I’ll admit, when I was a kid, the idea of any dessert made from root vegetables was not my cup of tea. I was more of a flan de queso y arroz con leche kinda gal, to be honest.

Now, as an adult, I can totally appreciate the uniqueness of these delicious buñuelos Cubanos!

They were often found at the dessert table on Noche Buena (Christmas Eve) or New Year’s Eve and were enjoyed after our big Cuban Christmas dinner, my favorite time of year!

What are Bunuelos?

Cuban Bunuelos [pronounced boo-nyweh-lohs] are fried pastries, made from root vegetables like yuca, malanga, calabaza (Cuban pumpkin), and/or boniato (Cuban sweet potatoes which we also use to make boniatillo con coco). Que rico!

We boil the peeled root vegetables, make a dough, and then shaped them into figure 8s. We then serve with all coated in a homemade cinnamon-anise syrup. IT’S SO GOOD.

Let me show you how to make them!

fried Cuban bunuelos with homemade cinnamon-anise syrup on a white plate

Deep Skillet

A 10-inch skillet perfect for cooking all kinds of dishes! It’s non-stick, with a wide flat bottom for frying, sautéing, or browning.

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Step-By-Step Instructions

  • Make the cinnamon-anise syrup. In a saucepan, add sugar, water, cinnamon stick, star anise, lime juice, and lime zest. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat then remove the cinnamon stick and star anise. Let the syrup cool. Set aside.
ingredients for cuban bunuelos
boiling the root vegetables in a Dutch oven until fork-tender
Add the cubed yuca and malanga with enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 20-30 minutes.
mashing the boiled yuca and malanga into a dough in a white bowl
In a large bowl, mash the tender yuca and malanga using a potato ricer/masher until no lumps remain.
dough formed with root vegetables on a marble surface
Mix in the beaten egg, anise extract, and salt until combined. Add the flour and knead until a soft, smooth dough forms.
dough being formed into figure 8s
Cut the dough into 12-14 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 14-inch long and 1/2-inch thick rope. Shape each rope into a figure 8 shape making sure to press the ends together to seal them.
Cuban bunuelos frying in oil in a saucepan
Working in batches, fry the buñuelos at medium-high heat for about 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown.
anise syrup being poured over the fried bunuelos
Serve the buñuelos with the cinnamon-anise syrup on the side or generously spoon the syrup over them.

Buñuelos should be pillowy soft and doughy on the inside and golden brown and well coated with cinnamon-anise syrup on the outside.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

  • Mix and match tubers. Cuban buñuelos are typically made with yuca, boniato, malanga (or malanga amarilla), and/or calabaza. Feel free to mix and match which ones you’d like to use. For example, you can make this recipe with yuca and boniato (or sweet potato) instead of malanga. You can also use 2lbs of one of the above, like yuca by itself. You do you!
  • Use frozen yuca. You can substitute frozen yuca for fresh yuca in a pinch. You can find frozen yuca in the freezer section of your grocery store. Any leftover frozen yuca can be used for my Cuban yuca con mojo!
  • No mushy vegetables! When boiling the tubers, make sure they are fork-tender but not too soft or mushy. Some root vegetables will cook faster than others, be sure to keep an eye on them.
cuban bunuelos with cinnamon-anise syrup on a white plate

Storage Tips

  • Buñuelos are best served warm right out of the fryer with the anise syrup. If you have any leftovers, you can transfer them to an airtight container for 3-4 days at room temperature.
  • Freezer Instructions. You can make the dough up to step 4, sprinkle them with flour, place them in a freezer bag, and freeze them for up to 6 months.
5 from 4 reviews

Cuban Bunuelos with Cinnamon-Anise Syrup

Jamie Silva
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 14 bunuelos
Cuban Bunuelos are pillowy soft and doughy, fried pastries made with yuca and malanga (root vegetables), shaped into figure 8s, then coated in homemade cinnamon-anise syrup. These classically Cuban anise-spiced fritters are traditionally made for the holidays, Noche Buena (Christmas Eve) and, New Year's Eve.
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Equipment

Ingredients
 

For syrup:

  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2 whole star anise
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice from 1 lime, plus 1/2 teaspoon lime zest

For the pastries:

  • 1 lb yuca, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 lb malanga, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 large egg, whisked
  • 1 teaspoon anise extract
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions
 

  • In a saucepan, add sugar, water, cinnamon stick, star anise, lime juice, and lime zest. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat then remove the cinnamon stick and star anise. Let the syrup cool. Set aside.
  • In a large pot or Dutch oven, add the cubed yuca and malanga with enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 20-30 minutes until the root vegetables are fork-tender but not too soft or mushy. Drain. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl. Remove the fibrous core from the yuca.
  • In a large bowl, mash the tender yuca and malanga using a potato ricer/masher until no lumps remain. Mix in the beaten egg, anise extract, and salt until combined. Add the flour and knead until a soft, smooth dough forms (not sticky). You may have to do this on a clean and floured work surface to really incorporate all the ingredients well.
  • Cut the dough into 12-14 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 14-inch long and 1/2-inch thick rope. Shape each rope into a figure 8 shape making sure to press the ends together to seal them so they don’t fall apart when frying. Transfer them to a baking sheet or large plate.
  • In a deep skillet, heat 3-4 inches of oil (enough to cover the buñuelos well) at medium-high heat until it reaches 375ºF. Working in batches, fry the buñuelos for about 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan. Transfer them to paper towel lined plates to drain any excess oil. Repeat with the remaining buñuelos.
  • Serve the buñuelos with the cinnamon-anise syrup on the side or generously spoon the syrup over them. Buñuelos should be pillowy soft and doughy on the inside and golden brown and well coated with cinnamon-anise syrup on the outside. Enjoy!

Notes

Recipe Tips & Tricks

  • Mix and match tubers. Cuban buñuelos are typically made with yuca, boniato, malanga (or malanga amarilla), and/or calabaza. Feel free to mix and match which ones you’d like to use. For example, you can make this recipe with yuca and boniato (or sweet potato) instead of malanga. You can also use 2lbs of one of the above, like yuca by itself. You do you!
  • Use frozen yuca. You can substitute frozen yuca for fresh yuca in a pinch. You can find frozen yuca in the freezer section of your grocery store. Any leftover frozen yuca can be used for my Cuban yuca con mojo!
  • No mushy vegetables! When boiling the tubers, make sure they are fork-tender but not too soft or mushy. Some root vegetables will cook faster than others, be sure to keep an eye on them.

Storage Tips

  • Buñuelos are best served warm right out of the fryer with the anise syrup. If you have any leftovers, you can transfer them to an airtight container for 3-4 days at room temperature.
  • Freezer Instructions. You can make the dough up to step 4, sprinkle them with flour, place them in a freezer bag, and freeze them for up to 6 months.
Serving: 1bunuelo, Calories: 209kcal, Carbohydrates: 50g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 0.2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g, Trans Fat: 0.001g, Cholesterol: 13mg, Sodium: 180mg, Potassium: 223mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 31g, Vitamin A: 25IU, Vitamin C: 12mg, Calcium: 24mg, Iron: 1mg
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: Cuban
Keyword: anise, buñuelos, bunuelos cubanos, cinnamon, cuban bunuelos, malanga, syrup, yuca
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