Buñuelos de Viento (New Year’s Choux Fritters)
Why this recipe works
- Choux-style structure: Cooking the flour into the milk and butter base creates a paste that can hold the eggs and puff dramatically in hot oil.
- Crisp, hollow fritters: A steady frying temperature helps the outside set while steam expands the dough, giving the fritters their light, airy centres.
- Simple ingredients: Milk, butter, flour and eggs create a delicate pastry without fillings or complicated flavourings.
Get the most out of this recipe
Timing notes
- Cool the dough before adding eggs: Let the cooked paste cool until warm rather than hot so the eggs blend in smoothly instead of scrambling.
- Serve soon after frying: The fritters are at their best once they have cooled briefly and the centres have dried out, with icing sugar added just before serving.
- Best eaten the day they are made: They soften as they sit, but can be refreshed briefly in a 180°C (355°F) oven before dusting again with icing sugar.
Common mistakes
- Avoid overcrowding: Too many fritters in the pot will drop the oil temperature, making them heavier and less likely to puff properly.
- Control the oil temperature: Oil that is too hot browns the outside before the centre dries; oil that is too cool makes the fritters greasy. Aim for about 175°C (345°F).
- Fry until properly golden: Remove them only when they are deeply golden and noticeably lighter, which indicates the interiors have puffed and cooked through.
Ingredient notes
- Use whole milk for richness: Whole milk gives the dough a fuller flavour and tender texture; lactose-free milk can be used for a similar result.
- Room-temperature eggs mix better: Eggs that are not fridge-cold incorporate more smoothly into the warm dough and help create a glossy, elastic paste.
- Choose a neutral frying oil: Sunflower or vegetable oil keeps the flavour clean and lets the buttery pastry and icing sugar remain the focus.
Serving ideas
- Dust just before serving: Add the icing sugar at the last moment so it stays visible and does not dissolve into the warm pastry.
- Serve with coffee or hot chocolate: A strong coffee or thick hot chocolate works well against the crisp, lightly sweet fritters.
Equipment you'll need
Ingredients
Choux dough
To fry and finish
Instructions
- Pour the milk into a saucepan with the butter and salt, and heat gently until the butter melts. Bring to a brisk simmer, then take off the heat.
- Tip in the flour all at once and beat hard with a wooden spoon until a smooth paste forms. Return to a medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes until the dough pulls away from the sides and leaves a thin film on the base of the pan.
- Scrape the dough into a mixing bowl and leave to cool for 8 to 10 minutes so it is warm rather than hot. This helps stop the eggs from scrambling when you add them.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until fully absorbed. The finished dough should be glossy and thick, and when you lift the spoon it should fall in a smooth V shape.
- Pour the sunflower oil into a large pot to a depth of about 5 cm and heat to 175°C (350°F). Keep the heat steady so the fritters puff and hollow out rather than colouring too quickly.
- Using two teaspoons, drop small walnut-sized portions of dough into the hot oil, working in batches so you do not crowd the pot. Fry for 5 to 7 minutes, turning occasionally, until deeply golden, crisp, and noticeably lighter as they puff.
- Lift out and drain well, then leave to cool for 5 minutes so the centres finish drying and become hollow. Dust generously with icing sugar just before serving.
Recipe notes
Tips
- For the lightest, hollow centres, keep the oil around 175°C (350°F) and avoid overcrowding, which drops the temperature and makes the fritters heavy.
- If the dough feels too stiff to drop from a spoon, beat it for 30 seconds more; it should be glossy and just loose enough to fall in a thick ribbon.
- Food safety: these fritters contain eggs; serve freshly cooked and avoid offering to anyone who should not eat undercooked egg if you are unsure they are fully cooked through.
Substitutions
- Replace Whole milk with Lactose-free milk for a lactose-free option with a similar richness.
- Replace Sunflower oil with Vegetable oil for frying.
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 1 days
- Best eaten the day they are made. If needed, store in an airtight container for up to 1 day and refresh in a 180°C (355°F) oven for 5 to 7 minutes, then dust with icing sugar again.
Ratings & reviews
Liked this recipe? Share your feedback to support our cooking community.
Tried this recipe?
Choose 1–5 stars. A comment is optional.
