Quick and Easy Buñuelos Recipe
My quick and easy buñuelos recipe shows you a shortcut to the traditional Mexican holiday dessert without spending hours in the kitchen. Made with flour tortillas, coated with cinnamon sugar or drizzled with piloncillo syrup, these crispy and golden Mexican buñuelos fritters are ready fast!
It’s not a Mexican Christmas until you’ve eaten buñuelos. Though not difficult to make, they can be time consuming. But my recipe is a faster, easier, and more budget-friendly method so you can still enjoy that nostalgic Mexican Christmas flavor.
What Are Buñuelos?
Buñuelos are a classic Mexican dessert made from a thinly rolled out dough, fried until crispy, then dusted with a cinnamon sugar mixture. Depending on the region, buñuelos may be served with a piloncillo syrup called “miel de piloncillo”.
This traditional dessert is especially enjoyed during the Christmas season, Las Posadas, and New Year’s celebrations. They can be homemade or found at holiday markets and seasonal festivities.
Buñuelos de Viento
There is another type of buñuelo called “buñuelos de viento” that’s made with a liquid batter instead of the rolled out dough. These crispy buñuelos are made using a metal mold, similar to a rosette mold, that’s heated in hot oil then dipped into the batter, fried, and dusted with granulated sugar and cinnamon or with powdered sugar.
Why This is The Easiest Buñuelos Recipe
Classic buñuelos are delicious but they take time. Dough prepping, resting and rolling, shaping and frying, and lots of cleanup. My recipe skips all that!
• It eliminates the lengthy prep by using store-bought flour tortillas
• Zero dough prep
• Zero kneading
• Zero resting time
• Just 4 pantry ingredients for simple buñuelos
• No additional expense for all purpose flour, butter, eggs, baking powder, salt, and milk
• Quick, easy, budget-friendly dessert
Are Buñuelos Mexican or Spanish?
Buñuelos exist in several Latin American countries, but the Mexican version (traditionally served at Christmas and during Las Posadas) has its own style and flavor profile.
Some are made from dough, some from batter, and some served with syrup. This recipe reflects a modern shortcut inspired by the traditional method but adapted for convenience and affordability.
Vegan, Egg-Free & Dairy-Free Buñuelos (Without Extra Cost)
Traditional bunuelos require butter and eggs which means more ingredients, higher cost, and more prep time.
Using flour tortillas and oil skips all that naturally without having to make (pricey) dairy-free substitutions without sacrificing texture and flavor.
This vegan buñuelos recipe makes a dessert that’s:
- Accessible to plant-based and vegan families
- Affordable for large holiday gatherings
- Kid-friendly and easy for beginners
- Perfect when you want dessert “right now”
Flavor-wise? Still deliciously crispy, sweet, and nostalgic.
Buñuelos Ingredients
The minimal ingredients required for my buñuelos recipe are basic pantry ingredients that are budget-friendly and typically in our kitchens at all times.
Flour Tortillas: Store-bought is what I use and I like the uncooked ones from HEB. For cooked tortillas I used Mission’s Homestyle Flour Tortillas. You could also use homemade that are drying out.
Oil: This is for frying the buñuelos and I like to use ordinary vegetable oil.
Granulated Sugar: Cane sugar is vegan-friendly because it’s not refined with bone char.
Ground Mexican Canela: This is Ceylon cinnamon, but use whatever you have in your pantry.
Optional Piloncillo Syrup: If you want to make this too then you’ll need water, piloncillo, and whole cinnamon sticks. Other flavors like whole star anise and orange peel may be added.
How to Make Mexican Buñuelos Step by Step
Remember that the full detailed step-by-step instructions with images and a video are in the recipe card below.
- Make The Piloncillo Syrup (if using): Simmer the piloncillo with water and cinnamon sticks until dissolved and thickened.
- Make Cinnamon Sugar: Mix the granulated sugar with ground cinnamon until well combined.
- Fry Flour Tortillas: Heat the oil then fry the tortillas until golden brown on both sides.
- Strain Off Oil: Line a large plate with paper towels and place the fried buñuelos on it to remove excess oil.
- Coat: Sprinkle and coat the buñuelos with the cinnamon-sugar mixture on both sides. Stack on a serving plate or platter.
- Repeat until all buñuelos are cooked.
Ways to Serve with Buñuelos
These simple buñuelos pack quite the flavor and go perfect with a cup of Mexican hot chocolate, champurrado, Christmas ponche, or café de olla.
You can serve them the most classic and simplest way sprinkled with the cinnamon-sugar topping, or you could also drizzle with some piloncillo syrup for an extra sweet treat.
Some regions in Mexico serve the buñuelos drizzled with only the warm miel de piloncillo and no sugar topping.
Enjoy as a dessert or sweet snack.
How to Store Mexican Buñuelos
Store leftovers in a cool, dry place, and preferably uncovered, because any moisture will soften the buñuelos. If you can’t leave uncovered then place in a Ziploc bag but only after they’ve cooled completely.
You could reheat briefly in the air fryer to crisp them up again, if needed.
Leftover piloncillo syrup can be made ahead and placed in the refrigerator until ready to use. The syrup will keep fresh in the fridge for up to 7 days.
More Easy Mexican Desserts to Try
- Polvorones de Nuez (Mexican pecan cookies)
- Pumpkin Arroz Con Leche
- Bionicos Mexican Fruit Bowls
- Carlota de Limón (dairy-based recipe)
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!
Easiest Buñuelos Recipe with Flour Tortillas
Video
Ingredients
Bunuelos Ingredients
- ¾ cup cane sugar
- 1 ¾ Teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 12 small uncooked flour tortillas
- 1½ cups vegetable oil
Piloncillo Syrup Ingredients
- 6.25 oz piloncillo I used 6 small cone 177gms
- 1 large cinnamon stick broken in half
- 1½ cups water
Instructions
Make The Piloncillo Syrup
- If you’d like to serve with the miel de piloncillo, in a pot place the piloncillo cones with the water and cinnamon stick. Simmer over low heat until the piloncillo dissolves and the syrup thickens up.
- Stir now and then. Remove the cinnamon stick and carefully strain into serving dish.
Make Cinnamon Sugar Mixture
- In a medium bowl mix the sugar and ground cinnamon until well combined. Set aside.
To Make The Buñuelos
- Line a large plate with paper towels and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a medium frying pan and once hot carefully place one flour tortilla into it.
- Cook until golden brown on one side, flip over and cook until golden. It’ll take about 5 minutes.
- Drain off excess oil from golden buñuelos then carefully sprinkle and coat with the cinnamon sugar mixture on both sides.
- Stack on a separate plate or serving platter.
- Repeat until all of the tortillas have been fried.
To Serve
- Serve the buñuelos coated with the cinnamon-sugar, for an extra sweet taste drizzle with piloncillo syrup. Alternatively serve with only the piloncillo syrup. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes & Pro Tips
Nutrition
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Buñuelos FAQ
Can I make buñuelos in the air fryer?
Yes — you can brush the tortillas lightly with oil and air fry at 375°F for 3 to 5 minutes, flipping once, until golden and crispy.
Can I bake buñuelos?
Bake at 400°F for 8 to 10 minutes until golden, keeping an eye on them to avoid burning.
What kind of tortillas work best?
Uncooked flour tortillas create the puffiest, crispiest results, but pre-cooked work well too.
How do I keep buñuelos crispy?
Cool completely and store uncovered or loosely tented to prevent moisture buildup.
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…
