How I Bake the Softest Vegan Conchas Without Dairy or Eggs
Craving Mexican conchas pan dulce but without dairy or eggs? My vegan conchas are soft, fluffy, and have the classic crunchy sugar topping, just like the traditional ones I grew up eating. Follow my step-by-step recipe to enjoy the best vegan conchas. You won’t believe they’re entirely plant-based!
What Are Conchas?
“Concha” means “shell” in Spanish (plural: conchas).
In the case of this recipe, concha refers to Mexican pan dulce buns, or sweet bread, that’s soft and fluffy, and has a crunchy sugar topping with a pattern of a shell or seashell.
These sweet, soft, fluffy buns are similar to brioche and are actually believed to have been created by the French bakers who settled in Mexico during colonial times.
Conchas are perhaps the most popular pan dulce in Mexico. It’s one you’ll always find at panaderías, or bakeries, and often baked at home.
Growing up my dad often baked them and my sisters and I would gobble up the test batches, especially when still warm.
Like other pan dulce, conchas are delightful on their own or with a cup of café or with a glass of milk for kids. Growing up, occasionally, my mom would let us have them with chocolate caliente for breakfast or dessert.
What Makes Conchas Special
For Mexicans, conchas are so special because they are filled with family memories and tradition.
They remind us of morning walks in Mexico to the panaderias for freshly baked pan dulce.
They remind us of family gatherings sipping coffee and eating conchas while the tias catch up on the latest family or neighborhood gossip.
They remind us of the panadero pushing his cart down the street and ringing his bell, or playing music, to announce his arrival. Of running out to catch him and picking out your pan dulce for the day.
Conchas are special because these soft, fluffy buns with sweet, cookie-like shell toppings are beloved by kids and adults alike, and come in a variety of flavors so everyone can choose their favorite.
Why You’ll Love This Vegan Conchas Recipe
• Allergy-friendly: Dairy-free and egg-free, perfect for vegans or anyone with allergies.
• Customizable: Flavor it your way with vanilla, chocolate, cinnamon, or even festive color variations.
• These conchas are soft, fluffy, and have that crisp sugar topping, despite skipping both dairy and eggs.
• Easy process: It takes time, but is straightforward and rewarding.
Why These Dairy-Free Conchas Work
Unlike traditional versions made with cow milk, eggs, butter, or lard, my recipe is entirely plant-based. I use dairy-free milk and vegan butter in the dough, and vegan butter or vegetable shortening for the topping, to create conchas that stay fluffy and rich, with that signature crackly shell.
To replace the eggs I use aquafaba, which is the brine from canned chickpeas. It’s a magical ingredient that helps baked good bind together and get soft and fluffy just like eggs.
The aquafaba is my secret to making these vegan conchas so soft and fluffy!
Vegan Conchas Ingredients
Flour: My recipe uses easy to find all purpose flour. It has to be fine flour to get that light and fluffy texture.
Active Dry Yeast: This is dry yeast and you’ll find it in small packages.
Cane Sugar: Unrefined; vegan-friendly. Alternatively, vegan white sugar works too.
Dairy-Free Milk: It needs to be unsweetened and unflavored. I like to use either Great Value unsweetened soy milk or NotCo’s Not Milk.
Dairy-Free Butter or Margarine: I have tested this recipe with both Miyoko’s European Style Cultured Vegan Butter and dairy-free margarine. Both work well, use what’s available to you.
Egg Replacer: I have found that aquafaba works best to replace the traditional eggs used when making conchas. Aquafaba is the brine or broth that comes with canned chickpeas and it’s a popular egg replacer in vegan baking.
Flavorings: I use vanilla extract in the dough for added flavor. You could also add some ground Mexican cinnamon if you’d like.
Salt: I always add a little bit of salt to my baked goods to help bring out the flavors. It’s optional but recommended.
