Mexican Sweet Bread

If you have ever visited a Mexican bakery than you probably have seen this Mexican Sweet Bread. This sweet bread Mexican recipe is a popular Mexican Pan Dulce and now you can make it at home.

These easy steps will show you how to make this popular bread at home with simple ingredients. There are many flavors of Mexican sweet breads pan dulce which include pan de muerto and they are served for breakfast or dessert any day of the week.

If you love this sweet bread recipe, then you may want to make Copycat Disney Churro Recipe and Cinnamon Chips.

What is Mexican Sweet Bread?

Mexican Sweet bread is a light, fluffy, and airy bread. It has a crunchy topping that makes it the perfect bread. You may also hear it called Pan dulce which means sweet bread.

There are many different types bread but they are not overly sweet. There are different types of sweet bread which come in soft, dense, salty, and crumbly.

This bread is the perfect amount of sweetness and is enjoyed by all. We hope these tips will help you learn more about this popular sweet bread and how to make it.

Ingredients

Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe in the recipe card.

Variations Ideas

• Flour – You can easily substitute the all purpose flour with whole wheat flour or bread flour.
• Topping – These popular pan dulce are even better with a streusel topping for even more flavor.
• Additions – For a hint of orange flavor add in a tablespoons of orange zest. For even more flavor add in a teaspoons of anise seeds.

How to Make Mexican Sweet Bread

Step 1 – Heat the milk in a microwave safe bowl in 20 second intervals until the milk is warm to the touch. Stir in active dry yeast and sugar then cover with plastic wrap.

Step 2 – In the bowl of a stand up mixer, stir together the flour, remaining sugar and salt. You can also use bread flour which will change the texture of the bread.

Step 3 – Place the bowl in your stand mixer and attach the dough hook to the mixer.  Then add in the melted ½ cup butter, eggs and yeast mixture. 

Step 4 – Mix on medium speed for 5-7 minutes until the dough comes together.

Step 5 – Coat a large bowl with oil.  Shape the dough into a ball and place it in the greased bowl.  Cover the bowl with a kitchen town and let it rise until it has doubled in size.

Step 6 – Then divide the dough into 12 even pieces and roll them into balls.  Place them on 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper. 

Make the Sweet Bread Topping

Step 1 – With a hand held mixer, cream together the flour, butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Then separate the mixture evenly into 2 bowls.  Mix the vanilla extract into 1 bowl to form the white vanilla topping and mix the cocoa powder into the other bowl to form the cocoa topping.

Step 2 – Form each topping into approximately 6 balls that are approximately 1 ½ tablespoons big.  Then flatten them into large disks that are large enough to cover your dough balls. 

Step 3 – Place each disk over a dough ball on the baking sheets.  Lightly pat it down to secure the topping to the dough. Use a sharp knife to cut grooves into the topping in a clam shell pattern. 

Step 4 – Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Bake for 18-20 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown. Cool on the baking sheets and then serve.

Expert Tips

• Yeast – Make sure that your yeast is not expired as expired yeast will not activate correctly. 
• Flattening the Topping – I make the topping disks by flattening them out with my hands, but you can use a rolling pin or tortilla press if you prefer.  
• Add Food Coloring – You can easily add in food coloring to the topping if you want to make different colors of this delicious Mexican sweet bread.  
• Warm Milk – Make sure to heat the milk until it is warm to touch. This will create the best base for your dough.
• Yeast Mixture – After adding in the yeast and sugar, make sure it is bubby after 5 minutes. If it is not bubbly, you will have to start over.
• Dough – After mixing the wet and dry ingredients together you dough should be sticky. If not, you may need to add in a tablespoon of flour until you reach the right dough texture.
• Rest Dough – Make sure you allow the dough the rest after combining the ingredients. We recommend about 2 hours until it is ready to be separated.
• Ingredients – For the best results when combining the ingredients, make sure they are at room temperature.

How to Eat Mexican Sweet Bread

Mexican Sweet Bread is usually served as a breakfast or dinner. We enjoy it with a hot coffee so we can dip the bread into the coffee.

How to Freeze Mexican Sweet Bread

Mexican Sweet Bread can be placed in the freezer so you can enjoy them longer. We like to flash freeze them first by placing them in a baking sheet separately and freezing them.

After about an hour, place the frozen Mexican Sweet Bread in a freezer safe container. This will allow you to take out a small serving at a time. They will last about 3 months in the freezer.

When you are ready to serve, allow them to thaw for about an hour.

How Long will Mexican Sweet Bread last

If the Mexican Sweet Bread is stored properly in an air tight container, it will last about 5 days. We love serve this delicious bread with hot chocolate.