Your Guide To The Most Amazing Sweet Mexican Bread

I don’t see these around anymore. Well, at least not since I moved out of state. Sweet Mexican bread is SO COMMON in the Mexican food culture. I used to have it literally all the time when I lived in Southern California. In fact, if you ever step foot into a Mexican home, you’ll more than likely find Mexican sweet bread hanging around somewhere in the kitchen or on the dining room table. It’s normally eaten for breakfast, but it’s commonly eaten as a snack, too. Think of Mexican sweet bread like American donuts. In my opinion, Mexican sweet bread is to Mexico like donuts are to the United States. Something like that. Anyway, here are some popular sweet Mexican bread (AKA: Pan dulce) types that you must try if you haven’t already.

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Introduction to Mexican Sweet Bread

So, as I had mentioned earlier, pan dulce (sweet Mexican bread) is a super popular concept in Mexican and Mexican-American food culture. Here in the United States, donuts are SUPER common. The same goes for pan dulce in Mexico and in the Mexican-American community.

And, let me tell you, this bread is SOO DELICIOUS. I crave it SO MUCH, especially now that I’m living super way far away from California and from the Mexican border.

It’s typically eaten for breakfast (like donuts), or it can be eaten as a snack (also like donuts).

Either way, the most common way to eat them, at least in Mexico, is when they’re still fresh and warm (The Salt Lake Tribune).

Here’s an EXCELLENT introductory video I found online to give you a better idea of what I’m talking about:

(They start talking about the different types of pan dulce at around the 2:00 mark)

[A Review of Different Types of Mexican Sweet Breads]

Not sure if anybody cares, but my favorites were always the conchas and the empanadas de piña.

Sweet Mexican bread is super delicious with Mexican hot chocolate, champurrado, atole, or coffee.

Where to Find Sweet Mexican Bread

If you live in an area that has a large Mexican or Mexican-American population, you probably already know that these are super common to find at a local Mexican panedería (bakery). If you don’t have a panadería near you, and you live in an area where there is a large Mexican population, you will be able to find pan dulce (Mexican sweet bread) at your local grocery store.

When I lived in SoCal, I used to see (and buy) sweet Mexican bread all the time at my local grocery store in the same section where they sell donuts (in the bakery). They had all different types of pan dulce, too!

However, if you don’t live in an area where there is a large Mexican or Mexican-American population, you might be able to find Mexican sweet bread at a local Mexican market (depending on where you live, I know it might be super difficult to find one).

If all else fails, you can order a variety of sweet Mexican bread on Amazon or make your own!

Luckily, there are PLENTY of recipes for concha Mexican bread (and other sweet Mexican bread) online, for example.

[This is probably the most cost-effective option if you are nowhere near any Mexican markets].

Wait, so what are conchas?

Well, let me tell you below 🙂

But first, here are some frequently asked questions about Mexican sweet bread.

FAQs

What are sweet Mexican breads called?

In Spanish, sweet Mexican bread is called “pan dulce”. There are different types of Mexican sweet bread that are commonly sold in Mexican bread stores called a panadería.

What are the different types of Mexican bread?

There are many different kinds of Mexican sweet breads, but some of the most popular ones include the concha, cuernos, polvorones, orejas, pan de muerto (for the holiday called Día de los Muertos), and rosca de reyes (for a holiday called Día de los Reyes).

Is concha the same as pan dulce?

Concha is only one type of pan dulce or Mexican sweet bread. The word concha means shell in English. This sweet Mexican bread, therefore, is called concha because of its seashell shape.

How do you eat concha bread?

You eat concha bread, and other Mexican sweet bread, like how people in the United States eat donuts. They’re typically eaten for breakfast, with your hands, and they go very well with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate! More specifically, you can dip sweet Mexican bread in your hot drink or simply eat it by itself with a sip or two in between bites.

Sweet Mexican Bread Types

Conchas

I would say this is probably THE MOST POPULAR sweet Mexican bread around.

As mentioned before, the word “concha” literally translates to “shell” in English.

What makes this Mexican pan dulce so distinguishable from the other Mexican sweetbreads is the upper sugary layer that resembles the top of a seashell.

Take a look at the picture below to see what I mean:

Keep in mind that the sugary layer on top can be different colors. White is super common, but I’ve also seen them in pink, yellow, and even brown (chocolate flavor).

In my very super humble opinion, I would say most of concha Mexican breads taste very similar. However, it is possible to find some that have other flavorings such as cinnamon, chocolate, or vanilla.

Keep in mind, if you plan on making the Mexican conchas recipe that is located further down this article, make sure to get yourself a concha cutter to help you shape the shell top. (Only if you want to get a more authentic look).

Cuernos

Another popular sweet Mexican bread is called “cuernos”, which means “horns” in English. Can you guess the shape of this bread?

That’s right. It’s the shape of a horn.

