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 and arroz con leche fan, to be honest.

Now, as an adult, I cannot 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 of lechon asado con congri, yuca con mojo, maduros, and Crema de Vie. YUM. It’s 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), then shaped into figure 8s, and finally, coated in homemade cinnamon-anise syrup.

Most Caribbean, Latin American, and European countries have their own version of buñuelos.

Some are made from a simple, wheat-based yeast dough that is flavored with anise (licorice). Other recipes call for the dough to be turned into balls or flat discs, without any syrup or with piloncillo syrup; others are dusted with cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar.

Let me show you how to make them!

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Granulated sugar, water, cinnamon stick, whole star anise, fresh lime juice, and lime zest. The ingredients you need for the cinnamon-anise syrup.

• Malanga and Yuca. These root vegetables are the star of the show. Both malanga and yuca have a mild, slightly sweet, woodsy, nutty taste.

• Egg. The binder for the recipe.

• Anise extract. Strong, slightly sweet licorice flavor. In a pinch, you can use vanilla extract.

• Salt.

• All-purpose flour. Used to make the dough for the buñuelos.

• Vegetable oil. To fry the buñuelos.

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.

• Boil the root vegetables. 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.

• Make the dough. 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. You may have to do this on a clean and floured work surface to really incorporate all the ingredients well.

• Make the 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 so they don’t fall apart when frying. Transfer them to a baking sheet or large plate.

• Fry the buñuelos. 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!

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.