Mexican conchas (also called Pan Dulce) are a delicious sweet bread with a chocolate streusel topping that is perfect for breakfast or as a snack. The bread is fluffy and buttery with a brioche-like texture, while the topping is crumbly and sweet!
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🌵A sweet bread for Cinco de Mayo
Mexican conchas are so perfect to make around Cinco de Mayo, or for any brunch party. They are usually eaten with coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. Mexican conchas are also called Pan Dulce, which literally means "sweet bread," and that is exactly what they are!
Conchas have a streusel topping that has a shell design etched into it. While the word conchas means "shells," other designs can be made into the streusel, like a pattern of squares. I made my streusel chocolate, but you can easily leave out the cocoa powder and dye the streusel pink or yellow with food colouring, or leave it white.
If this is your first time working with yeasted dough, or you just need a refresher, check out my post on baking with yeast! It will explain all the different types of yeast and how to work with them.
For more Cinco de Mayo recipes, try tres leches cake, or triple chocolate tres leches cake!
🥘Ingredients
Ingredient notes
- Whole milk - Either whole milk or 2% milk can be used. I don't recommend a lighter fat milk for best flavour.
- Dry active yeast - Use whichever type of yeast you are comfortable working with. New to baking with yeast? Have a look at my baking with yeast post where I break it all down for you!
- Unsalted butter - Salted butter can be substituted. Omit the extra salt in the recipe if you use salted butter.
🔪Instructions
Concha dough
Mix yeast, sugar, and warmed milk in a large bowl. Make sure the milk isn't too hot, or it will kill the yeast. Milk should feel warm to the touch, not hot. Let mixture sit for 5 minutes to make sure the yeast is active.
Add butter and eggs, and mix well. Add 3 ½ cups of flour to the bowl, then add salt. Knead until the dough comes together and cleans the sides of the mixing bowl. If you need more flour, add a tablespoon at a time. Kitchen temperatures and weather outside can will all determine how much flour will be needed.
Place ball of dough in a large greased bowl, cover and let it proof in a warm environment until doubled in size, about 1 hour. You can also place it in the refrigerator to proof slowly overnight.
When the dough has doubled, place it onto a floured work surface. Divide it into 12 pieces and form each into a bun. Place buns on two baking trays lined with parchment paper. Cover and let rise until almost doubled in size, about 30 minutes. Make the streusel topping while the buns are rising.
Chocolate streusel topping
In a medium sized bowl, combine flour, sugar, butter, vanilla, and cocoa powder. Mix until it comes together and can be formed into a ball.
Use your hands and carefully grease the top of each ball with a bit of shortening. This will help the topping stick to the buns.
Divide topping into 12 balls. Use the palm of your hands and flatten each ball into a flat, round disc. Place each disc onto the top of a bun, and press it onto the bun very lightly.
Once you've finished placing the topping on the buns, use a knife to gently etch out a shell shape on each one. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350°F (180°C), or until the buns are lightly golden brown. Store conchas at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
For more step-by-step photos and instructions, see the web story for Mexican conchas!
✔️Expert tips
- I found that the easiest way of flattening the streusel disks, was to flatten with my palms. You could use a rolling pin or a tortilla press too.
- Try making other flavour variations - remove the cocoa powder and add ½ teaspoon of cinnamon.
- Try making different colour conchas - remove the cocoa powder and add pink or yellow food colouring. Don't add any food colouring if you want white topping.
- Want to make the dough in advance? Cover and refrigerate over night. The dough will proof slowly throughout the night.
💭FAQ's
They are made out of two parts - a sweet, brioche-like roll, and a crumbly, sweet streusel topping.
They are generally eaten for breakfast or dinner, accompanied with a hot beverage.
You can make the bread dough, cover, and let it proof in the refrigerator overnight.
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Mexican Conchas
Ingredients
Concha Dough
- 2 ¼ teaspoons dry active yeast
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup whole milk warm
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 3 ½-4 cups all purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
Streusel Topping
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
Instructions
Concha Dough
- Mix yeast, sugar, and warmed milk in a large bowl. Make sure the milk isn't too hot, or it will kill the yeast. Milk should feel warm to the touch. Let mixture sit for 5 minutes to make sure the yeast is active. Yeast will show it's active when it starts bubbling.
- Add butter and eggs, and mix well. Add 3 ½ cups of flour to the bowl, then add salt. Knead until the dough comes together and cleans the sides of the mixing bowl. If you need more flour, add a tablespoon at a time.
- Place ball of dough in a large greased bowl, cover and let it proof in a warm environment until doubled in size, about 1 hour. You can also place it in the refrigerator to proof slowly overnight.
- When the dough has doubled, place it onto a floured work surface. Divide it into 12 pieces and form each into a bun. Place buns on two baking trays lined with parchment paper. Cover and let rise until almost doubled in size, about 30 minutes. Make the streusel topping while the buns are rising.
Streusel topping
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- In a medium sized bowl, combine flour, sugar, butter, vanilla, and cocoa powder. Mix until it comes together and can be formed into a ball.
- Use your hands and carefully grease the top of each ball with a bit of shortening. This will help the topping stick to the buns.
- Divide topping into 12 balls. Use the palm of your hands and flatten each ball into a flat, round disc. Place each disc onto the top of a bun, and press it onto the bun very lightly.
- Once you've finished placing the topping on the buns, use a knife to gently etch out a shell shape on each one.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the buns are lightly golden brown. Store conchas at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
- I found that the easiest way of flattening the streusel disks, was to flatten with my palms. You could use a rolling pin or a tortilla press too.
- Try making other flavour variations - remove the cocoa powder and add ½ teaspoon of cinnamon.
- Try making different colour conchas - remove the cocoa powder and add pink or yellow food colouring. Don't add any food colouring if you want white topping.
- Want to make the dough in advance? Cover and refrigerate over night. The dough will proof slowly throughout the night.
Did you try this recipe? Comment below to let me know ☺️