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A close up of Pan Dulce
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Pan Dulce

These Conchas or Pan Dulce are so much better than any store bought conchas; soft, moist and perfectly sweet. Don't forget to check out my step by step photos and tips above!
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Rise time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 58 minutes
Servings 12 servings
Calories 348kcal
Author John Kanell

Ingredients

For the Dough

  • 1 package dry yeast or 1 tablespoon
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • ½ cup butter melted
  • 1/2 cup sugar divided
  • 3 eggs room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 1/2 cups flour

For the Topping

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter very soft
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • Optional: food coloring cocoa powder cinnamon

Instructions

For the Dough

  • Warm your milk to about 110F then transfer to the bowl of your stand mixer or a large bowl if using an electric hand mixer. Mix in half the sugar and the yeast. Set aside for about 5 minutes or until the yeast is nice and bubbly. No bubbles mean dead yeast so you’ll have to start over if this happens.
  • Whisk in the eggs, vanilla, salt and remaining sugar then whisk in half the flour to create a smooth paste.
  • Add the melted butter and mix once more then place on your stand mixer add the remaining flour and attach a dough hook. Run the mixer on medium speed for 5-7 minutes or until the dough comes together, is smooth and will not stick to your finger when pressed lightly. You can sprinkle a couple teaspoons of flour on the edge of the bowl to discourage the dough from sticking.
  • Transfer the dough to a large lightly oiled bowl then cover and place in a warm place to rise for one and a half to two hours, or until doubled in size.

For the Topping

  • Mix the flour and powdered sugar together in a medium bowl then add the butter and vanilla. Work together with a spatula or your clean hand until a smooth paste forms. You can divide the mixture into batches and flavor with ½ tsp cinnamon, 1 tbsp cocoa powder, etc. A few drops of food coloring can be worked into the batched for some visual interest if desired.

For the Assembly

  • Lightly flour your counter and invert the dough onto it then divide into 12 equal pieces, about 90g each. Place your thumb and middle finger together then cup the dough in your hand and move in small circles on the (unfloured) counter to create a roll shape. Place six rolls onto each baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  • Portion out 1 ½ tbsp balls of the topping, about 30g. Flatten into thin disks large enough to cover your buns then place over the bun. Use a very sharp knife to cut the Concha pattern into the top. You can also cut a grid, or any other pattern you enjoy.
  • Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow your conchas to rise for about 30 minutes or until roughly doubled in size. Preheat oven to 350F.
  • Bake at 350F for 18 to 20 minutes or until the bottoms are golden.

Video

Notes

  • Read the expiration date on the yeast, if you don't bake often it may have expired which means your dough won't rise.
  • I like to warm my mixing bowl by filling it with warm water and pouring it out before I add the milk. Ice cold bowls make for sleepy yeast.
  • Activate the yeast in warm milk, this helps speed up the proving process. It's super important that your milk is warm and not hot or it'll damage the yeast and prevent the dough from rising.
  • The yeast should bubble and froth as it activates, no bubbles mean dead yeast so you’ll have to start over if this happens.
  • I make the disks by flattening them with my palms but you can use a rolling pin on the counter or a tortilla press. With either option, you may want to use plastic wrap to prevent sticking and tearing.
  • Flavor variations - you can add additional flavorings into the topping or the conchas. Try adding 1/2 tsp of cinnamon for a delicious cinnamon flavor or 1 tbsp of cocoa powder for a chocolate version.
  • Colors - the classic color variations are yellow, pink (like the photos in this recipe), white or brown (chocolate). You can achieve different colors by adding a few drops of food coloring or cocoa powder. For white conchas use shortening instead of butter which will give you a yellow color.
  • Raw dough or baked pan dulce can be frozen for up to 3 months. Once baked they can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1concha | Calories: 348kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 287mg | Potassium: 113mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 557IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 3mg