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These pumpkin buñuelos de viento are crispy Mexican fritters with a fun fall twist. Made with pumpkin puree, warm spices, and tossed in cinnamon sugar, they’re light, airy, and perfect for the holiday season.
A Note from Isabel
I grew up eating classic buñuelos during the holidays, but last year I made buñuelos de viento for the first time and completely fell in love. These light, airy fritters puff up beautifully in hot oil and get this gorgeous golden color that’s so satisfying to watch.
Since I’m always craving pumpkin flavors this time of year, I decided to give my buñuelos de viento a little fall twist by adding pumpkin puree and warm spices to the batter. The result is everything I love about the classic version – crispy on the outside, light and airy inside – but with that cozy pumpkin spice flavor that makes them perfect for October through the holidays.
These disappear so quickly once I start frying them. There’s something about tossing them in cinnamon sugar while they’re still warm that makes them absolutely irresistible. They’re perfect with a cup of champurrado or café de olla, and they make the whole house smell incredible.
Fair warning: the technique takes a little practice to get the hang of, but once you nail it, you’ll want to make these all season long.
What Are Pumpkin Buñuelos de Viento?
Buñuelos de viento are popular Mexican fritters traditionally served during Christmas. They’re made with a light batter that gets fried until golden and crispy, then coated in cinnamon sugar while still warm. This version adds pumpkin puree and warm spices like cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice for a fun fall twist that works perfectly from October through the holidays.
The name “buñuelos de viento” translates to “fritters of wind,” which makes sense once you see how light and airy they turn out.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This is just an overview of the ingredients and why they work. For the full printable recipe with exact measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- All-purpose flour: The base of the batter. You only need 1 ¼ cups to make about 25-30 buñuelos, depending on your mold size.
- Sugar: Sweetens the batter. You can use granulated sugar, turbinado sugar, or your preferred sugar substitute.
- Fine salt: Helps balance the sweetness and brings out all the other flavors.
- Pumpkin puree: Adds natural pumpkin flavor and a hint of color to the batter. Make sure to use 100% pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling.
- Eggs: Adds some creaminess and binds the batter together.
- Milk: Makes the batter smooth and creamy. You can use 2% milk or a dairy-free alternative if needed.
- Vanilla extract: Adds an extra layer of warmth and depth.
- Oil for frying: Use a neutral oil like canola or vegetable oil so the flavor of the buñuelos shines through.
- Cinnamon sugar: A mix of sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice for coating. This is what gives them that irresistible sweet-spicy finish.
How to Make Pumpkin Buñuelos de Viento
Make the batter. Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt in one bowl. In another bowl, mix the eggs, pumpkin puree, milk, and vanilla until bubbly. Combine the wet and dry ingredients until smooth.
Dip and fry. Submerge the rosette iron mold in hot oil (365-400°F) for 10-15 seconds, then lift it out and shake off any excess oil. Dip the hot mold into the batter about ¾ of the way up (not all the way), then immediately dip it into the hot oil. Hold it there for a few seconds and give it a gentle shake so the batter releases from the mold.
Finish frying. Flip the buñuelo and fry for 1-2 minutes until golden brown.
Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet, then coat in cinnamon sugar while still warm.
Recipe Tips
- This recipe is all about the technique. It might take a couple of tries to get the hang of it, so don’t stress if your first one or two don’t turn out perfect.
- Don’t fully submerge the iron mold into the batter. Only dip it ¾ of the way into the batter. If you dip it all the way, it’ll coat the entire mold and won’t release when frying.
- Keep the oil hot. The key to getting the batter to release from the mold is making sure your oil stays at the right temperature (365-400°F) and that you heat the mold long enough between each fry.
- Shake it off. To release the batter from the mold, you need to gently shake the mold while submerged in the oil to allow it to loosen and release as it fries. If you’re having trouble removing the batter from the mold, use the tines of a fork to help pry it off.
- Try different shapes. Buñuelos de viento are traditionally a rosette shape, but you can also use other shapes and sizes, like stars or flowers. Keep in mind that the larger and more intricate the mold, the more difficult it may be to remove it when frying. In these cases, use the tines of a fork or a small heat-safe utensil to pry off the buñuelo.
- Prep ahead of time. You can prep this batter up to 2 days in advance and keep it in the fridge.
Troubleshooting Tips
- Batter won’t release from the mold? This usually means your oil isn’t hot enough, or you didn’t heat the mold long enough before dipping it into the batter.
- Buñuelos aren’t crispy? The batter might be too thick. Add a splash of milk to thin it out until it looks like slightly runny pancake batter.
How and What to Serve With
Buñuelos de viento are traditionally served during Christmas and New Year’s with warm holiday drinks like Mexican hot chocolate, rompope, or atole de galletas María, but you can also enjoy them during fall and Thanksgiving with Mexican ponche or café de olla.
You can also dip them in cajeta or dulce de leche for an extra sweet treat!
More Recipes
Pumpkin Buñuelos de Viento
Equipment
- Rosette iron mold (I used the smaller 4.7-inch size)
Ingredients
For the buñuelos
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon fine salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the topping
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- In a large sauté pan or deep skillet, pour in 2 inches of frying oil and heat over medium heat until it reaches 365-400°F.
- Prepare the cinnamon sugar mixture by mixing together the sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl. Set aside.
- As the oil heats, make the buñuelo batter. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, and salt.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, whole milk, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract until fully combined and bubbly.
- Mix in the dry ingredients into the egg mixture, ½ a cup at a time, until fully combined. The mixture should resemble slightly runny pancake batter. Set aside.
- Fully submerge the rosette iron mold into the hot oil for 10-15 seconds. Lift the iron mold, gently shake off any excess oil, and pat the bottom of it on a paper towel to remove any drips.
- Dip the hot iron mold into the batter, coating only ¾ of the mold. You will hear some sizzling.
- Dip the coated iron mold into the frying oil and hold it there for a few seconds. Give it a little shake, and the batter should lift off. If the batter is not lifting, use the tines of a fork to help pry it off.
- Flip the buñuelo immediately and fry for an additional 1-2 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
- While the buñuelos are still warm, dip in the cinnamon sugar mixture until both sides are coated.
- Continue heating the iron mold, coating, and frying the buñuelos until all the batter is used. I recommend frying 1-2 at a time since you have to work quickly.
- Serve immediately with champurrado, atole, or cafe de olla.
Notes
- Do not fully submerge the iron mold into the batter. If you do, it will completely coat the mold and not release when frying. Only dip the mold into the batter ¾ of the way.
- Shake it off. To release the batter from the mold, you need to gently shake the mold while submerged in the oil to allow it to loosen and release as it fries. If you’re having trouble removing the batter from the mold, use the tines of a fork to help pry it off.
- Storage. Store buñuelos in an airtight container or ziplock bag at room temperature for up to 3 days. Make sure they’re completely cooled before sealing them up, or they’ll get soggy. I don’t recommend refrigerating them since it can make them lose their crispy texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by Ashley McLaughlin.
