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A pile of Mexican conchas sitting on a decorative and colorful basket.
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4.98 from 97 votes

Mexican Conchas

This Mexican Conchas recipe makes the best sweet bread. They come out super soft and fluffy. So irresistible. You’ll fall in love in just one bite!
Prep Time2 hours 15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time2 hours 35 minutes
Course: Desserts
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 12
Calories: 381kcal
Author: Maggie Unzueta

Ingredients

For the Dough:

For the Topping:

Instructions

For the Dough:

  • In a large bowl, stir together the yeast and warm water.
  • Mix and set aside for 10 minutes.
  • Add the evaporated milk, ⅓ cup sugar, salt, ⅓ cup butter, egg and 2 cups of the flour.
  • Mix everything on medium speed.
  • Stop mixing and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  • Gradually add in the remaining flour and ½ teaspoon cinnamon.
  • Knead with the hook attachment for 10-15 minutes.
  • Do not add more flour.
  • Turn the dough out onto a floured counter.
  • 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 2 hours.

For the Topping:

  • In a bowl, beat ⅔ cup powdered sugar and ½ 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, divide 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.
  • Grease the top of the dough with melted butter, oil, or shortening.
  • 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 to an hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  • Bake for 20 minutes.
  • Enjoy!

Video

Notes

You can also purchase a conchas cutter online instead of using a knife to create the topping.
Best way to store pan dulce (or conchas) is at room temperature for 1-2 days in a plastic, sealable bag.
Be patient when making the dough. It can take up to 15 minutes (sometimes 20 minutes) for the dough to come together. At first, it might look like it will never come together, and you will be tempted to add more flour. DON'T ADD FLOUR, or your conchas will be more dense. 
Why Your Dough Did Not Rise:
The No.1 reason why the dough did not rise: Did you check the expiration date on the yeast package? If it is expired, the yeast is dead.
No. 2 reason: The water was too hot. You killed the yeast.
No.3 Let it rest longer. It might need more than 1 hour. 

Nutrition

Calories: 381kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 422mg | Potassium: 123mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 439IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 3mg