Hojuelas {Colombian Fried Pastry}

Hojuelas are the crispy fried pastries that you need in your life! The sweet dough is flavored with orange and fried to perfection. This traditional Colombian dessert is made around the Christmas season for gatherings of family and friends.

Make the holidays special with this simple hojuelas recipe. For more sweet treats check out some of these recipes for inspiration like this Cranberry Orange Bread. This recipe for Cranberry Lemon Bars is a family favorite! Or make This Cinnamon Whipped Cream is the perfect topper for many desserts.

December is full of some of the best things. All of the holiday lights are so bright and strung along houses and buildings. Holiday decorations are everywhere, too, adorning lawns and stores.

But, the best part are the holiday gatherings with a full house of family and friends. And with that comes making and eating some of the most delicious food. Just like this hojuelas recipe that is commonly made for Christmas gatherings in Colombia.

It really is the most wonderful time of the year.

What are Hojuelas?

Hojuelas (pronounced oh – hweh – lahs) and means “flake” in Spanish. And that is what these holiday treats are, ricas hojuelas or delicious flakes.

They are a delicious fried pastry, that are sometimes also referred to as hojaldras, made with some pantry staples I bet you already have lying around. When making this hojaldra recipe, the dough gets sweetened with sugar and flavored with fresh orange juice and orange zest.

The delicious dough gets cut into small strips and the oil is prepped.

Once the oil is nice and hot, these get deep fried into crispy strips and dusted with a sprinkling of powdered sugar.

PRO TIP! Make sure the oil is at the right temperature before adding the dough pieces.

What to Serve with Hojuelas

Hojuelas can be a dessert or just eaten anytime during the day as finger food. They are sprinkled with confectioners sugar and sometimes a thick syrup.

When served at holiday gatherings the hojuelas are often served with other Colombian desserts. A delicious custard called natilla, is made with milk and cinnamon. Another favorite are cheese fritters, or buñuelos, that are crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Serve alongside a hot cup of coffee or tea, to help keep you warm. Or with juice for the kids.

PRO TIP! Use the fresh juice of the oranges instead of using store bought.

Can Hojuelas be made in Advance?

I recommend eating this fried dough right after frying, that is when the hojuelas will be nice and crispy.

But, if you happen to have some leftovers, they can be stored and heated back up. To make leftover fried dough crispy again, heat in the oven at 350°F (170°C) for a few minutes until it has reached the desired temperature.

The dough can be made up to a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator before using. Just be sure to bring it up to room temperature before cutting into strips. Keep in mind that this can take a few hours, so plan ahead.

Colombian Hojuelas Ingredients

Here are the simple ingredients you need to make this hojuela recipe. For the full amounts, check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

• Flour: All purpose flour will work perfectly.
• Butter: Unsalted butter that has been softened.
• Sugar: Granulated sugar.
• Orange: You will need orange juice and orange zest. I recommend juicing the oranges instead of using premade orange juice.
• Salt: You just need a pizca de sal or a pinch of salt.
• Oil: Vegetable oil is used for frying, I like to use avocado oil but canola oil also will.

How to Make Hojuelas Dough

This hojuelas recipe is typically made around Christmas time, but you can make them anytime. Here are the basic instructions, check out the printable recipe card below for the full instructions.

STEP 1: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine together the flour and sugar.

STEP 2: Add in butter and combine well on low speed. Next, add in orange zest.

STEP 3: Keep on low speed and slowly add in the orange juice.

STEP 4: Once all of the ingredients are well mixed, turn off mixer. Form the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Put in the refrigerator to chill for 20-30 minutes to chill dough.

How to Cut Hojuelas

STEP 5: Once time has elapsed for the chilled dough, set the dough ball onto a floured work surface. Use a rolling pin to roll out into a large circle that has a 1/4-inch thickness. With your hands, gently shape the circle into a 7 x 8-inch rectangle.

STEP 6: With a bench scraper (or sharp knife), cut the rectangle in half so that each strip will be 3.5 inches long.

STEP 7: Using a ruler (or bench scraper with measurements), mark one inch sections with a toothpick. Repeat on both sides.

STEP 8: Cut the dough along the marks. You will end up with 18, 1″x 3.5″ pieces. Roll over them with rolling pin to make them a little thinner.

Best Way to Fry Hojuelas

You want to make sure that the oil is not too hot. If it is popping and splattering it is too hot. Just remove it from the burner until the temperature has dropped a little.

STEP 9: Fill a heavy bottomed 6-8 quart pot with 3-4 cups of oil, you need about 1 1/2 inches of oil depth. So the amount will be based on the size of your pot. Attach either a deep fry thermometer or candy thermometer to the side, but try not to have it touch the bottom.

STEP 10: Put the pot over medium low or medium heat and allow oil to slowly come up to 340°F. Do not try to rush this process, it could take 10-15 minutes. If the temperature stops rising, turn up the heat a tiny bit.

STEP 11: Using a slotted spoon gently add in 4-5 strips. Flip them over about half way through cooking time. Deep fry until golden brown. Pull them out with slotted spoon and place on a paper towel lined plate to remove excess oil. Repeat this process for all of the strips.

STEP 12: Sprinkle the hojaldras with powdered sugar and serve immediately.

PRO TIP! Do not add too much to the hot oil at one time, it will significantly decrease the temperature of the oil and the hojuelas will absorb too much oil and be heavy.

Recipe Tips & Variations

• Fresh juice. Since you will be using fresh oranges for the orange zest, just juice the orange instead of buying the juice premade. I just squeeze the orange halves (no tools required), or if I feel like washing more dishes will use a juicer or citrus reamer. Then run the juice through a fine mesh strainer to keep out the pulp.
• Topping options. Hojuelas can be topped with cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar, honey, or syrup.
• Use a thermometer. Keep the thermometer in the oil at all times, to make sure oil is at the right temperature.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of oil to use for frying? You want to use a vegetable oil, I like olive oil or avocado oil, but canola oil will work also.

What kind of thermometer to use? You can use a deep fryer thermometer or a candy thermometer for oil temperature.

What is the serving size? There are 6 servings, so that means 3 hojuelas per person.

Storage Instructions for Leftovers

How to keep hojuelas at room temperature? Hojuelas are best kept at room temperature. Store in an airtight container and enjoy within 3-4 days.

Try these other recipes!

• Te de Canela – Cinnamon Tea
• Camote en Dulce – Candied Sweet Potatoes
• Sopa de Lentejas – Lentil Soup
• Salsa Bechamel – White Sauce

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