Spanish Bread- A Filipino Bakery Favorite
Spanish Bread brings back memories of hot afternoon snacks back home with these soft bread coming out of brown paper bags, warm and fresh from the bakery. The sweet, buttery paste filling is my favorite. Love Filipino breads? Also try Pandesal and Ensaymada.
Around the time when the Holidays were approaching, a reader asked if I have a Spanish Bread recipe on the blog.
And that was a very nice inquiry because I stopped and asked myself “Why I have not made this delicious bread, the Filipino Spanish bread which is also another bakery classic back home?”
You guys are my hero. You remind me of delicious things that I would not have not thought of by myself. So here we are, let’s make this Filipino bakery favorite and enjoy a typical pinoy merienda.
What I love about Spanish Bread?
- They are meaty in the bread department. They are fat rolls of bread dusted with breadcrumbs all over.
- The texture from the breadcrumbs makes them a delight to eat.
- The chunky filling that is sweet and buttery is a nice contrast to the soft bread surrounding it.
Let’s Make Them!
Start by proofing the yeast. So in a large mixing bowl, combine the warm milk and yeast and let sit stand for about 5 minutes.
Note: The milk should be between 105-115 F. As you can see in the photo above, the mixture will turn foamy or creamy.
Add the sugar, eggs, salt and oil to the bowl and stir everything with a wooden spoon.
Then, add 4 cups of flour but only one cup at a time. Stir after each addition. The mixture will turn into a shaggy dough. Sprinkle just enough of the remaining 1/2 cup of flour and keep stirring until the dough gathers in the center.
Knead the Dough. Flour a board and dust your hands with flour as well. Turn the dough over onto the board and start kneading. Use the remaining flour to dust your board and your hands to help with the stickiness as you knead.
You may need up to 1/8 cup more of flour as you continue to knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. New to kneading? Check out my simple guide How to Knead Bread Dough ( with video).
First Rise. Shape the kneaded dough into a ball and place it in a bowl. Cover and let it rise for 1 and 1/2 hour, until the size is doubled.
Shape the Dough. Once the dough has risen, gently punch it down and divide it into 18-20 almost equal sized portions.
Flatten each portion with your palms or use a rolling pin. You need an oval-shaped dough that is about the size of your hands.
Spoon about a tablespoon of the filling and spread it across the dough. Roll the dough into a log. Repeat with the rest of the portions.
Place them in a greased baking tray or line the tray with parchment paper. Using a pastry brush, brush evaporated milk all over the logs, then dip them in breadcrumbs, making sure the log is all coated.
Second Rise. Line them up again in the baking tray. Cover the logs loosely with plastic wrap and let them rise for about an hour, or until they are puffy and doubled in size.
Bake. Preheat oven to 350 F. Once the temperature is reached, bake the Spanish bread for 15-20 minutes, or until they are lightly golden.
Once they are done, be patient. The filling is hot. I know it smells nice and heavenly but that delicious filling needs more time before you take that bite.
Then grab what you need. A cup of coffee or tea maybe? Hot chocolate is super, too. Wind down and have a snack of warm bread, fresh from the oven. A typical Filipino afternoon snack. Oh, some of the good things in life!
More Delicious Bread
- Japanese Condensed Milk Bread
- Yema Rolls
- Milk Bread
- Japanese Milk Buns
- Coconut Bread with Milky Sweet Filling
- Sweet Beehive Buns
- Honey Buns with Honey Cream Filling
- Chelsea Buns
- Milk and Sugar Mini Buns
- Soft and Buttery Sugar Buns
- Choco-Yema Cupcakes
- Pan de Siosa
- Ube Morning Buns
- Easy and Tasty Bibingka
- Puto Pao
- Tasty ( Asian Style White Loaf Bread)
- Whole Wheat Buttermilk Loaf Bread
Spanish Bread
Ingredients
For the Bread Dough
- 1 and 1/4 cups warm milk 105-115 F
- 2 and 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 4 and 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, divided + up to 1/8 cup extra for kneading
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 3/4 cup bread crumbs for coating the bread
- 1/4 cup evaporated milk
For the Spanish Bread Filling
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup` bread crumbs
- 1/3 cup butter
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup evaporated milk
Instructions
Make the Bread Dough
- In a mixing bowl, combine milk and yeast. Let stand for 5 minutes or until foamy. Add the eggs, sugar, oil and salt. Stir everything with a wooden spoon. Add 4 cups of flour, one cup at a time while stirring. The mixture will turn into a shaggy dough.
- Sprinkle just enough of the remaining 1/2 cup of flour and keep stirring until the dough gathers in the center. Turn the dough over on a floured board and knead it until it is smooth and elastic, about 6-10 minutes. As you knead, dust your hands and your board as needed to help with the stickiness. You may need to use up to 1/8 cup of additional flour.
- Shape the dough into a ball and place it a bowl. Cover and let rise for 1 and 1/2 hours, or until the size is doubled. You can make the filling at this point.
- Gently punch the dough down and divide it into 18-20 portions. Using a small rolling pin or your hands, flatten each portion into an oval that is about the size of your hands. Spread about a tablespoon of the filling across the surface of the dough and roll it into a log. Repeat with all the other portions. Arrange the rolls in a large baking tray that is greased or lined with parchment paper. Brush evaporated milk on each of the rolls and dip them in breadcrumbs. Cover them loosely with plastic wrap and let them rise for an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Bake the Spanish bread for 15-20 minutes, or until the rolls are lightly golden.
