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Conchas
What can I say about conchas? They're classic. As a kid I used to take the colorful part off the top and leave the bread. I was really spoiled so my parents never reprimanded me lol. My fave is vanilla!
Pair with: Café con leche y azúcar. My dad's coffee always had sugar and milk. He'd always give me a bite of his concha and a sip of coffee to wash down my six-year-old gullet. Great memories. 💕 -
Niño Envuelto aka Mexican Jelly Roll
So, the literal translation of this pan dulce is "enveloped child" and if you don't giggle a little bit when you say "I'm about to eat an enveloped child for dessert" then you're missing out on the joy of pan dulce dad jokes. We're just a bunch of silly geese over here. 🤓
Pair with: Black coffee. These are really sweet. I mean, it's a full-on cake that people be eating for breakfast. Por eso estamos como estamos lol. -
Orejas aka Palmeras de Hojaldre
The crunch factor - that's what it's all about with these. The subtle sugaring also takes it over the edge. These are a texture fiend's bestie.
Pair with: Espresso. The contrast between a sweet, crunchy "pan" (I guess it's more of a pastry?) with the depth and bitterness of an espresso is just *chef's kiss*. -
Polvorones
I dunno, y'all. These literally taste like polvo and sugar to me. I love the triple color that excites and sucks you in, but one bite and you're like, "I knew this was gonna happen and I did it anyway." Are polvorones the pan dulce (or cookie) of regret? I think I'm being a hater right now. I'm sorry, polvorones...you are pretty, tho.
Pair with: Champurrado. Since the texture of champurrado is creamy and thick, the crunchy-cookie element as well as the mostly neutral taste of the polvorón works well here.
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Puerquitos aka Marranitos aka Cochinitos
I don't know a Mexican who doesn't like this delectable gingerbread-like delight. It has caramel-y, molasses-y overtones from the piloncillo, a slight chew, and is very cute. The best part is the satisfyingly shiny egg-wash on top! Se me hace agua la boca.🐖
Pair with: Café de Olla. As long as the café de olla isn't too sweet, the puerquito goes well since both are made with piloncillo and have that complementary depth of flavor. -
Empanadas
Empanadas de calabaza (pumpkin) are supreme. The end.
Pair with: Black coffee. Black coffee supremacy. -
Cuernitos
Mexican-style cuernitos are interesting cuz they're not at all like French-style croissants despite looking like them. They're a lot spongier and sweeter. They're also a little more savory (not by much) than other panes. They're like a cake, which, by this point, are you surprised? I ain't mad tho.
Pair with: Té de manzanilla (chamomile tea) without sugar. Or té de aguacate con leche (avocado leaf tea with whole milk). I remember having sweets, including the most delicious bread I've ever had in my LIFE, in my grandparents' hometown of Dolores, Chihuahua, with avocado leaf tea and milk. It was so comforting. I also didn't have stomach issues drinking the milk out there. But I'm 33 now and who knows what nature has done with my body. 🙃 -
Gorditas de Nata
Oh god these are so good that I'm designating them honorary pan dulce since they don't technically belong to the pantheon of pan dulce that you see splayed out at those church meetings our parents went to while all the kids were stuffed in a room watching a scary movie that one of the older kids put on (lol that was a wildly specific run-on sentence). Street vendors griddle these nata-filled (clotted cream), fluffy, fatty disks of extreme joy.
Pair with: Whatever you find being sold next to them, usually agua fresca. Agua de melón would prob go pretty good. Both have a sweet, neutral-ish flavor that won't overpower the other.