Description
This Mexican Sweet Bread recipe features soft, fluffy dough topped with a sweet, buttery crust flavored with vanilla and cocoa. Perfectly balanced between tender bread and a crisp, sugary shell, this treat is ideal for breakfast, dessert, or an afternoon snack with coffee.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 1 package Dry Yeast (¼ oz)
- 3/4 cup Whole Milk
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, melted
- 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar, divided
- 3 Large Eggs, room temperature, beaten
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 4 cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Oil, for greasing
Sweet Topping Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
- 1 cup All Purpose Flour
- 3/4 cup Powdered Sugar
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 1 Tablespoon Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
Instructions
- Prepare the Yeast Mixture: Warm the milk in a microwave-safe bowl in 40-second intervals until it reaches 110-115°F, making sure it’s warm but not hot or boiling. Stir in the dry yeast and half of the granulated sugar. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit for at least 5 minutes until it expands and begins to bubble. If no bubbles form, the yeast may be inactive; start again with fresh yeast.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the all-purpose flour, remaining granulated sugar, and salt. Mix well to distribute ingredients evenly.
- Mix the Dough: Add the melted butter, beaten eggs, vanilla extract, and the activated yeast mixture to the dry ingredients in the mixer. Mix at medium speed for 5-7 minutes until the dough is tacky but not overly sticky. Add a little more flour if needed to reach the correct consistency.
- First Rise: Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise at room temperature for about 2 hours, or until it doubles in size.
- Prepare the Sweet Topping: In a separate bowl, cream together the softened butter, flour, and powdered sugar with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Divide this mixture evenly into two bowls. Add the unsweetened cocoa powder to one bowl for a chocolate topping and vanilla extract to the other for a vanilla topping. Mix each well to combine.
- Shape and Top Dough Balls: Roll each topping mixture into 6 small balls (12 total). Flatten each into a disk shape. Divide the risen dough into 12 even pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Arrange the dough balls on greased baking sheets. Place one topping disk on each dough ball and score the topping with a knife in a shell pattern.
- Second Rise: Loosely cover the assembled bread with a clean towel and let them rise at room temperature for an additional 40-60 minutes until slightly puffed.
- Bake the Bread: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the dough for 18-20 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown and the topping is set.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the baked bread from the oven and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack. Enjoy your homemade Mexican Sweet Bread fresh or with a cup of coffee.
Notes
- Ensure milk temperature is warm but not hot to avoid killing the yeast.
- For best results, use room temperature eggs for easier mixing and better dough texture.
- You can customize the topping flavors by adding different extracts or spices as desired.
- This bread is best enjoyed the day it’s made but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat gently in a warm oven or toaster oven to refresh the bread before serving.
- Scoring the topping not only creates the signature shell pattern but also helps control how the crust cracks during baking.
