One of the first things you’ll notice if you visit Mexico in December are the many street stalls serving up variations of the popular Mexican dessert known as buñuelos. Buñuelos are often referred to as a traditional Christmas dessert, although you can also find them at fairs and street festival throughout the rest of the year.
What are buñuelos?
Buñuelos are traditional Mexican fritters, donuts or crisp pastries that are deep fried and topped with brown sugar, cinnamon, guava, honey or sweet syrup. They are made from dough that is flattened and shaped to resemble a thick pancake, rolled into a ball or twisted into a thin strip. The dough may contain a bit of anise and the syrup is often prepared with piloncillo which is unrefined sugar that’s shaped into hard cones and tastes similar to brown sugar or molasses.
Where do they originate from?
Buñuelos originated in Spain and were introduced into Mexico and the Americas by the Spanish settlers, however they’re not purely Spanish in tradition since they are believed to reflect the Arab heritage of settlers to the Iberian Peninsula. They’re popular throughout Latin America and despite their common origin you’ll find differing variations of the dessert depending on where in the region you go. In Colombia they’re often prepared with white cheese. In Cuba and Nicaragua the dough is prepared with yuca.
You can find buñuelos at street stalls throughout Mexico as well as in the markets and at local fairs and festivals. They’re especially popular at the Christmas night markets. If you’ve booked flights to Mexico you’ll have the opportunity to try buñuelos. United Airlines and American Airlines both offer direct flights between the U.S. and Mexico.
