Valentine’s Conchas

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These fluffy Mexican conchas are decorated with pink hearts! They’re perfect for Valentine’s Day or anytime you want to add a pop of color to your morning.

One of my favorite kinds of pan dulce is conchas. I have a conchas recipe that I’ve been making for ages, but with Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I wanted to have a little fun with my favorite Mexican sweet bread. The result? Fluffy homemade conchas topped with pink sugar and hearts.

This conchas recipe does require some time. The dough and sugar topping are made completely from scratch, then shaped and baked in your oven. This is one of those baking projects that is perfect for a lazy Sunday when you’re just hanging around the house and want to make something special for the upcoming week.

Serve these Valentine’s conchas with a hot cup of coffee, tea, or even a cold glass of milk. They’ll definitely hit the spot and make your morning feel extra special!

Why You’ll Love this Mexican Conchas Recipe

• Fluffy. As you can see from the photo above, these Mexican morning buns are fluffy with a tender crumb.
• Colorful & Fun. I used red and pink to add color for Valentine’s Day, but you could use any color. You can also make shapes other than hearts! Your imagination is the only limit.
• Flavorful. The buttery dough is flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, and pure vanilla extract with the perfect amount of sweetness.

What Are Conchas?

Conchas are a kind of Mexican sweet bread shaped like little buns that resemble shells. In Spanish, the word “concha” means “shell.” Usually, there is a pattern on top of the concha made with a special stamp, but we traded that for hearts in this Valentine’s Day version. Conchas are usually eaten in the morning with a hot cup of coffee, or in the afternoon as a sweet snack.

Recipe Ingredients

Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll need to make this conchas recipe. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for specific amounts.

For the dough:

• All-purpose flour – You can also use bread flour.
• Granulated sugar – Light brown sugar works too. Don’t use dark brown sugar.
• Active dry yeast
• Warm milk – I prefer whole milk, but low-fat works too. Don’t use plant-based milk.
• Spices – Ground cinnamon and nutmeg.
• Kosher salt
• Eggs – You’ll need 3 total. Two eggs will be used whole, then one egg you’ll just use the yolk.
• Vanilla extract
• Unsalted butter – Please avoid salted butter.

For the sugar coating:

• All-purpose flour
• Confectioners’ sugar – Also called powdered sugar. Don’t use granulated sugar for this.
• Vegetable shortening
• Water – As needed
• Vanilla extract
• Pink and red food dyes

For making the conchas:

• All-purpose flour – For dusting
• Confectioners’ sugar – For dusting
• Cooking spray

How to Make Valentine’s Conchas

Are you ready to make some gorgeously pink conchas? Here’s how to do it:

Make the Dough

• Proof the yeast. Take 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour (from the already measured amounts) and add them to a medium bowl. Add the yeast and warm milk. Stir well to combine. Set it aside in a warm spot to proof for 15-20 minutes. It should be nice and foamy. If it’s not, let it rest for another 10 minutes. If it still doesn’t rise, your yeast might be “dead” so check the Best Before date on the package.

• Make a well. Use the remaining flour to make a well on a clean, flat surface. Add the remaining sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt along the outer edge of your well. Make sure the hole in the center is large enough to fit the liquid ingredients in without overflowing.
• Whisk the wet ingredients. Whisk the eggs, yolk, and vanilla extract in a small bowl until well combined. Once the yeast has finished proofing, add the yeast mixture to the center of the well. Add in the whisked egg mixture too. Use your hands to gently combine both liquid mixtures.
• Incorporate the dough. Carefully incorporate some of the flour into the well and mix gently with your hands, adding a little bit of flour at a time until a loose dough comes together. Don’t do it too quickly or the well might begin to collapse and the liquid mixture will ooze out.
• Knead it. Use your hands to knead the dough, pushing it away from you and then rolling it back in, for 6-8 minutes or until it’s almost completely smooth.
• Enrich the dough. Add the butter and work it into the dough with your hands as you continue kneading for another 12-18 minutes. At first, the dough will be super wet and sticky but don’t add any more flour, just keep kneading. You can also alternate between slapping the dough onto the counter and kneading.
• Continue kneading until the dough is no longer sticky. It should be nice and smooth. If it’s still too wet, let the dough rest for 10-15 minutes, and then continue kneading. If it’s still not coming together, add an extra tablespoon of flour at a time until it’s nice and smooth. Roll the dough into a ball.

• Let it rest. Place the dough inside a large bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Let it rest in a warm place for 1-2 hours or until doubled or tripled in size.

For the Sugar Topping

• Whisk the dry ingredients. Mix the flour and confectioners’ sugar in a medium-sized bowl.
• Knead it. Add the vegetable shortening and rub it into the dry ingredients. Once you get a sandy mixture, knead it with your hands until you get a smooth “dough.” The texture should be like Play-Doh or Silly Putty. If it’s too dry, add 1-2 teaspoons of water at a time until you reach the right consistency.

