Golden New Year Buñuelos are ultra-thin, crispy fried discs of dough coated in cinnamon sugar and traditionally enjoyed around New Year for good luck, joy, and prosperity. In parts of Mexico and Latin America, families make and share buñuelos to mark the end of the old year and the beginning of the new, sometimes even smashing the serving dish after eating as a symbol of breaking with the past.
Buñuelos and New Year traditions
Buñuelos are a beloved holiday treat across many Hispanic cultures, especially at Christmas and New Year’s. In regions like Oaxaca, they’re served on ceramic plates, drizzled with syrup, and eaten while people make wishes for the coming year, then the dish is broken to symbolize a fresh start and good luck. In Texas and other parts of the U.S. with strong Mexican influence, buñuelos are mentioned alongside black-eyed peas as New Year “good luck” foods.
These New Year buñuelos lean into that tradition with:
- A light, crisp texture from rolling the dough very thin and frying at the right temperature.
- A generous coating of cinnamon sugar, which clings best while the fritters are still warm.
- The option to drizzle piloncillo syrup or honey for extra sweetness and a symbolic “sweet year ahead,” a serving style suggested in many buñuelo recipes.