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These pumpkin conchas are my fall spin on the pan dulce I grew up with. The soft dough gets pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin pie spice, then a classic crackly topping. Best warm with a cup of coffee.
A Note from Isabel
Pan dulce was always around when I was growing up. Mexican donuts, marranitos, cortadillo, you name it. So once fall hits and everything turns pumpkin, this is where my head goes.
These pumpkin conchas (or conchas de calabaza) start with the same soft, sweet dough as my classic conchas. Then I mix real pumpkin puree and warm spices right into the dough, which turns it a beautiful orange color. The topping stays classic vanilla, so you still get that crackly shell on top.
They’re best the day you bake them, dunked in a mug of café de olla. And if you have extras, turn them into a concha breakfast sandwich. Trust me on that one.
What Are Pumpkin Conchas?
Pumpkin conchas are a fun and seasonal twist on a traditional Mexican pan dulce. The name conchas translates to “sea shells” for the signature shape and design on the bread.
Traditional conchas are spongy and soft bread rolls with a crumbly and sweet streusel topping that is typically vanilla or chocolate flavored. This version features the popular warm flavors of fall, with pumpkin and spices like nutmeg and cinnamon incorporated into the concha dough. Pair it with champurrado or atole for the full experience!
Ingredients in Pumpkin Conchas
- All-purpose flour: You’ll need all-purpose flour for the concha dough, topping, and yeast mixture. Make sure to spoon and level the flour when measuring to ensure you don’t use too much. This keeps the conchas fluffy and not dense.
- Granulated sugar: This is used to sweeten the concha dough and to feed the yeast mixture to allow it to bloom.
- Brown sugar: A small amount of brown sugar sweetens the concha dough and adds a warm and rich flavor.
- Active dry yeast: I used active dry yeast for this recipe, but you can also use instant yeast. Just note you will reduce the rising times and you do not need to activate the yeast.
- Whole milk: Adds a creamy taste and needs to be warmed to the right temperature to activate the yeast. Keep it between 110℉-115℉.
- Spices: A mix of pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and nutmeg gives the conchas that signature warm autumn flavor.
- Unsalted butter: Adds richness to the dough and topping. Make sure it is softened at room temperature for the best results.
- Eggs: 2 eggs help bind the concha dough together.
- Pumpkin puree: Gives the conchas some extra moisture and the key pumpkin flavor. You can use fresh or canned pureed pumpkin.
- Powdered sugar: Powdered sugar (aka confectioners’ sugar) is used for the concha topping. Make sure it’s light and fluffy with no large lumps.
- Vanilla extract: Adds some extra flavor to the concha topping. For an extra warm and fall flavor, you can use maple extract instead.
- Orange gel food coloring: Orange food coloring in the concha topping ties in the pumpkin spice theme. This is totally optional, and you can adjust it until it’s the color of your liking.
How to Make Pumpkin Conchas
Make the concha dough. You can do this with your hands or by using a stand mixer. Once the dough has rested and risen once, shape the dough into 12 balls and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to rise one last time.
Make the concha topping. Mix the ingredients in a large bowl. The topping should be soft and moist, like the consistency of play-doh. Form it into 12 balls, then lightly flatten each in between two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper using a tortilla press. You could also use a floured rolling pin to shape the topping into rounds.
Carefully drape the topping onto the risen conchas. Lightly pat it down to secure it, then cut grooves using a paring knife so that it resembles a clam shell, a criss-cross pattern, or whichever pattern you prefer
Bake for 15-17 minutes at 350°F or until the dough is lightly golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Pumpkin Concha Tips
- Make sure your yeast is alive before adding it to the dough. If the milk and yeast mixture is bubbly and frothy, that means the yeast is alive and thriving which is great! If it’s not, that means the yeast is likely dead and you need to start over with a new yeast packet.
- To make shaping the topping a little easier, you could use concha shell cutter.
- The dough will be sticky and tacky. To make it easier to hand and shape the concha dough, you can lightly grease your hands with oil or cooking spray, but I do not recommend adding more flour.
- Don’t overcrowd your baking sheet. The conchas expand even more in the oven, so make sure you don’t overcrowd your baking sheet, or the conchas will not have proper ventilation and will release too much heat, resulting in burning the bottoms before they’re fully baked.
- If you make the concha topping ahead of time, make sure to wrap it completely with plastic wrap to keep it soft and moist. If it feels slightly crumbly when you’re ready to shape and assemble, roll the dough in between your hands to warm it up and make it soft and pliable again.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s supposed to be! Pumpkin puree adds a lot of moisture, so the dough will feel tacky. Don’t add more flour, because that makes the conchas dense. Instead, rub a little oil or cooking spray on your hands before shaping if you need to.
No. Pie filling already has sugar and spices in it, so it throws off the sweetness and the flavor. Look for cans that say 100% pure pumpkin.
They’re best the day you bake them. Leftovers keep in an airtight container on the counter for 2 to 3 days or in the fridge for 5 days. After that, they start to dry out, so that’s when I dunk them in coffee or turn them into a breakfast sandwich.
