Pan Dulce is a wonderful thing and if you’ve ever wanted a foolproof easy recipe to make these amazing Mexican buns, I’ve got exactly what you’ve been looking for! The best pan dulce are made from a brioche dough and the no-knead brioche recipe came out better than expected, creating these delicious buns.
Spending the early part of my childhood in Texas one of my fondest memories was of Pan Dulce, and if anything could transport me magically through time it would be those sweet rolls. My grandmother would often have them on hand or send me to Alejandro’s on the corner, and if I was lucky he would still have a few left….sigh
It’s been years since I had even thought of those wonderful rolls, and when I saw the recipe for them in Nick Malgieri’s latest cookbook bake!, I knew I just had to make them. The task of making the fresh dough was the only thing keeping me from those incredible buns, then I happened to be going through my Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a day, and saw the recipe for brioche dough!
Making this dough took a leap of faith, since other than the artisan bread, I had never baked using yeast before. If you read my last post, Pecan Caramel Cinnamon Buns then you know how good that dough turned out.
I made these buns 3 times and they came out perfectly each time. The last batch I made was from fresh dough that had not been refrigerated and they were perfect! I did make them a little too big, and I would advise using no more than 2 ounces of dough for each bun, they make a perfect size to serve with coffee or traditionally hot chocolate!
If you enjoyed this recipe you may also like these:
- Pecan Caramel Cinnamon Rolls (no-knead)
- Apple Butter Sticky Bun Recipe
- Homemade Artisan Bread
- Artisan No-Knead Bread
Pan Dulce
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups lukewarm water
- 1 ½ tablespoon granulated yeast (2 packets)
- 1 ½ tablespoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt
- 8 eggs lightly beaten
- ½ cup honey
- 1 ½ Cups unsalted butter , melted (3 sticks)
- 7 ½ cups all purpose flour
Topping for Pan Duice
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter , softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¾ cup confectioners sugar
- ⅔ cup all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon cocoa powder , sifted after measuring
Instructions
- Mix the yeast, salt, water in the bowl of your mixer, mix well
- Add in eggs, honey and melted butter, and continue to mix until well blended
- Add in flour and using your dough hook, incorporate all the flour, mix just enough so that all the flour is mixed in.
- The dough may look loose and wetter than you think it should be, it may also look like it has lumps, that’s ok.
- Transfer dough to another bowl, cover with a towel and allow to sit and rise for two hours.
- Chill dough for at least 2 hours, before making the rolls*
Topping
- In the bowl of your mixer cream butter using the paddle attachment
- Add in confectioners sugar and flour and continue to mix until creamy.
- Add in vanilla and increase speed to whip into mixture.
- Scrape down bowl and remove half of the mixture. Mixture should have the consistency of a soft dough.
- Add cocoa powder to remaining dough and mix well.
- roll doughs on floured surface making logs of each flavor topping.
- roll logs in plastic wrap and set aside
- cut out twelve 2 oz pieces of dough, using floured hands roll each piece into a ball, by pulling the dough down and around, pulling it tight at the bottom.
- Place dough ball on baking sheet and continue the process until all are done.
- cover with a towel and allow to rise for 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- After the rolls have puffed slightly* take each cylinder of the topping and slice into six equal pieces.
- Flatten the pieces out with your hand until they are as big as the roll top.
- Place each piece on a roll, and flatten the buns out some
- use a knife blade side up, and mark the topping on each bun by making 3-4 lines in the dough with the knife(don’t cut the topping, just leave deep impressions)
- make any type of cross patterns that you like.
- Cover the buns and allow to rise for another 20 minutes
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the roll is a nice deep golden brown.
caroluski
I made these today. I know its been more than a year since you posted these but I only comment after I’ve tried and I was very impressed with the results. These were a staple
at our house growing up and still are and when I sent a pic of my results to the family
They were in awe and couldn’t believe I had made them. Thankyou yet again Chef D
Chef D
I’m so happy to hear that you made those delicious buns… they were a big part of me growing up in Texas, I do love them. The dough is incredible and so easy to make, I don’t know if you tried using it for the sticky buns, but OMG they are amazing!
Thanks so much for letting me know you enjoyed them!
Dennis
A Brionez
I’ve got the dough rising and I can’t wait to taste test! Question: in the topping instructions it says to add vanilla, but I don’t see vanilla in the ingredients? I assume 1 tsp is sufficient? Thanks!
Chef D
Thanks so much for letting me know, yes 1 tsp will be great! Let me know how they turn out, mine brought back so many childhood memories!
Apu
Great site! Just ran into Ito this evening! Love the posts and recipes. Do stop by my blog sometime: Annarasa – essence of food.
Apu @ Annarasa
Michelle @ delishiono
Those buns look delicious! I do have a question about how the texture is on these. I haven’t had conchas but I do love the Asian-style buns that resemble them (pineapple buns) which resemble these.
Chef D
they have a very nice light texture, soft not chewy, while not falling apart. being that I made them from brioche dough I think their lighter than most. I’m not familiar with the Asian style buns but they do sound very good!
Kimby
Chef Dennis, I did a double-take when I saw this photo! We used to eat at a truck stop (near Laredo) that had an in-house bakery. I could never decide between these two, so I’d get both. 🙂 I couldn’t remember what they were called, so THANK YOU for recreating a very happy food memory.
Katrina @ In Katrina's Kitchen
First of all yum! This looks like the perfect comfort food! And Dennis I just now realized that I didn’t update my feedburner when you changed. Oof! All fixed now!
Curt
Oh boy, this one also always takes me back to my days in Texas. I lived there until I was 35, but as a kid, we would always go down the street to the Mexican bakery and buy these for a nickel!
Thanks for the memories!
Barefeet In The Kitchen
This is the first time I’ve heard of Pan Dulce. Now I want to try it!
spcookiequeen
I couldn’t figure out why I wasn’t getting your new posts, grabbed your url again, so hopefully I can fix it. Love Maggie’s buns I love working with yeast will have to try these. Hope you both have a great weekend.
-Gina-
Peggy
I’ve never heard of pan dulce before, but it seems like a tasty breakfast treat to me! And I definitely feel ya about being worn out! I’m ready for the weekend, that’s for sure =)
Laura @ Family Spice
I’m not a huge bread baker. I don’t have the patience for it. And I’m okay with that. I will just come to your house and indulge over there! This looks amazing!!
Sandi G
If I ever get the chance to try Mexican buns, I want them to look like this 😉
Evelyne@CheapEthnicEatz
Funny, what a coincidence I made pan dulce 2 weeks ago from scratch for a ‘Mexican breakfast’ theme challenge.
Alyssa
I’ve never heard of pan dulce before, but sign me up for anything with brioche!
foodwanderings
Ooh not only brioche but a Mexican version. I only bake the poorer, simpler challah! 🙂