If you choose to make this Mexican sweet bread on your own, it only requires about 6 main ingredients: eggs, water, sugar, salt, flour, and yeast.

I highly recommend you try it 😉

Besos

Besos are another popular Mexican sweet bread. This word, translated to English, means “kisses”.

The reason it’s called besos is that it consists of two pieces of sweetbreads coming together, like a kiss, with only a layer of jam to separate them.

Aside from the two pieces of bread coming together, this pan dulce is also recognizable by the sugary powder that covers it (normally pink or white). A lot of times, too, besos have thinly shredded coconut flakes all over.

Another popular name for this sweet Mexican treat is “yo-yos” (because they resemble this popular toy).

Campechanas

This is a popular crispy puff pastry treat. The good thing is it only requires about 4 additional ingredients apart from the puff pastry. It falls apart very easily, but it’s so delicious! I love the texture. I’m all crispy about texture 🙂

You can check out the recipe for this delicious treat further down in this article.

Empanadas

OK, so empanadas are one of my FAVORITE kinds of sweet Mexican bread! It’s basically a sweet turnover with a jam or jam-like product in the middle.

It kind of reminds me of those little turnover pies my mom used to buy for me and my siblings for $1 at the grocery store if we were on our very best behavior.

[But I promise you the Mexican ones taste SO much better].

My favorite, favorite flavor is pineapple!

[You can normally fill these with any fruit flavor you want. Strawberry and apple flavors are good, too].

Take a look at the video below to see what I mean:

[How to Make Mexican Pineapple Empanadas]

Polvorones

These are also known as Mexican wedding cookies. They’re shortbread cookies that are very popular to serve during weddings.

Oh, and they’re covered in white powdered sugar! Yesss!

Polvorones are actually very fun to eat. The reason for this is that they crumble in your hand as you bite into them. So, the result is you’ve got a yummy, but messy, taste all over your lips and on your fingers, too! Yay!

[Polvo in Spanish means “dust” in English. So, these cookies crumble into a “dust” when you eat them].

Here’s a GREAT video that shows you how to make Mexican polvorones cookies:

[How to Make Mexican Polvorones Wedding Cookies]

Piedras

So, piedra in English is “stone” or “rock”.

Yes, these sweet Mexican pastries resemble the shape of a rock!

The good thing is they taste a lot better than a rock, haha.

Seriously, though. These breads are sweet (just how I like them).

Also, an interesting fact about them is that they’re made from old pastry bread (like leftover conchas).

Here’s a tip: since these pastries are harder than other kinds of pan dulce, it’s probably best to eat these while drinking a hot coffee or Mexican hot chocolate. That way, you can dip them in a hot drink to soften them up!

Also, I want to provide you with a YouTube video to give you a better idea of what I mean by this.

[Please note, although this video is in Spanish, there is a way to translate the subtitles to English].

Just click on Settings (the gear icon), then click on Subtitles, then Auto-translate, then English:

[How to Make Piedras Sweet Bread]

Orejas

Orejas! This means “ears” in English.

These, too, are super, super, popular (like the concha Mexican bread).

They’re super flaky, crunchy, and covered in LOTS of cinnamon and sugar! (Yes, they can be messy, but come on … they’re yummy!).

So, you may be wondering if this is basically a churro? No, the texture is different. And, as I mentioned before, it’s shaped differently, too.

I totally recommend these if you haven’t had them already.

And you know what’s so great about orejas? They’re SUPER easy to make!

They only require three main ingredients: puff pastry, sugar, and cinnamon. That’s it!

[I’ve posted a recipe for this at the end of the article in case you’re interested].

Marranitos / Cochinitos / Puerquitos

Ok, so this Mexican pan dulce is shaped like a little pig. It’s made with piloncillo, which is unrefined whole cane sugar (it’s very popular in Mexican and other Latin American sweets). This yummy sweet bread is covered in cinnamon, too.

Also, it’s covered in an eggwash to make it nice and shiny.

It’s soooo delicious!

Elotes Pan Dulce

This is another popular Mexican pan dulce.

What’s so fun about this bread is that it’s shaped like an ear of corn! Unfortunately, there is no corn in it, but, of course, there is plenty of sugar 😉

Here’s a visual for you:

[How to Make Elotes de Pan Dulce]

Final Thoughts on Sweet Mexican Bread

I really miss eating Mexican sweet bread. If you’ve never had any of these sweet treats before, you are TRULY missing out on some great Mexican food culture. Luckily, as mentioned above, there are plenty of recipes where you can try these very, very, very popular breakfast items and snacks without having to look for a Mexican bread store (plus there may not be one available for miles and miles away depending on where you live).

Do you plan on making any of these sweet Mexican bread recipes? Which ones?

I’d love to hear from you! Please comment in the comment section below.

Your Guide To The Most Amazing Sweet Mexican Bread

Introduction to Mexican Sweet Bread

Where to Find Sweet Mexican Bread