Conchas Recipe
A classic conchas recipe featuring soft, pillowy Mexican sweet bread topped with a crackly, shell-patterned sugar crust, with a chocolate variation included.
Equipment
- Stand mixer or large bowl
- baking sheet
- rolling pin or tortilla press
- plastic wrap
Ingredients
Dough
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2¼ tsp instant yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ cup warm milk
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Sugar Topping
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder for the conchas chocolate variation, optional
Instructions
Make and Proof the Dough
- In a stand mixer or large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Add the warm milk, softened butter, eggs, and vanilla extract, mixing until a soft dough forms, then knead for 8-10 minutes, either by hand or with a stand mixer, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm spot for about 1.5 to 2 hours, until it has roughly doubled in size.
Shape the Dough and Prepare the Topping
- Punch down the risen dough and divide it into 12 equal portions, rolling each into a smooth ball. Place the dough balls on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them apart, and let them rest for about 15 minutes while you prepare the topping.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the softened butter, sugar, flour, and vanilla extract for the topping until a smooth, moldable paste forms. If making a conchas chocolate variation, divide the paste and mix cocoa powder into one portion.
Top, Score, and Let Rise Again
- Divide the topping paste into 12 equal portions, then flatten each into a thin disc, either by hand or using a tortilla press between two sheets of plastic wrap. Gently press one disc onto the top of each dough ball, covering the top completely.
- Using a concha cutter or a sharp knife, score the shell pattern into the topping on each ball, cutting through the topping without cutting deeply into the dough underneath. Let the topped dough balls rise again, uncovered, for about 45 minutes to an hour, until puffy.
Bake
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 18-20 minutes, until the conchas are golden underneath and the topping has set into a slightly crisp, crackled shell pattern. Let them cool slightly on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
- Letting the dough rise in a warm spot is important for proper proofing, so if your kitchen is on the cooler side, placing the covered bowl in a slightly warmed, turned-off oven can help speed things along.
- Rolling the topping paste between two sheets of plastic wrap makes it much easier to handle without sticking to your hands or the rolling surface.
- Scoring the shell pattern gently, without cutting too deeply into the dough, helps the pattern hold its shape as the conchas bake and rise further in the oven.
- The second rise after topping is just as important as the first, since skipping it results in denser, less pillowy conchas.
- Leftover conchas keep well at room temperature in an airtight container for 2-3 days, or can be frozen for up to a month and reheated briefly in the oven to refresh their texture.