Name: Colombian Buñuelos
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 6 min
Total time: 21 min
Ingredients: 3-4 cups vegetable oil; 3/4 cup cornstarch; 1/4 cup cassava flour; 1/2 cup feta cheese (finely grated); 2 large eggs; 1/4 teaspoon baking powder; 2 tablespoons granulated sugar; 1/8 teaspoon salt; 2 tablespoons milk

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Colombian Buñuelos are fried cheese fritters that have a wonderful crisp outside and a soft inside. Their perfectly round shape makes them very enticing. Buñuelos are most often served during Christmas time in Colombia as a craveable treat.

Make the holidays special by adding these buñuelos Colombianos to your festivities. Or try another holiday favorite, Colombian Hojuelas, orange flavored deep fried strips. These Coconut Macaroons are so easy and only need three ingredients.

A bowl of buñuelos with a black and red towel.

Buñuelos are a staple in South America during the holidays, I mean they are practically famous (they did make an appearance in a movie, but that’s not what I mean)!

We are talking about the fact that these cheese fritters are so beloved. It is a tradition to make them and serve them alongside other Colombian holiday foods every year.

The traditional cheese to use when making this Colombian appetizer is called queso costeño. Believe it or not, this cheese is very hard to find outside of Colombia. But, that is okay because there are a couple substitutes that can be used instead.

The recipe also requires yuca flour, aka cassava flour, which helps add to their wonderful texture. If you have trouble locating this at your local grocery store, you may have to go to a Latin market, a health food store, or order it online.

PRO TIP! It is very important that you use finely grated cheese, otherwise the buñuelos could burst open while deep frying.

In Colombia, the holiday season begins on 7 December with Dia de las Velitas, also known as Day of the Little Candles or the official name which is Immaculate Conception Eve. The tradition is to light candles and lanterns and place them in windows and balconies to be seen by all.

It symbolizes the belief in the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary. This is the unofficial start of the Christmas season and it ends on 6 January.

What are Colombian Buñuelos?

Buñuelos, pronounced (boo nyoo eh lowz), are round balls of fried dough. The savory dough gets stuffed with salty cheese and get deep fried until they are golden brown.

These buñuelos taste more savory than sweet even though they contain 2 tablespoons of sugar. They do have a hint of sweetness to them. You can also detect a slight cheesy flavor, but don’t expect to find gooey cheese inside.

PRO TIP! It can take a while (like 15 minutes) to let the oil slowly come up to temperature. Don’t rush the process by trying to heat the oil up too quickly. You don’t want to get it too hot and burn the oil.

What is the Best Cheese to Use?

Technically, traditional buñuelos are made with queso costeño. Since it is difficult to obtain this cheese in the U.S., we use different types of cheese (or cheeses, yes they can be mixed) instead. Some substitutes are a fresh cheese like feta cheese (this is what I use), queso fresco, queso ranchero, cotija, or mozzarella cheese (very last option).

What to Serve with Buñuelos

When served for holiday get togethers the buñuelos are often served with other Colombian foods. Like this delicious custard called natilla that is made with milk and cinnamon. More favorites are Colombian dulce de leche, or manjar blanco, and hojuelas, orange flavored strips of dough that get deep fried and sprinkled with icing sugar.

And don’t forget to make the hot chocolate, tea, or coffee to go along all those delicious foods.

Is Cassava Flour the same as Yuca Flour?

Both cassava flour and yuca flour are the same thing and the names may be used interchangeably. So, if you find a package with either label, it is good to use in this recipe.

Up close of buñuelos with a bite missing from one.

What is the Difference between Cassava Flour and Tapioca Flour?

Both cassava flour and tapioca flour are derived from the same place, the cassava root. The difference is that tapioca flour, also called tapioca starch, is made from the crushed pulp of the cassava root. While cassava flour is actually made from the whole root.

