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This easy señorita bread recipe makes fluffy rolls filled with a brown sugar swirl and finished with a crunchy cinnamon sugar topping. This Filipino-Spanish bread is soft and super satisfying with a hot cup of coffee in the morning.
Are you looking for something new to bake this weekend? Friends, let me introduce you to señorita bread. I started making these fluffy rolls late last year and they’ve been making a regular appearance in my kitchen ever since. My family loves them!
These homemade rolls are soft, filled with brown sugar swirls, and topped with a crunchy mixture of breadcrumbs and cinnamon sugar. They’re compulsively munchable, especially with a steaming cup of coffee or hot chocolate.
Featured Comment
I had never heard of Senorita bread but this looked so yummy I had to make some today. Turned out great. I love them 🙂 I used have the dough to make regular rolls which also turned out great. Thanks for sharing.
Why You’ll Love this Señorita Bread Recipe
- Easy. Although working with yeasted dough is not a quick process, it’s not hard either. In fact, making señorita bread is quite easy! I usually make these on the weekend when I’m hanging around the house and can give the dough plenty of time to rise.
- Irresistible. Between the brown sugar filling, the fluffy bread, and the crunchy topping, biting into one of these rolls is a real treat. You can see a simple reel I made on Instagram showing just good these look when you break into a freshly baked roll.
- Everyone loves them. Even though this recipe makes 12 rolls, the entire batch is usually gobbled in a day. That’s saying something since I don’t have a large family.
What is Señorita Bread?
Señorita bread is a popular afternoon snack in the Philippines, where it is known as Spanish bread. The origin of the “señorita” name is up for debate. One popular story is that the recipe originated with a Mexican baker living in the Philippines who named the rolls after his daughter. In Spanish “señorita” means “young lady.” Eventually, this Filipino sweet bread was popularized in the United States by the Starbread company, which is located in California.
What You’ll Need
Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll need to make señorita bread. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for specific amounts.
For the Dough
- Milk – Whole milk is best, and it should be warm to activate the yeast.
- Active dry yeast
- Light brown sugar – You can also use dark brown sugar, but don’t substitute for white sugar.
- Kosher salt
- Olive oil
- Egg
- All-Purpose Flour
For the Filling
- All-Purpose Flour
- Unsalted butter
- Breadcrumbs – Make sure you use plain breadcrumbs, not ones where any kind of seasoning has been added. Don’t use panko.
- Light brown sugar – Dark brown sugar also works, but not white sugar.
- Milk – Whole is best but low-fat will work in a pinch.
For the Topping
- Breadcrumbs – Again, plain breadcrumbs and not panko.
- Ground cinnamon
- Light brown sugar – Or dark brown.
- Unsalted butter
How to Make Senorita Bread
Now that you know what you’ll need to make señorita bread, let’s see how to do it step-by-step:
Make the Dough
- Proof the yeast. Add the warmed milk to the bowl of a stand mixer (affiliate link) and sprinkle the yeast on top. Let sit for 5 minutes to activate the yeast.
- Add remaining dough ingredients. Fit your stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Add the brown sugar, salt, olive oil and egg to your stand mixer, mix well. Add half the flour, mix until combined, then add the remaining flour.
- Knead. Switch to your dough hook and knead the dough for about 1 minute, until a soft dough forms that springs back when you press it with your thumb.
- First rise. Cover your stand mixer with saran wrap and set it in a warm spot for the dough to rise for 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
Make The Filling
When the dough is almost finished with its first rise, make the filling.
- Toast the flour. In a medium skillet set over medium-low heat, toast the flour until it smells nutty and is light brown in color.
- Add butter, breadcrumbs, cinnamon and brown sugar. Reduce heat to low, then add the butter, breadcrumbs, cinnamon and brown sugar. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the butter and sugar have melted. You should have a thick paste.
- Add the milk. Pour the milk into the mixture and whisk gently until well combined. You should have a thick filling that is light golden in color. Set aside.
Assemble the Señorita Rolls
- Prep your tools. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Divide the dough. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and cover with plastic wrap so that they don’t dry out while you’re working.
- Make the topping. In a medium bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, cinnamon and brown sugar. Set aside.
- Assemble the rolls. Roll each ball of dough into an oval about 8-9 inches long. Spread about a tablespoon of filling over the dough, leaving a 1 inch margin along the edges of the dough. Starting with the short side, roll into a tight log. Place each roll on the prepared baking sheet.
- Add the topping. Brush the top of each roll with melted butter, then gently pick up the roll and dip it into the topping, pressing down slightly.