Concha Sugar Topping: You’ll need fine all purpose flour, powdered sugar that’s also called confectioners’ sugar or icing sugar, vegan butter or vegetable shortening*, vanilla extract or cocoa powder.
Concha Flavor Variations
The most traditional concha sugar topping are white for vanilla and brown for chocolate.
You’ll also often times see pink colored and those are vanilla flavored with red food dye.
You can, of course, have fun and experiment with different colors and flavors. Use vegetable dyes or natural food dyes made with dried fruits like strawberries, or fusion flavors like green matcha conchas.
Other creative ideas are to use dark cocoa powder in the dough mix, you could incorporate instant coffee either in the dough or sugar topping. I’ve even seen people crumble up Oreo cookies into either the dough or the sugar topping.
You could also play with the shapes and make heart shaped conchas for Valentine’s Day or play with the colors to create festive conchas for Halloween, or Christmas theme designs too. Just have fun with it!
How to Make Vegan Conchas: Step-by-Step Instructions
Please read through the entire instructions before you begin, and also have your ingredients measured out and ready to use. I used a stand mixer but you can mix and knead by hand too.
Step 1: Prepare The Yeast
In a small bowl combine yeast with one Tablespoon each of the flour and sugar. Mix until well combine then pour in 1/4 cup of the lukewarm soy milk. Set aside to active the yeast.
Step 2: Mix The Dough
Put the dough hook in your mixer. Pour the remaining flour, sugar, salt, room temperature vegan butter, aquafaba, vanilla extract, soy milk, and canela if using, into the mixer bowl. Mix on low until ingredients are well combined, stop to scrap down the sides as needed.
Step 3: Add Activated Yeast
Stop the mixer and pour in the bubbly yeast mixture. Mix on low speed to work the yeast into the dough, then increase speed to medium and continue to mix until you have a dough that doesn’t stick to the sides of the mixer bowl.
Step 4: Test The Dough
The dough should be smooth and elastic, not stick to your hands or mixer bowl. Additionally you should be able to stretch it without it ripping. Gather the dough into a ball.
Step 5: Proof The Dough
Grease a large bowl with vegan butter then place the dough ball in it. Cover with clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Leave to rise in a dark and warm place in your kitchen until the dough doubles in size.
Step 6: Make The Crunchy Topping with Butter
In a medium bowl mix the powdered sugar with the all purpose flour until well combined. Add the slightly softened butter and vanilla extract or cocoa powder, mix with your hands until you achieve a crumbly texture. Pour onto a lightly floured surface and gently gather just until it comes together –don’t over knead it! Shape into a ball and cover with a sheet of plastic wrap, refrigerate until ready to use.
Step 6: Make The Crunchy Topping with Shortening
In a medium bowl mix the powdered sugar with the purpose flour until well combined. Add the slightly vegetable shortening and vanilla extract or cocoa powder, mix with your hands until you achieve a crumbly texture. Pour onto a lightly floured surface and gently gather just until it comes together –don’t over knead it! Shape into a ball and cover with a sheet of plastic wrap, refrigerate until ready to use.
Step 7: Divide & Roll Out The Dough
Use a knife or a dough scraper to divide the raised dough into 6 even-sized pieces. One by one, shape the pieces into smooth equal balls. If the dough feels a little sticky you can dust your work surface with a little bit of flour. Place the dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper but with enough space between them so they have room to rise.
Step 8: Roll Out Sugar Topping
Cut a large piece of parchment paper and place it on your working surface, lightly dust with powdered sugar. Lightly coat small rolling pin with powdered sugar. Unwrap and cut the sugar topping into 6 even-sized pieces and roll out or flatten into a round shape.
Step 9: Put Sugar Topping on Concha Dough Balls
Brush the tops with very soft butter and leave to rest. Carefully place the sugar topping disk on top of concha dough ball. Use your hand to flatten it around the dough ball so it stays in place and not lifts up. Repeat until all of the sugar topping has been rolled out and put on the dough balls.
