Description
These homemade conchas are soft, fluffy Mexican sweet bread topped with a buttery streusel shell that’s lightly sweet and beautifully patterned. Perfect with coffee, hot chocolate, or milk, they bring the taste of a traditional panadería to your kitchen.
Ingredients
1/2 cup whole milk
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/3 cup granulated sugar, divided
3 1/2 to 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
3 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon oil, for greasing
1 cup all-purpose flour (for streusel topping)
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
Instructions
- Warm the milk to 110°F–115°F. Stir in the yeast and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Cover loosely and let stand for about 5 minutes until foamy.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, whisk together the flour, remaining sugar, and salt.
- Add the melted butter, beaten eggs, and yeast mixture. Knead with a dough hook or by hand for 6 to 8 minutes until smooth and elastic, adding additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time if needed until the dough is slightly tacky.
- Lightly grease a bowl with the oil, place the dough inside, cover, and let rise for about 2 hours or until doubled in size.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Divide the dough into 12 equal portions, shape into balls, arrange six on each baking sheet, cover loosely, and let rise for about 1 1/2 hours.
- To make the topping, beat together the flour, powdered sugar, and room-temperature butter until smooth. Divide into two equal portions.
- Mix the vanilla extract into one portion and the cocoa powder into the other. Divide each portion into six balls.
- Flatten each topping ball between sheets of plastic wrap into a round slightly larger than the dough balls.
- Place one topping round over each risen dough ball and gently press it into place.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Score each topping with a paring knife to create the traditional concha shell pattern.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the bread is lightly golden.
- Cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Make all of the topping vanilla or all chocolate if preferred.
Add cinnamon or citrus zest for extra flavor.
Almond extract can be substituted for vanilla in the topping.
Decorate with colored sanding sugar before baking for festive occasions.
Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Reheat in a 300°F oven for 5 to 8 minutes or microwave for 10 to 15 seconds.
Freeze fully cooled conchas for up to 3 months and thaw before reheating.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 concha
- Calories: 335 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 170 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 44 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 78 mg