- Second rise. Cover the rolls with saran wrap and allow them to rise for 1 hour, until they have doubled in size.
Bake
- Prep your tools. Preheat your oven to 350F.
- Bake. Place the rolls in the heated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until light golden brown.
Tips for Success
While it is easy to make señorita sweet bread, it never hurts to have a few tips up your sleeve, especially when working with yeast. Here are my top tips:
- Make sure your milk is not too hot. You are going to use warm milk to activate and proof your yeast. It is important that the milk is not too hot, or it will kill the yeast and your dough won’t rise. I always recommend the baby bottle test. To do this, after you have warmed your milk place a few drops on the inside of your wrist. If it doesn’t feel hot, just pleasantly warm, then the milk is a good temperature for the yeast.
- What is the best way to warm milk? I usually warm milk in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave. I warm it in 30-second increments to avoid making the milk too hot. After 30 seconds, stir the milk and then test carefully it with your finger. You can also warm milk on the stovetop in a small pot over low heat.
- Don’t rush the process. Working with yeasted dough takes time and trying to speed up the process will impact how tender and fluffy your sweet bread is. Give the dough the full amount of time needed to rise in each step.
That’s about out it! As I said, making señorita bread is easy. 😍
How to Store
- Counter: The best way to store homemade señorita bread is on the counter in an airtight container. It will keep for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend storing the rolls in the fridge as they will dry out.
- Freezer: You can store señorita rolls for later in the freezer. Simply wrap each roll in a couple of layers of saran wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe airtight container. The rolls will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter for a few hours before digging in.
I hope you enjoy this señorita bread recipe as much as we do!
Señorita Bread
This easy señorita bread recipe makes fluffy rolls filled with a brown sugar swirl and finished with a crunchy cinnamon sugar topping. This Filipino-Spanish bread is soft and super satisfying with a hot cup of coffee in the morning.
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup whole milk, warm
- 3 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 egg
- 3 cups All-Purpose Flour
Filling
- 2 tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup dry breadcrumbs
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup whole milk
Topping
- ½ cup dry breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
Begin Making the Dough
- Proof the yeast. Add the warmed milk to the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Let sit for 5 minutes to activate the yeast.
- Add remaining dough ingredients. Fit your stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Add the brown sugar, salt, olive oil and egg to your stand mixer, mix well. Add half the flour, mix until combined, then add the remaining flour.
- Knead. Switch to your dough hook and knead the dough for about 1 minute, until a soft dough forms that springs back when you press it with your thumb.
- First rise. Cover your stand mixer with saran wrap and set it in a warm spot for the dough to rise for 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
Make the filling.
- When the dough is almost finished with its first rise, make the filling.
- Toast the flour. In a medium skillet set over medium-low heat, toast the flour until it smells nutty and is light brown in color.
- Add butter, breadcrumbs, cinnamon and brown sugar. Reduce heat to low, then add the butter, breadcrumbs, cinnamon and brown sugar. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the butter and sugar have melted. You should have a thick paste.
- Add the milk. Pour the milk into the mixture and whisk gently until well combined. You should have a thick filling that is light golden in color. Set aside.
Assemble the Senorita Rolls
- Prep your tools. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Divide the dough. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and cover with plastic wrap so that they don't dry out while you're working.
- Make the topping. In a medium bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, cinnamon and brown sugar. Set aside.
- Assemble the rolls. Roll each ball of dough into an oval about 8-9 inches long. Spread about a tablespoon of filling over the dough, leaving a 1 inch margin along the edges of the dough. Starting with the short side, roll into a tight log. Place each roll on the prepared baking sheet.
- Add the topping. Brush the top of each roll with melted butter, then gently pick up the roll and dip it into the topping, pressing down slightly.
- Second rise. Cover the rolls with saran wrap and allow them to rise for 1 hour, until they have doubled in size.
Bake
- Prep your tools. Preheat your oven to 350F.
- Bake. Place the rolls in the heated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until light golden brown.
- Cool. Let the rolls cool for 10 minutes.
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Nutrition
Calories: 335kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 272mg | Potassium: 129mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 303IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Did you make this recipe?💖 I love hearing how my recipes came out for others! If you tried this recipe, please share a comment. 💖
This recipe was great! Fluffy bread that went so well with my morning coffee. Will definitely make this recipe again.
I had never heard of Senorita bread but this looked so yummy I had to make some today. Turned out great. I love them 🙂 I used have the dough to make regular rolls which also turned out great. Thanks for sharing.
You just made my morning! So happy that you tried the recipe and liked it. Thank you for letting me know how it turned out and love the idea of making regular rolls with the dough.