Nope. A cutter makes the shell pattern quick and even, but a small, sharp knife works fine. Just score the topping lightly so you don’t cut into the dough underneath.
More Mexican Pumpkin Recipes
Pumpkin Conchas
Ingredients
For the dough
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm whole milk (about 110-115°F)
- 5 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 large eggs, divided and at room temperature
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
For the topping
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- A few drops of orange gel food coloring, optional
Instructions
- Prepare the dough. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar, the active dry yeast, and the warm milk. Cover with plastic wrap and let the yeast bloom until it’s very foamy for 10 minutes.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large separate bowl), whisk together the flour, the remaining granulated sugar, the brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Using a paddle attachment, mix in the softened butter until coarse and crumbly.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 eggs and the pumpkin puree until well combined. Set aside.
- Using a dough hook attachment, slowly add the yeast mixture to the dry ingredients, followed by the egg and pumpkin mixture. Mix on medium speed for 5-6 minutes (or mix by hand), until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. The dough will be tacky and sticky.
- Transfer the dough to a large greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 ½ to 2 hours.
- Prepare 3 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Uncover and punch the dough down, then allow it to rest for 5 minutes. Section the dough into 12 pieces and roll into balls. The dough will still be sticky, so you can grease your hands with oil or cooking spray to make it easier to handle, but do not add more flour.
- Place 4 dough balls onto each baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel, and allow it to rise again for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the dough has doubled in size.
- While the dough rises, make the concha topping. Beat together the flour, powdered sugar, butter, vanilla extract, and gel food coloring in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment until fully combined. The topping should be soft and moist, like the consistency of Play-Doh. If not using immediately, form the topping into a ball and cover with plastic wrap until ready to use.
- Divide the topping into 12 balls, then lightly flatten each ball in between two sheets of plastic wrap using a tortilla press. You could also use a rolling pin to shape the topping into rounds.
- Assemble the conchas. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg and brush each risen concha with egg wash.
- Carefully remove the rolled-out topping from the plastic wrap and drape it onto the risen concha dough. Lightly pat it down to secure the topping onto the dough.
- Cut grooves into the topping using a paring knife so it resembles a clamshell, a crisscross pattern, or whichever pattern you prefer.
- Bake for 15-17 minutes until the dough is lightly golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Storage: They’re best the day you bake them. Leftovers keep in an airtight container on the counter for 2 to 3 days, or in a zip-top bag in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- To make shaping the topping a little easier, you could use a concha shell cutter.
- The dough will be sticky and tacky. To make it easier to hand and shape the concha dough, you can lightly grease your hands with oil or cooking spray, but I do not recommend adding more flour.
- Don’t overcrowd your baking sheet. The conchas expand even more in the oven, so make sure you don’t overcrowd your baking sheet or the conchas will not have proper ventilation and will release too much heat, resulting in burning the bottoms before they’re fully baked.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Pan Dulce Recipes
- Mexican Donuts (Donas)
- Cortadillo (Mexican Pink Cake)
- Marranitos (Mexican Gingerbread Pigs)
- Mantecadas (Mexican Muffins)
Photography by Ashley McLaughlin.
This recipe is great. My only question is it calls for 3 eggs in the list but just 2 in the instructions. When I made it with 3 eggs it needed more flour. Still yummy.
Hi Abi! So glad you still loved them. The third egg is actually for the egg wash you brush on before the topping goes on, so only 2 go in the dough. That extra egg is why yours needed more flour. Next time just save one for brushing and the dough should come together perfectly!
This is my first time making these and I thought they were delicious! I love the flavor and topping!
This is my first time making Conchas. The recipe is easy to follow and make in 1 day. Smells delicious can’t wait to eat and share them!
My kids loved the pumpkin conchas!! This was by far one of my favorite bakes. I’ve never made a bread before, so I was a little apprehensive, but they came out great! They were fun to make and it was a little bit of a challenge. Would definitely try again, especially with different flavors and colors!
Very soft and flavorful.
These were soooo good!! I was a little skeptical at first but it was so worth it! Followed the recipe as is… .thank you Isabel!!
I absolutely loved this recipe. I enjoyed making the pumpkin conchas. My family and I loved them. I will definitely make them again. Thank you. ☺️
Hi, I saw this on instagram and knew I immediately had to make it. I used instant yeast instead so I didn’t proof the yeast and just added it in with the flour mixture. As far as the milk I added it in when the instructions said to add the proofed yeast mixture. I will say that the recipe did require 6 cups of flour instead and a little bit more. Because it was way too sticky with the original amount. Just add in a little at a time until it’s manageable and pulling from the sides while mixing but still a little sticky. Other than that the recipe was perfect. I divided it in 16 decent sized conchas and baked for the same time. It wasn’t too sweet and the pumpkin flavor was very subtle but perfectly spiced. And they were so delicious, soft, and fluffy!! You have to make these, they are the softest conchas I’ve ever had. Thank you again for the recipe.
This recipe turned out great! Thank you for sharing it!