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Bread Recipe: Conchas

These Mexican sweet breads, known as conchas, are soft rolls crowned with a decorative cookie topping that mimics a seashell. This bread recipe includes both the rich dough and a customizable cookie topping, making it a standout among traditional bread recipes.
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Prep Time 52 minutes
Cook Time 24 minutes
Bulk Fermentation 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Bread
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 10 rolls

Equipment

  • Stand mixer with dough hook
  • Parchment or wax paper
  • Rolling pin or tortilla press
  • Plastic dough scraper

Ingredients
  

Preferment

  • 1 cup unbleached bread flour
  • 2 teaspoons instant yeast
  • ¾ cup warm water

Dough

  • 2¾ cups unbleached bread flour plus extra for dusting
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1¼ teaspoons fine salt
  • 2 large eggs about ½ cup total
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
  • 1 large egg yolk reserve white for topping
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Cookie Topping

  • ½ cup sugar
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon fine salt
  • ⅔ cup unbleached bread flour
  • 1 egg white lightly beaten (for egg wash)

Topping Variations

Mango

  • ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons freeze-dried mango ground into powder and mixed into butter topping.

Strawberry/Raspberry

  • ¼ cup freeze-dried fruit ground and sifted to remove seeds, then added to butter mixture.

Café au Lait

  • Use scant ½ cup brown sugar instead of white and stir in 1 teaspoon espresso or instant coffee.

Chocolate

  • Substitute ¼ cup cocoa powder for part of the flour in the topping.

Cinnamon

  • Add 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon to the butter mixture.

Instructions
 

  • Start the Preferment: In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, yeast, and warm water until blended with no dry spots. Cover and let rest for an hour until bubbly.
  • Mix the Dough: Add the rest of the dough ingredients to the preferment. Mix on low until combined and shaggy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides, then knead on medium-high until the dough is elastic and smooth, roughly 8–10 minutes. Dough will be sticky, so scrape as needed. Cover and let rise in a warm area until doubled in size, about 1 to 1½ hours.
  • Make the Cookie Topping: Cream together the sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Add the flour to form a soft dough. Divide into 10 pieces (about 1 ounce each) and flatten each into a 3–4 inch disk between wax paper or with a rolling pin. Set aside.
  • Shape the Dough: Lightly flour your work surface and turn out the dough. Divide into 10 pieces (around 3 ounces each), deflate gently, then shape into balls. Place seam side down on a floured surface.
  • Second Rise: Use your hands to tighten each ball into a smooth round. Arrange 5 per baking sheet lined with parchment. Cover and rest until puffy, about 30–45 minutes. A floured finger should leave an impression.
  • Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 350°F and position racks in upper and lower thirds.
  • Top the Rolls: Lightly brush each dough ball with egg white, place a cookie disk on top, and score the topping using a knife or baker’s lame in a spiral or crosshatch pattern.
  • Bake: Place in the oven and bake until golden brown, rotating pans halfway through, about 18 to 24 minutes.
  • Cool and Serve: Let the conchas cool on the tray until they're safe to handle. Enjoy warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers in an airtight wrap for up to 3 days, or freeze for a month.

Notes

  • If using multiple baking sheets, stacking them prevents the bottoms from browning too quickly.
  • Use extra flour as needed to keep dough manageable.
  • Flavor customization allows this bread recipe to be adapted seasonally or to personal tastes.
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