Capirotada – Mexican Bread Pudding

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  • PREP TIME
    20 Mins
  • COOK TIME
    40 Mins
  • SERVINGS
    8
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Capirotada – Mexican Bread Pudding

Traditional recipes are often the best recipes, right? Capirotada is a traditional Mexican bread pudding made frequently around Lent, but this delicious dessert can be made year-round.

Did you know that this dish is some 500 years old?

Capirotada is a Mexican dessert made with bread, piloncillo (brown sugar), cheese, spices, nuts, fruits and several other ingredients. Beyond personal variations, every region has its variation on the basic capirotada recipe, like many other Mexican dishes.

I love the cinnamon smell and taste the sweet warm melted cheese. Yes, cheese. The combination of the ingredients is sure to awaken your taste buds.

I know that for some people the thought of manchego cheese and cotija cheese in a dessert seems odd. But once you taste it, you realize that it’s not bad at all and actually works. The contrasting flavors complement each other so well that make this dessert perfectly balanced.
Think about it, cheese is a classic pairing with sweets, such as cheddar and apples, blue cheese with candied pecans or gouda with dark chocolate. Have you tried cheese and sweets pairings?

This Capirotada is sweet, cheesy, easy, full of flavor and simply good! Try it and see for yourself. And feel free to experiment with the ingredients; more cinnamon, less raisins, more coconut, a bit more cheese, whatever.

Note: Click the ‘Products‘ tab above to learn more about the Cacique® ingredients used in this recipe. You can find these ingredients near you by clicking the ‘Find Stores‘ tab, selecting the products you are looking for, and entering your zip code.

WHAT YOU NEED:

Cotija
Cotija
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Manchego
Manchego
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  • 4 bolillos or 1 loaf of french bread
  • 2 large piloncillo cones (use 1 ½ cups of brown sugar if piloncillos aren’t available)
  • 3 cups water
  • 2 whole cinnamon sticks
  • 3 whole cloves
  • ¼ cup peanuts
  • ¼ cup pecans
  • ¼ cup shredded coconut
  • ¼ cup raisins
  • 1 cup Cacique® Cotija Cheese
  • 1 cup Cacique® Manchego Cheese
  • Melted butter for bread and baking dish
  • Sprinkles for garnish

HOW TO MAKE IT:

  1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Cut the bolillo in ½ inch slices and butter both sides, layer on a baking sheet and bake for 3 minutes on each side, until lightly toasted and dry. Remove and cool.
  2. Combine water, piloncillo (or brown sugar), cinnamon sticks, and cloves in a saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, creating a syrup. Simmer syrup uncovered for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
  3. Rub baking dish with butter. Place a layer of bread covering the entire surface. Pour syrup on top. Cover with peanuts, pecans, coconut, raisins, Cacique® Cotija Cheese and Cacique® Manchego Cheese. Repeat the process one more time. Make sure that each piece of bread is properly coated in syrup.
  4. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake 30 minutes, uncover and bake until cheese is golden brown about 10 minutes more. Garnish with sprinkles. Serve warm or cold.