Buñuelos are a traditional Colombian Christmas treat, but they are also popular year round for breakfast with hot chocolate or coffee.
What are Colombian Buñuelos?
They are fritters made with a mix of cheese, corn starch and yuca flour. They are crispy on the outside, soft and cheesy inside. They are a staple in Colombian during Christmas season.
What do you Need to Make this Recipe
Now let’s talk about my Colombian Buñuelos recipe and ingredients. Traditionally they are made with (Queso Costeño) which is a Colombian white cheese that is a little saltier and harder than Queso Fresco. I used feta cheese for this recipe because to me it’s the most similar cheese to Queso Costeño that I have found here in the United States.
Some Colombian Buñuelos recipes are made just with corn starch, but my grandmother used to add yuca flour to her recipe and it gives the buñuelos a wonderful flavor and texture.
I have to tell you, this recipe gave me a lot of trouble the first time I made it. Now that I’ve made these Buñuelos, I have a lot of respect for buñuelo makers in Colombia :). I know the Buñuelos pictures don’t look very attractive, but they taste wonderful. They are the right consistency inside but it was a bit difficult to get the correct crust consistency because the oil temperature has to be perfect.
In Colombia on December 7th in Colombia, friends get together to celebrate “el dia de las velitas”, a Christmas tradition in honor of the Virgin Mary. They light candles in front of their houses or on their balconies, cook traditional Christmas treats, like Natilla, Buñuelos and Hojuelas and of course, they party :).
How to Make Colombian Buñuelos
Pall the ingredients, except the oil in a medium bowl and mix well using your hands until soft and smooth dough is obtained.
The dough should be very smooth and not very wet or dry. Mix well and add more milk if necessary.
Form small balls using your hands. Be sure the balls are the same size. You can make small or big buñuelos.
In a deep pot, heat the vegetable oil to 300°F (Warm, not very hot). Carefully drop the balls in the warm oil and fry for about 3 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from the oil and drain on a plate lined with paper towels
Tips to Make Buñuelos
When frying Colombian Buñuelos, they become very greasy if the oil is not hot enough, and the exterior will burn before the interior cooks if the oil is too hot.
Avoid adding too many buñuelos at once into the oil as the increase in them will lower the oil’s temperature. Also it’s easier to flip them when there’s enough space. Make sure to add enough oil to your pot to cover the Buñuelos.
You can make the dough for these buñuelos a day ahead of time if you want and leave it wrapped in the fridge.
Use a thermometer for frying. It’s really important to make your oil is at the right temperature
Watch the buñuelos closely as they are frying, they don’t take long and can overcook.
How do I store Leftovers?
Enjoy them while still warm, because that’s when they’re delicious. However, if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a couple days. When ready to eat, just warm them in the microwave or the oven.
More Colombian Christmas Dishes:
Colombian Buñuelos Recipe
Ingredients
- Canola or Vegetable oil for frying
- 1 + ¾ cup cornstarch
- ¼ cup yuca flour or tapioca starch
- 1 cup finely grated feta cheese
- 1 cup finely grated Queso fresco or fresh farmer cheese
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- Pinch salt
- 5 tablespoons milk or more if necessary
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients, except the oil in a medium bowl and mix well using your hands until soft and smooth dough is obtained.
- Form small balls using your hands.
- In a deep pot, heat the vegetable oil to 300°F (Warm, not very hot). Carefully drop the balls in the warm oil and fry for about 3 to 4 minutes or until gilden brown.
- Remove from the oil and drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Serve.
Tatiana Pagotty
Hola hola!
First of all, I love your website sooooo much!
Tiny question, do you know how long can the dough can be saved and refrigerated? I like to do the prep for xmas days before and I am not sure how long this kind of cheese dough can survive and how to store it.
Thank you so much! 🙂
Tatiana
Erica Dinho
I always fry them after make the masa.
Alia
Gracias Erica. Do you have a recipe fir a substitute fir Queso Fresco? I make my own Paneer, would that work? Love the use if Feta! It should be noted too that the hot chocolate should be the Colombian Chocolate! There is a big difference! . I can’t wait fir 2020 to be gone and hopefully COVID is soon to follow!
Kudrat Kart
You can’t beat the combination with these buñuelos and hot chocolate! Yum yum
Cheers!
Maria
I love this recipe!, I made Buñuelos today, and the taste was exactly like my moms Buñuelos. I have a question: do you know if Buñuelos can be made using an Airfryer?
Erica Dinho
I don't know!
Bibiana M
Cuantos buñuelos se hacen con esta receta?
Antonio
The best Colombian recipes blog. I love all the recipes and pictures.
Savannah
Hey! I'm making these for a class and they will have to be cooked a day before they are eaten, so would you recommend reheating them in an oven/microwave, or just serving them at room temperature?
Erica Dinho
Room temperature.
Veronicarojas
Your blog is literally the savior of my family legacy. I moved from Colombia as a little girl and never went back and never learned how to cook anything at all. But you have saved our traditions through your blog and there are no words to thank you!
Claudette
I want to try this recipe soon. I will let you know! Thanks for posting!
Angie
Absolutely wonderful. I made these this morning for my Colombian exchange student, and she gobbled up 3 of them! She said they were perfect.
I used a heaping tablespoon to form my buñuelos, and this recipe made exactly 9. I also used a candy thermometer to get the oil right at 300°. I set the stovetop on 4, or just above medium-low, and it took about 15 minutes to get up to the right temperature without getting too hot.
Thanks, Erica! This is a keeper!
Anonymous
tried feta cheese, I do not like the taste of it, my guest didn't either.
Anonymous
wow
Julie
Hola,
Podrías decirme para cuantos buñuelos es esta receta?
Veronica
Hi Erica!
My mom is from Medellin and she wants to try and make buñuelos herself, but she is wondering if she can make the dough and store it in the fridge for a day or two?
Hope you can answer this! Love your blog by the way 🙂 You have so many delicious recipes!
Best regards,
Veronica
Erica Dinho
I don't know, I always fry them the same day, but she can try it!
Anna
My mom (Margarita Jaramillo) just tested this out, we fried dough we had made the previous day and it worked out great! Took a little longer to fry initially because the masa was cold from the fridge, it may make it a bit more oily so maybe get the masa closer to room temp when frying it.
Tiss
Hoy hice estos buñuelos y seguí la receta al pie de la letra pero no me quedaron muy bien que digamos. La masa quedó muy aguada, entonces le eché más harina de tapioca hasta que me fue más o menos posible hacer las bolitas, pero igual no quedaron como esperaba. Qué puede hacerse en ese caso, cuando la masa queda muy aguada?
Gracias!
Paulina
Hola, Erica. Siempre vengo a tu blog cuando quiero cocinar algo que me haga sentir en casa. Ayer hice un "trial run" con los buñuelos y todo salió perfecto: controlé la temperatura, se estaban volteando solitos -hermosos!- y salieron súper ricos; redonditos y perfectos por dentro, solo que el exterior quedo muy crujiente y un poquito grueso. ¿Será que esto se debió a la improvisación de los quesos (Feta y Cottage escurrido) o depronto mucha fécula de maíz? ¿O depronto la temperatura o tiempo de cocción? Muchas gracias por todas tus recetas. Un abrazo desde Abu Dhabi!