I recommend using cassava flour, but I have seen recipes where tapioca starch can be used instead. They are two different flours, but are still very similar. If all you can find is tapioca flour or starch, you can use it as a substitution.

Buñuelos Recipe Ingredients

Here are the basic ingredients to make homemade buñuelos. Check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full amounts.

Cornstarch: Make sure it is fresh.
Cassava Flour: Adds a great texture.
Cheese: Use finely shredded cheese or finely grated cheese. Some options are plain feta cheese, queso fresco, or queso ranchero.
Eggs: Large eggs at room temperature.
Baking Powder: Adds a little bit of puffiness.
Sugar: Granulated sugar adds just a touch of sweetness.
Salt: Just a little bit of salt.
Milk: Just 2 tablespoons milk helps bring moisture to the dough.

All of the ingredients to make buñuelos.

How to Make Buñuelos

Here are the basic instructions to make easy buñuelos. Check out the recipe card below for the full instructions.

STEP 1: Add oil to a heavy bottomed large pot (I use a 3.5 quart dutch oven). Heat vegetable oil over medium low heat.

STEP 2: Add a candy thermometer or deep fry thermometer to the edge of the pot and bring oil up to the right temperature. If the oil stops rising in temperature, turn the heat up a little.

STEP 3: In a large bowl, whisk together cornstarch, cassava flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder.

STEP 4: Add in softened butter, milk, eggs, and cheese. Mix this with your finger tips until a soft playdough-like dough forms. Add a tiny bit more milk if it is not coming together. Form into a ball.

Step by step instructions to make the buñuelos dough.

How to Cut Buñuelos Dough

STEP 5: Divide the dough ball into 4 equal pieces. Roll each of those pieces into balls.

STEP 6: Divide each of the four balls into 8 pieces. Roll each one into a ball. You will have 32 balls.

Step by step instructions of how to evenly divide the buñuelos dough.

How to Fry Buñuelos

STEP 7: Once oil is to correct temperature, fry 3-4 buñuelos at a time until golden brown. Repeat for all of the dough balls.

STEP 8: Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil. Serve when the balls have cooled.

Step by step instructions of how to deep fry buñuelos.

Recipe Tips & Variations

Make bigger buñuelos. This recipe makes 1-inch small balls, if you want bigger buñuelos just double the ingredients and follow the directions as they are written. Or split the four balls into fourths instead of eighths. The larger buñuelos will have to cook longer, so keep that in mind.
Estimate dough. The dough does not have to be split into equal parts. If you like instead grab dough and roll into about 1 – 1 1/2 inch balls.
Very fine cheese. Make sure the cheese is finely grated or shredded otherwise the cheese balls can explode while frying.
Flour alternative. If you can’t find cassava flour, you can use tapioca starch instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do buñuelos need to be flipped? So, apparently, the balls are supposed to spin in the oil to cook completely all the way around. If this happens for you then it makes frying them easier. Mine don’t like to spin, so I help them along with my slotted spoon by spinning them around to cook evenly.

What if the oil is splattering? This means that the temperature of the oil is too high. Pull the pot off of the stove to a cool burner to let the oil cool down a little.

How much oil to use for deep frying buñuelos? I use a 3.5 quart dutch oven and filled it up until the oil was about 1 1/2 inches deep. It was between 3-4 cups of oil. If you pot is a lot bigger, you may need more oil.

Can buñuelos be made in a deep fryer? Yes, definitely! If you have one, it will make they frying process easier.

Were buñuelos actually in a movie? More on these cheese balls actually being famous! Did you know that these buñuelos actually show up in the Disney movie Encanto? Julieta Madrigal actually hands these cheese fritters out to sick villagers in the start of the movie to heal them.

It is not the buñuelos themselves that do the healing, Julieta’s super power is that if you eat anything she cooks, you are healed! This movie is a must see, even if you don’t have kids.

Storage Instructions

How to keep at room temperature? Store buñuelos in an airtight container at room temp. They will keep for 1-2 days.

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