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A plate of hojuelas gets dusted with a sprinkle of powdered sugar.
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5 from 9 votes

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.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Dough Chilling/Oil Heating35 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Dessert and Pastries
Cuisine: South American
Servings: 6
Calories: 135kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour plus more for rolling
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter softened
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 3-4 cups vegetable oil for frying, may need more or less depending on pot
  • powdered sugar for garnish

Instructions

Make Hojuelas Dough

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine together the flour and sugar.
  • Add in butter and combine well on low speed. Next, add in orange zest. Keep on low speed and slowly add in the orange juice.
  • Turn off the mixer once all of the ingredients are incorporated. Form the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Put in the refrigerator to chill for 20-30 minutes.

How to Cut Hojuelas

  • 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.
  • With a bench scraper (or sharp knife), cut the rectangle in half so that each strip will be 3.5 inches long.
  • Using a ruler (or bench scraper with measurements), mark one inch sections with a toothpick. Repeat on both sides.
  • 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.

How to Fry Hojuelas

  • 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. 
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Sprinkle the hojaldras with powdered sugar and serve immediately.

Notes

  • 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.
  • Serving size is 3 strips.
  • Hojuelas will last at room temperature in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
 
* Please note that all nutrition information are just estimates. Values will vary among brands, so we encourage you to calculate these on your own for most accurate results. 
 

Nutrition

Serving: 3pieces | Calories: 135kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 46mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 93IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg