchilada sauce.
- Place on a plate and stuff with Queso Fresco.
- Fold the other half over.
Frying is a MUST. If the corn tortillas are not fried, they will fall apart. Not only that, but they will hold the sauce better.
Durango, Mexico is located in the mountains. That’s what makes our food so unique.
Try Caldillo Durangueño which involves a dried chile called “chile pasado” that is relatively unknown to the rest of the country.
Another known fact about Durango, we did not celebrate Dia de los Muertos until recently.
To make this dish more complete, you can also stuff the enchiladas with shredded chicken, or for a vegetarian version, use refried beans.
Also consider topping the enchiladas with cotija cheese and crema mexicana.
What to serve with Enchiladas Dulces?
Arroz Blanco
Mexican Rice
Ensalada de Nopales
Frijoles de la Olla
Refried Beans
From here, add more queso fresco on top along with a few slices of onion. This is such an easy recipe to enjoy. With this thick, rich chocolate sauce, you’ll want to lick your plate clean.
Enchiladas Dulces
Ingredients
- 3 Ancho Chiles
- 2 Guajillo Chiles
- 6 cups water (divided)
- ¼ piece cinnamon stick
- 1 tspn salt
- 1 tablet Mexican Chocolate such as Abuelita or Ibarra
- 1 tbpn sugar
- ½ cup oil
- 12 corn tortillas
- 1 10-oz Queso Fresco package
- sliced onion (optional)
Instructions
- Remove the stems and seeds from the chiles.
- Cover the chiles with 4 cups of water in a stock pot. Bring to a boil.
- Immediately turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Discard the water.
- Place the hydrated chiles in a blender along with 2 cups water. Blend until smooth.
- Strain the sauce.
- To a large stock pot, add sauce and cinnamon stick.
- Bring to a boil. Let simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add salt, Mexican chocolate, and sugar. Stir to combine.
- Cook only until chocolate has melted. Set aside.
- Heat the oil.
- Fry each tortilla for 2 minutes on each side.
- Place tortilla on a paper towel to drain excess oil.
- Dip the tortilla into the sauce and immediately put on a plate.
- Add crumbled queso fresco. About 1 tablespoon.
- Fold the other side over.
- Repeat with all the tortillas until done.
- Top with more queso fresco and sliced onions.
Notes
- To make a spicier sauce, use only guajillo chiles to make the sauce.
- To make a less spicy sauce, use only ancho chiles.
Thank you so much for the recipe, both of my parents and all of my family are from a little village named Barrazas, about 10 minutes from Santiago Papasquiro and about 3 hours from the City of Durango. I go there (Barrazas) every year and I grew up eating these enchiladas, this is one of many of my favorite Duranguense food
So glad you enjoyed this!
Delicious
Thanks! Glad you liked it
Loved it! Had never had it this way. Very easy and so delis, you just keep wanting to have another one..
Easy and delicious! Glad you liked it
My paternal grandfather and generations of our family were from Santiago Papasquiaro so I love your Durango stories and recipes! I’m also a redhead with freckles so I can relate to your son. Any other dishes with chile pasado, carne seca, or the queso menonita from Nuevo Ideal or famous manzanas from Canatlan?
Thank you. My dad lives in Durango, la cuidad. I really miss it. Each time I cook, I like to think I’m still there, cooking in my grandmother’s kitchen.
I do it exactly like this just add orange juice and a bay leaf!
Sounds delicious too Patty!
My mom used ancho and Pasilla for her enchiladas and Muenster for the cheese. My favorite dish❤️
I have never tried it with Muenster cheese. I’ll have to try that. Thank you!
Omg! My mom makes these! We aren’t from Durango but from Zacatecas! So yummy!
Zacatecas is our neighboring state! This is was my favorite recipe that my mom would make.
Made these for my dad and he loved them! Said they tasted just like his mom used to make them 🙂
I love that! So happy that he enjoyed them. This is how my mom made enchiladas too.
I just love that this recipe uses dry chiles! They add such an incredible flavor. Thanks for such an incredible recipe! I’ll definitely make this again and again.
I am sooo ready for these enchiladas dulces right now. I mean, I can imagine how flavorful these babies are, and I just can’t wait to get a full plate of these. Yum!
Wow! These enchiladas look amazing! I’ve never had anything like this before. The ingredients sound perfect…can’t wait to try this one!
Since honeymooning in Mexico I just love trying out new Mexican recipes. We can’t get good Mexican in Aus so it’s nice to have traditional recipes like this to follow along and try out at home
I’m so excited to make this. My dad lives in Canatlán, Durango and when ever we go down to visit I always ask my Tía to make them for me.
This recipe is amazing. Hope you try it!
I love enchiladas and I only thought they came in the spicy/savory variety. Well, I certainly learned something new and I can’t wait to make them. We really like the chilis that you used so I know we’ll be crazy about the enchiladas dulces!!
Would definitely go with the less spicy version! I had the chance to taste really legit mole once (!) and I loved it. But it’s fairly complicated to recreate at home. This seems like an easier variation, I would totally like to try it with chicken!
Anything with chocolate has my name on it and this one if a must-make, for sure. Love the combination of chocolate and chilies in this recipe.
This looks so so good. I love the sweet enchiladas idea. Looks so appetizing.
This is my kind of dish! I love the tips on picking out the chillies and making the mole sauce! ¡Buen provecho!
Surely delicious and unique. I would love to grab a bite for sure.
What a unique type of food. It is the first time I heard about this. Chocolate and spice at the same will surely yield a very interesting flavor. Love this recipe.
I really love that this is authentic and the information about where it’s from. We will love this (big and little kids!)