Step 10: Make Concha Topping Shapes
Use a concha cutter to firmly stamp the design onto the sugar topping. Watch the video for a visual. If you don’t have a cutter then use a sharp knife to cut a design on to the sugar topping. Use the photos and video as a guide.
Step 11: Second Rise
Leave the conchas in a dark, warm place to rise a second time until they have doubled in size, about 30 to 45 minutes. (If you live in a hot and humid place it can take just 20-25 min to rise) The sugar topping may separate a bit and it’s ok.
Step 12: Bake The Vegan Conchas
With 15 minutes left in rising, preheat the oven to 350°F or 180°C. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are golden brown underneath the sugar topping. Careful not to overbake and burn them.
Step 13: Cool
Carefully place the baked conchas on a cooling rack and allow to come to room temperature. Enjoy as desired.
Nancy’s Tips for The BEST Vegan Conchas
• While mixing the dough don’t add extra flour, it takes a while of kneading for the dough to come together but trust the process and it will. Remember too much extra flour will make your conchas dry.
• Use vegetable shortening instead of butter for the concha sugar topping to achieve a smoother crumbly topping. I find that the butter cracks and falls apart easier.
• Chill the sugar topping for easier rolling.
• Instead of using a rolling pin to flatten out and shape the sugar topping you can use a tortilla press by placing the sugar topping ball between two pieces of plastic sheets.
Concha Serving and Storage Tips
Conchas are best enjoyed fresh the same day they’re baked. Serve warm or at room temperature with a cup of coffee, café de olla or café con leche, Mexican hot chocolate, or champurrado.
Just like other Mexican sweet bread, conchas are great for breakfast, dessert, or snack.
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze for longer. A quick reheat in the oven or air fryer can restore that freshly baked feel.
More Vegan Pan Dulce Recipes to Try
- Vegan Pan de Muerto (Day of The Dead Bread Made without Eggs or Dairy)
- Vegan Pan de Muerto Cookies
- Concha Muerto
- Puerquitos or Piloncillo Spiced Cookies
- Polvorones or Pecan Shortbread Cookies
- Mexican Cornbread (vegetarian recipe)
- Panque de Nata (vegetarian recipe)
- Stuffed Conchas with Whipped Cream and Strawberries
Gracias
I’m so happy you stopped by. If you have any questions or want to let me know how you liked this recipe, do leave a comment. Muchas gracias, I appreciate you!
Vegan Conchas (Dairy-Free, Egg-Free Pan Dulce That’s Super Soft & Fluffy)
Ingredients
Concha Dough Ingredients
- 250 grams all purpose flour 8.80oz or 2 1/4 cups
- 5 grams active dry yeast 7/8ths Tablespoon or .30oz
- 75 grams cane sugar 1/3 cup or 2.65oz
- 100 ml lukewarm soy milk* or 1/2 cup or 3.60 fluid oz
- 3 grams salt 1 teaspoon
- 45 grams vegan butter** or 1.60oz
- 3 Tablespoon aquafaba***
- 1 ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoons vegan butter softened at room temperature
Butter Concha Topping Ingredients
- 90 gm or 3.15oz confectioners' sugar it’s powdered sugar and it’s 3/4 cups
- 80 gm or 2.80oz fine all purpose flour 2/3 cups
- 96 gm or 3.40oz vegan butter or margarine
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 3 teaspoons cocoa powder)
Instructions
- Combine yeast with one Tablespoon each of the flour and sugar in a small bowl. Mix until well combine then pour in 1/4 cup of the lukewarm soy milk. Set aside in a warm dark place.
- Either in a large mixing bowl or in a stand mixer with the dough hook, pour the remaining flour, sugar, salt, butter, aquafaba, vanilla extract and canela if using, and soy milk, into the mixer bowl. Mix on low until ingredients are well combined, stop to scrap down the sides as needed.
- Pour in the bubbly yeast mixture. Mix on low speed until yeast is incorporated into the dough, then increase speed to medium and continue to mix until you have a dough that doesn’t stick to the sides of the mixer bowl.
