A recipe for Conchas (Mexican Sweet Bread)! This fluffy pan dulce is topped with a crumbly sugar crust and formed into a seashell.
Conchas are a Mexican pan dulce (sweet bread) created by topping yeast-based buns with a sugar crust in the shape of a shell.
The contrast of light and fluffy bread with the crisp, crumbly coating is absolutely wonderful.
They take some time to prepare with two different 1-2 hour rise times, but are so fun to make, mostly hands-off, and perfect warm from the oven with coffee or hot chocolate.
A Few Conchas Tips
When adding the yeast to the milk, make sure the milk isn’t too hot or it will damage the yeast. The temperature should be about 105˚F (40˚C)- just warm enough to activate the yeast.
Do not pack in the flour when measuring or you may end up with too much. To measure flour, gently spoon it into the measuring cup and level with a knife without pressing down. The most accurate way to measure is by weight.
Add a little more lukewarm milk if the dough is too tough and crumbly. Only add a little more flour if the dough is absolutely too sticky to handle. Take care not to add too much or the bread will become tough.
Bring the eggs to room temperature before adding to the dough.
I used unsalted butter (melted in the dough and softened for the topping). Some recipes use vegetable shortening or margarine. Do not make the bread with salted butter. It will damage the yeast and not rise as well.
Allow the dough to rise until doubled in size (and nearly doubled during the second rise). This may take 1 hour in warm kitchens, but usually closer to 2 hours in mine.
Arrange the formed rolls at least 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake until the Conchas are golden, about 20 minutes. If baking both sheets at the same time, rotate around the 10 minute mark.
Forming the Sugar Topping
I mixed cocoa powder into half of the topping mixture to create Conchas de Chocolate y Vainilla. Pink and yellow are other common shades using food coloring.
If you want just vanilla, omit the cocoa powder. If you want all chocolate, mix 2 tablespoons of the unsweetened cocoa powder into all of the topping.
The mixture may seem crumbly at first, but keep kneading with your hands. As they soften the butter, everything will come together.
Roll each piece of the topping into a ball, then press down into a thin circle to coat the bread. I pressed the circle between two sheets of plastic wrap (or wax paper) by hand, but you can also gently use a tortilla press.
Be careful when placing the topping over the Concha to not deflate them. You want them to stick well (greasing the tops with butter will help with this), but don’t push all the way down.
Some recipes add the topping before the second rise. Others add it after the buns rise and immediately before baking.
I went with simply angled lines on the Conchas Mexicanas to form the seashell shape, but have come across some gorgeous swirls and other designs.
For more control when cutting, I used a small, sharp precision knife. Take care to not cut all the way through into the bread. Lightly dust the knife with flour if it sticks to the topping as you cut.
I have not personally tried it, but there is a Concha Cutter to easily create more uniform lines.
Serving Ideas
The Conchas are best the day they are baked, particularly warm from the oven. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days.
Looking for more ways to use these Conchas? Nibbles and Feasts has a fun recipe for Conchas Vampiras (Vampire Conchas) to dress them up for Halloween (or any time of year).
You can use day old Conchas to make Sense and Edibility’s Concha Bread Pudding Breakfast Bake.
Looking for more Mexican recipes?
Try my:
- Garabatos (Mexican Scribble Cookies)
- Agua de Fresa (Mexican Strawberry Water)
- Sopa Seca de Fideo (Mexican Dry Noodle Soup)
This recipe was originally posted in August 2013 and updated in March 2023.
Conchas (Mexican Sweet Bread) Recipe
Adapted from What’s Cooking Mexico
Conchas (Mexican Sweet Bread)
Ingredients
Dough:
- 2 1/4 teaspoons (7 grams) active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) lukewarm milk 105-115˚ F, 40-46˚C
- 3 1/2 cups (440 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (67 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 8 tablespoons (113 grams) unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled, plus more for brushing the tops
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sugar Crust:
- 3/4 cup (94 grams) all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter softened at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (65 grams) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon (7 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
Instructions
To prepare the dough:
- In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the lukewarm milk. Stir briefly to combine and allow to sit at room temperature until frothy, about 10 minutes.
- In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt.
- Mix in the yeast with milk, followed by the eggs, butter, and vanilla to bring the dough together.
- On a lightly floured surface, knead dough until smooth and elastic.
- Lightly oil a large bowl. Add the dough, turning to coat, cover, and let rise at room temperature until doubled, 1-2 hours.
To prepare the sugar crust:
- While dough is rising, combine the flour, butter, powdered sugar, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
- Continue to mix to create a smooth dough.
- Divide the sugar crust topping in half. Wrap one half in plastic wrap or cover.
- Mix the cocoa powder with the remaining half of the dough topping until smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap or cover until ready to assemble.
To assemble:
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or lightly grease.
- Punch down dough and place on lightly floured surface.
- Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces.
- Form each piece into a smooth round and place on prepared baking sheet about 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) apart.
- Divide each sugar crust dough half into 6 equal pieces to create 12 pieces in all.
- Brush the tops of the buns with additional melted butter.
- Roll one sugar crust dough piece into a ball and place between two pieces of plastic wrap or wax paper. Press into a thin circle.
- Carefully remove the circle from the plastic and place over the butter-brushed bun, pressing down gently to make sure it is attached to the bun.
- Repeat with the remaining pieces.
- Use a sharp knife to cut angled lines or criss-cross patterns into the circles to resemble seashell shapes. Take care not to cut into the bread.
- Cover the baking sheets and allow to rest at room temperature until the bread is puffed, 1-2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350˚F (180˚C).
- Bake in the preheated oven until golden on the bottom, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, about 20 minutes total.
- These Conchas are best the day they are baked.
Shoshana
I made this recipe for my family and it came out superb !!!!!
Tara
So happy to hear!