Stay inspired
Discover new recipes, seasonal favourites and cooking inspiration every day. Follow JustRecipes on Pinterest and Spillt.
Recipe overview
- Servings: 4 servings
- Yield: buñuelos de viento
- Total time: 55min (40min active)
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cuisine: Spanish
-
Allergens:
Eggs Gluten Milk Wheat
Plan your meals and get a complete grocery list automatically.
Add to meal plannerEquipment you'll need
Got ingredients left?
Find recipes using ingredients from this recipe or what you already have at home.
Find recipes with these ingredients →
Brazo de Gitano (Swiss Roll with Cream)
Spanish Swiss roll filled with sweetened whipped cream
Bomboloni (Italian Filled Doughnuts)
Sugar-coated Italian doughnuts filled with vanilla pastry cream
Galette des Rois (Kings’ Cake) with Almond Frangipane
Puff pastry cake filled with almond frangipane
Tulumba (Turkish Fried Choux Fritters in Lemon Syrup)
Ridged choux fritters soaked in cooled lemon syrup
Baked Empanadas with Minced Beef, Olives and Egg
Baked empanadas with minced beef, olives and egg
Chicken and Leek Pasty
Baked chicken and leek pasty with a creamy mustard filling.
Classic Fudgy Brownies
Fudgy brownies with dark chocolate, cocoa and vanilla
Tarte Tatin (Caramelised Apple Tart)
Upside-down caramelised apple tart with puff pastry
Loukoumades (Greek Honey Doughnuts with Walnuts and Cinnamon)
Greek honey doughnuts topped with walnuts and cinnamon
Msemen (Moroccan Layered Flatbread)
Layered Moroccan flatbread folded with olive oil and griddled
Mooncakes (Baked Cakes with Golden Syrup and Red Bean Filling)
Baked mooncakes with golden syrup dough and red bean paste
Ghriba (Moroccan Crackled Almond Biscuits)
Crackled almond biscuits flavoured with orange blossom water
Klenät (Nordic Fried Christmas Pastries with Cardamom)
Twisted Nordic fried pastries dusted with icing sugar
Klatkager (Danish Pancakes with Strawberry Jam)
Small Danish pancakes served warm with strawberry jam
Flädlesuppe (Swabian Pancake Soup)
Clear beef stock with thin pancake ribbons and chives
Cornetto al Burro (Italian Butter Croissant)
Italian butter cornetti baked golden and finished with icing sugar
Filhoses (Portuguese Fried Christmas Pastries)
Portuguese fried pastries coated in cinnamon sugar
Filloas (Galician Crepes with Honey)
Thin Galician crepes served warm with honey
You might also like
Krupnik (Polish Pearl Barley Soup with Pork Ribs)
Polish pearl barley soup with pork ribs and vegetables
Red-Braised Pork Belly (Hong Shao Rou)
Red-braised pork belly in sweet soy glaze
Milanesa (Breaded Beef Cutlet)
Crisp fried breaded beef cutlets served with lemon
Modern Canh Chua (Vietnamese Sweet and Sour Fish Soup)
Light Vietnamese sweet and sour fish soup with tamarind
Keema Matar (Minced Lamb Curry with Peas)
Minced lamb and pea curry simmered in onion and tomato masala
Sigeumchi Namul (Korean Seasoned Spinach Side Dish)
Blanched spinach tossed with sesame oil, garlic and soy sauce
Make this recipe easier next time
AdvertisementThese tools help you get better results with less effort.
KitchenAid Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls
- Non-slip base
- Stainless steel
- Not microwave safe
T-fal Specialty Nonstick Handy Pot with Glass Lid 3 Quart
- Easy food release
- Dishwasher safe
- Not induction compatible
OXO Good Grips Stainless Mixing Bowl Set
- Non-slip base
- Comfort grip
- Higher price
WMF Mini Saucepan 16 cm with Lid
- High-quality stainless steel
- Even heat distribution
- Higher price point
Enjoy cooking with JustRecipes?
Add JustRecipes as one of your preferred Google sources to discover our recipes more easily across Google Search.
Add JustRecipes to GoogleEvery recipe on JustRecipes follows the same structured editorial process. Learn how recipes are created, validated, translated, illustrated, and continuously improved across the platform. How we create recipes.
