Colombian Buñuelos (Cheese Fritters)

 Colombian buñuelos or cheese fritters, are a mouthful of textures and flavors. They have a soft crumb and a crispy crust with a hint of sweetness and are a typical Colombian Christmas treat.

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Christmas In Colombia

Christmas in Colombia begins on December 7th with the celebration of Día de las Velitas (Day of the Candles) where people place hundreds of candles at the doors of their homes and in their neighborhood to guide the way of the Virgin Mary.

Friends and families gather together to sing Christmas carols and enjoy Christmas treats.

Although Colombian buñuelos are enjoyed all year round, these little balls are an iconic food for the holidays.

You can find buñuelos all around South America. Sweet or savory. Made with white flour, corn flour, cassava flour, or mashed cassava.

What Are Colombian Buñuelos?

Colombian buñuelos are made with a mixture of cassava flour and cornstarch. The ratio of these two starches varies from house to house.

Cassava, tapioca, or yuca, is a root very much used in South America. From this root, we get cassava flour or starch that has a similar texture to cornstarch and is a great option for gluten-free treats.

Some recipes for Colombian buñuelos are made with only cornstarch. I find that cassava flour adds a little bit of chewiness to these fritters.

My Buñuelo Recipe

Queso costeño is the traditional cheese used for this recipe. It’s a semi-hard and very salty cheese.

Cassava flour and cornstarch absorb liquids very quickly. So, mix all your dry ingredients, cheese, egg, and butter first, before adding the milk.

If you are using mozzarella cheese, add 1-1/2 cups of shredded cheese. Because this cheese is semi-soft, you’ll only need to add 2 tablespoons of milk.

Another option is to use ¾ cup feta cheese + ¼ cup queso fresco. You might need to reduce the salt to ¾ teaspoon. With this substitution, you are using two soft cheeses, which means more moisture for the dough. You’ll need to add 1 teaspoon of milk at a time until you have a playdough-like dough.

Or, you can use 1 cup of feta cheese and adapt your recipe to the option above.

Once you have your dough ready, you can either keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days, freeze it for up to 2 months, or use it immediately.

Frying Buñuelos (Cheese Fritters)

The oil temperature to fry these buñuelos is very important.

If your oil is too hot, the fritters will pop open, splashing hot oil everywhere, and they will not cook all the way through.

On the other hand, if the oil is too cold, the buñuelos will absorb too much oil.

If you own a candy thermometer to check the temperature of the oil, it should be between 320 – 340 F (160 – 170 C).

But, if you don’t have a way to measure the oil temperature, heat the oil on low and after 3 minutes add 1 buñuelo. The buñuelo should rise to the top in the next 5 to 8 seconds. If it doesn’t, the oil is not hot enough.

Once you have the right temperature, cook 3 to 4 buñuelos at a time. There is no need to turn them, as these buñuelos cook, they turn around by themselves.

During the holidays, buñuelos are served with Colombian Natilla (custard). Those two go hand in hand. An amazing combination of crispy, chewy, savory buñuelo and a cold, creamy, cinnamon custard.