- The dough should be smooth and elastic, not stick to your hands or mixer bowl. Additionally you should be able to stretch it without it ripping. Gather the dough into a large ball.
- Grease a large glass or plastic bowl with butter then place the dough ball in it. Cover with clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Leave to rise in a dark and warm place in your kitchen until the dough doubles in size.
- Mix the powdered sugar with the all purpose flour in a medium bowl, until well combined. Add the softened butter and vanilla extract or cocoa powder, mix with your hands until you get a crumbly texture like shortbread cookies. Pour onto a lightly floured surface and gently gather just until it comes together –don’t over knead it! Shape into a ball and cover with a sheet of plastic wrap, refrigerate until ready to use. (If using vegetable shortening the process is the same.)
- Weigh and divide the raised dough into 6 even-sized pieces. One by one, roll the pieces into smooth equal balls. If the dough feels a little sticky you can dust your work surface with a little bit of flour. Place the dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper but with enough space between them so they have room to rise.
- Cut a large piece of parchment paper and place it on your working surface, lightly dust with powdered sugar. Lightly coat small rolling pin with powdered sugar. Unwrap and cut the sugar topping into 6 even-sized pieces and roll out or flatten into a round disk that’s large enough to cover about 3/4 of the rolled dough balls.
- Brush the tops of the dough ball with soft butter. Carefully place the sugar topping disk on top of concha dough ball. Use your hand to flatten it around the dough ball so it stays in place and not lifts up. Repeat until all of the sugar topping has been rolled out and put on the dough balls.
- Use a concha cutter to firmly stamp the design onto the sugar topping. Watch the video for a visual. If you don’t have a cutter then use a sharp knife to cut a design on to the sugar topping. Use the photos and video as a guide.
- Leave the conchas in a dark, warm place to rise a second time until they have doubled in size, about 30 to 45 minutes. (If you live in a hot and humid place it can take just 20-25 min to rise) The sugar topping may separate a bit and it’s ok.
- With 15 minutes left in rising, preheat the oven to 350°F or 180°C. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are golden brown underneath the sugar topping. Careful not to overbake and burn them.
- Carefully place the baked conchas on a cooling rack and allow to come to room temperature. Enjoy as desired.
Recipe Notes & Pro Tips
- 90gm or 3.15oz confectioners’ sugar, it’s powdered sugar and it’s 3/4 cups
- 80gm or 2.80oz fine all purpose flour, 2/3 cups
- 96g or 3.40oz vegetable shortening
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, (or 3 teaspoons cocoa powder)
Nutrition
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Concha FAQ
Are conchas vegan?
No, traditionally conchas are made with eggs, milk, butter or with lard. None of these ingredients are vegan.
How can I make vegetarian conchas?
Use eggs and dairy-based milk and butter instead of the vegan alternatives given in this recipe.
What kind of dairy-free milk works best?
Any unsweetened plant milk works, but soy milk usually gives the best texture and rise because of their protein content.
Can I make conchas without shortening?
Yes! You can replace the shortening with vegan butter, though the topping will be softer and less crumbly than the classic version.
Why didn’t my conchas rise?
If your conchas turned out dense, it’s usually due to inactive yeast, not letting the dough proof long enough, or using too much flour. Make sure your yeast is fresh and your dough has doubled before baking.
How do I store vegan conchas?
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. To keep them soft, you can wrap them individually in plastic wrap or freeze for up to 2 months.
Can I make different flavors of conchas?
Absolutely! The classic flavors are vanilla and chocolate, but you can play with colors or even add matcha, strawberry, cinnamon, or coffee for a fun twist.
Nancy Lopez is a Mexican-born food writer and author of Mexican Tamales Made Meatless. Raised in the U.S. and now living in Southern Mexico, she creates authentic vegan and vegetarian Mexican recipes rooted in tradition and tested for real home kitchens.Read more…