Spanish Bread Filling
- Heat the butter in a small saucepan until it is bubbly. Add the flour and the breadcrumbs and stir the mixture vigorously with a wire whisk for a few seconds. This is a grainy mixture at this point. Immediately add the milk and keep stirring until the mixture loosens up a bit. Stir for 30 seconds more and turn off heat. Stir in the sugar well until it is incorporated. Set aside to cool. This mixture is a chunky paste.
Please disregard my previous comment. I see it now where the evaporated milk goes in. 🙂
In your dough ingredients above, you have 1/4 cup evaporated milk. I don’t think I saw in the instructions when you would add this ingredient.
Hello! The evap milk will be brushed on the shaped rolls:)
Hi, thank you for this wonderful recipe. I tried it and came out so delicious. Although, I find the dough is very sticky And a little hard to work with BUT this is the most softest bread I’ve ever made. I even used your dough recipe to make ube bread roll and came out so soft and fluffy. My husband said this is the best bread I’ve ever made. Thank you so much for this recipe. God bless!
Hello there! I am so happy that you and your husband loved it!
I made it yesterday and it was sooo good my family loved it specially my hubby. The bread is so soft kahit today sobrang lambot nya pa din after i-reheat sa oven parang bagong bake ulitthank you so much po sa pag share!God bless po❤️
Hi there! I am so glad you loved it! Thank you!
Hi Sanna! Glad to have come across with your recipe! Baked these today and although my dough was sticky at first i added a bit more of the flour until it was in the center. I used instant yeast that i bought online. Couldn’t find the active dry yeast in store nowadays. It came out Deliciously good, yielded 18 rolls of different sizes(hehe..) My Mom, hubby and daughter plus me, Loved it a lot! Thank you much for giving us a great recipe! Ingat lagi! ❤️
Hello Tek! I am so happy that your family loved this! Thank you so much and take care too!!!1
Could I use vegetable oil instead of Canola?
Hello Vanessa! Yes you can:)
My family loved this recipe! Thank you!
I am so happy to know that Cria!
Can I use whole wheat flour instead?
Thanks!
Hello Abig! Using whole wheat flour will make your dough very sticky to handle. You may have to add more flour and less liquid. An entire recipe testing should be conducted first 🙂 That is a good idea, though. I might make a whole wheat version of these in the future.
Hi Maam, just wondering because I made this today using your recipe, but after I baked it, i noticed my bread is more white in color but when I watched your video and saw the after photos your bread is more yellow in color. Did i miss an ingredient? Thanks by the way for the recipe. The bread though is soft and fluffy. Its just the color that i missed hehe
Hello Kat. I am not sure why mine is yellower;) I have got that comment once already. I just follow the recipe as is, and I am not aware that the bread turns whiter for others and yellower for me. I am thinking that it is the lighting in the video and photos, maybe 🙂
Hi can i use a stand mixer?same as the way you did the ube bread?how long will it be if i use a stand mixer?thank you.
Hi Shaine! 10-15 minutes in the mixer but most importantly if the dough is gathering in the center already. Good luck 🙂
Hi,
Can i use instant yeast instead? And whats another alternative for canola oil?
Thank you!
Hi Em! You can use instant yeast, follow same instructions. Use vegetable oil instead of canola oil.
hi. if you use instant yeast, do you still need to do the proofing or just mix directly with the flour mix?
thanks.
Hello! I still suggest using the same instructions in the recipe even if you use instant yeast. 🙂
Hi… Do i need to put in fridge the left over spanish bread or can i leave it at room temp overnight?
Hi Ela! Leave it at room temperature but in a covered container.
Hi! Just wondering how come your bread looks more on the yellow side? Just made this today and it was good. I do have a question, was I supposed to add the evaporated milk with the warm milk and yeast? I noticed this recipe didn’t require adding a tablespoon of sugar to proof the yeast? Thanks in advance!
Hello Cheryl! Thank you so much. The evaporated milk is for brushing the rolls only 🙂 As for proofing the yeast, you can also throw in one tablespoon of the sugar together with the yeast during proofing and that is fine too:) It will help it prove faster. I did not realize my bread is on the yellow side. I am thhinking it is just the lighting 🙂 Thanks again and happy baking always 🙂
Can you use regular milk or cream instead of evaporated for filling?
Hi Debby! YEs you can!
Hi. Should I use the same amount if I use instant dry yeast instead? Thank you 🙂
Hello Nikki! You can use instant yeast and use the same amount, and the same instructions. Good luck!
hi! I just want to ask if use instant yeast what would be the instruction for that? do I have to mix all together the ingredients?
I still suggest using the same instructions even if you use instant yeast 🙂
I made these beauties. I wish I could share a photo. They were amazing!!! And it turned to be quite an easy recipe. The filling was so nice. Buttery and not too sugary. I will make them again.
Thank you so much! So glad you like them !
Hi Sanna, I was wondering if I could use bread flour for this recipe? Or will that affect the bread texture? Thanks! 🙂