• Divide it. Place the sugar mixture on a flat surface and poke a hole in the center. Add the vanilla extract. Knead the mixture for another 1-2 minutes or until it’s completely combined. Divide the sugar mixture into 3 equal portions. Set one aside (this one will remain white.)
• Add the dyes. Add 1-2 drops of pink food coloring to one of the balls and 1-2 drops of red food coloring to the other. Knead both balls separately until they’re completely pink and red. You might need to add 1-2 teaspoons of extra confectioners’ sugar if the mixture gets too moist. Adjust your desired colors as needed by adding more food coloring to each one. Set them aside.

For the conchas:

• Divide it. Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured surface. Punch out all the air. Divide the dough into 16 equal portions and roll them into balls.

• Let them rise. Line baking trays with parchment paper or silicone mats. Arrange the balls on the baking trays, leaving 5-6″ of space between each one.
• Flatten them. Use your fingers to gently and slightly flatten out the balls of dough, making the edges slightly thinner than the center. Don’t squish them completely, though. Let them rest for 40 minutes-1 hour while you make the decorations.

For the decorations:

• Divide it. Divide each color of sugar coating into smaller, 1/2 tablespoon-sized balls. Set them aside.
• Flatten the coating. Place a 9×9″ piece of parchment paper on your work surface. Generously dust it with confectioners’ sugar. There should be a slight excess. Don’t skimp on this or your coating will stick to the paper. Place a ball of sugar coating in the center. Use your fingers to press it down slightly. Dust the top with more confectioners’ sugar. Place another 9×9″ piece of parchment on top. Use a rolling pin to roll out the sugar coating until it’s thin like a corn tortilla.
• Prepare the oven. Preheat the oven to 325 F.

• Cut them. Carefully remove the top piece of parchment paper. You’ll need 2.5″ circle and heart cookie cutters and a smaller heart one too. Cut out as many shapes as you can. Repeat the previous step and this one for all the sugar coating until you’ve got at least 16 large circles or hearts (or a combination), and 16 smaller hearts. Dust them with more confectioners’ sugar and set them aside.
• Assemble. Lightly spray the risen conchas with cooking spray. Don’t skip this or the sugar coating will slide right off during baking. Top each concha with a large heart or circle. Gently press down on the coating, especially along the edges to help the coating cup around the dough. Add a smaller heart in the center.
• Bake. Pop the trays into the oven for 15-18 minutes or until they’re lightly golden on the bottom. You should only bake using the middle rack. Any conchas on the lower rack tend to burn.
• Cool them. Remove the trays from the oven and set them aside to cool for at least 10 minutes. This will help the coating finish setting. Serve and enjoy.

Tips for Success

• Don’t let the dough sit on marble or stone counters. If your kitchen counter is made of marble, granite, or other types of stone, leave your bowl with dough to rest in a separate place. Stone countertops are particularly cold and will set back the rising time.
• Plan ahead. If it’s particularly cloudy or cold, plan your baking ahead of time. Cold weather can mean the rising time can take significantly longer, so keep this in mind if you’re baking for a special occasion or event. The ideal temperature for yeasted doughs to rise is between 75F to 78F.
• Use a stainless steel bowl for the sugar topping. Making the sugar coating in a stainless steel bowl will make clean-up easier because rinsing it with hot water will help it get rid of any grease almost right away. Plastic bowls tend to take longer to clean and retain a slightly greasy feel.
• Soften the shortening. Pop it into the microwave for 10-15 seconds or until it’s softened. This will help it incorporate into the confectioners’ sugar much faster.
• Use a tortilla press. Use it to flatten the coating in between sheets of parchment paper. It’s much quicker!
• Use other cookie cutters. Feel free to mix and match your favorite designs for the sugar coating. You can use other Valentine’s Day themed cookie cutters, or do a completely different theme!

What to Serve with Conchas

Conchas go beautifully with your favorite warm beverage. In the morning I’ll usually enjoy these with a hot cup of coffee or tea. If I’m feeling fancy, a Honey Vanilla Latte or Caramel Brulee Latte is just the thing.

In the evening, conchas are wonderful with Moon Milk or your favorite blend of relaxing tea. Of course, a cold glass of milk is a great option too!

How to Store

• Counter. Let your conchas cool to room temperature, then store them in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days.
• Fridge. You can extend their shelf life by placing room-temperature conchas in an airtight container and placing them in the fridge. They will keep for up to 7 days. I recommend letting them warm up to room temperature before eating conchas that were stored this way.
• Freezer. You can also freeze conchas for up to 3 months. Wrap each room temp concha in saran wrap, then place them in an airtight, freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight in the fridge or on the counter for a few hours before digging in. Don’t microwave them as that will impact the texture of the sugar topping.

More Mexican Desserts

• Mantecadas
• Pan de Muerto
• Rosca de Reyes
• Mazapan
• Puerquitos (Marranitos Pan Dulce)

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