• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Foxy Folksy logo

  • ALL Recipes
    • COOKING + BAKING TIPS
  • RECIPE by Category
    • By Course/Meal:
      • Appetizers
      • Bread
      • Breakfast Ideas
      • Dessert + Sweets
      • Salad Recipes
      • Soup Recipes
      • Drinks
    • By Main Ingredient:
      • Beef Recipes
      • Chicken + Poultry
      • Pork Recipes
      • Fish + Seafood Recipes
      • Pasta + Noodle Recipes
      • Vegetable Recipes
    • By Cuisine:
      • Asian Dishes
      • Meditteranean/ Mid. Eastern
  • Filipino Dishes
  • ABOUT
    • About the Recipes
    • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • ALL RECIPES
  • BY COURSE/MEAL:
    • Appetizers
    • Bread
    • Breakfast Ideas
    • Dessert + Sweets
    • Side Dishes
    • Soup Recipes
    • Sandwiches/Light Meals
    • Drinks
    • Sauces and Condiments
  • BY MAIN INGREDIENT:
    • Beef Recipes
    • Chicken + Poultry Recipes
    • Fish + Seafood Recipes
    • Pork Recipes
    • Pasta + Noodle Recipes
    • Rice and Grains Recipes
    • Fruits Recipes
    • Vegetable Recipes
  • BY CUISINE:
    • Asian Dishes
    • Mediterranean/Middle Eastern
    • Italian
  • FILIPINO RECIPES
  • ABOUT
    • About the Recipes
    • Contact
×
Home > Bread

Filipino Spanish Bread Recipe

BY :Bebs | Published: 04/30/ 2020 | Updated:05/01/ 2020 | 409 Comments

RECIPE VIDEO PRINT
4.88 from 114 votes
Share Pin It Email

Spanish Bread is a favorite 'merienda' or afternoon snack in the Philippines that can be found in many local bakeries. You can also make your own and it is easy. We also found a way to keep that sweet buttery filling from oozing out. So you enjoy the full deliciousness of it without wasting any.

Spanish Bread showing the buttery sugar filling.

What is Filipino Spanish Bread?

Firstly, it has nothing to do with the Spanish bread of Spain (Pan de Horno). Except maybe that they share the same form (rolled) but the Filipino version of Spanish bread has something special. It has a sweet buttery filling.

It is a yeasted bread that is rolled into a log enclosing within a sugary and buttery filling. They are then rolled in breadcrumbs before baking.  It is very common to find them in 'panaderia' or local bakeries. Normally enjoyed as an afternoon snack.

Making the bread itself was no biggie. I read a lot of different recipes for Spanish bread and they all have the same ingredient for the bread, which is similar to Pandesal, so I just used my own recipe for that.

Filipino bread with filling.

Trying several recipes

The challenge for me was making the perfect filling. It took me four batches to finally get the filling right. That is, at least, my idea of what a Spanish bread filling should be. Sweet— but not overly sweet; buttery with a bit of a texture to it, and it should be moist.

The first batch, I followed what most recipe online uses for a filling: simply mixing butter, sugar, and bread crumbs together and spreading it to the dough before baking. I am not sure if it is the kind of breadcrumbs I used, because they turned out having a dry filling. The other problem is that most of the butter oozed out into the pan while baking. This seems to be a common problem with all the online recipes I found after I read the comments.

The second batch was almost the same, only with different measurements plus it adds powdered milk to it. The taste was good though.

With my third batch, I only used butter and brown sugar. I also smeared some butter on the center of the dough before adding the filling mixture. The outcome...slightly moist filling but there was no texture at all. Just a sticky syrup that also dries out once the Spanish bread gets cold. I recommend this recipe if you are eating them immediately after baking.

Bread rolls on a bread basket.

The perfect filling that stays inside

So after squeezing my brains out for some ideas, I decided to make an experiment. I cooked the filling!!!

Yup, I cooked the filling before spreading it to the dough of my Spanish bread! It is an additional step you will not find in any of the other recipes online. Believe me I read them all or at least those that are available at the time when I originally made this post in 2017. But, it was a necessary step to have a moist, textured, no-oozing-while-baking filling! I can see some have read my post and copied this step, which only means it really works.

The filling was brownish, not yellowish like ones I see on bakeries back home. I reckon that it is from using brown sugar and butter instead of white sugar and margarine that is normally used in bakeries. But I like the warm taste with a hint of caramel from brown sugar.

Freshly baked Spanish Bread on a basket

Sugary and buttery filling of Spanish Bread

Printable Recipe

Filipino Spanish Bread - bread roll with butter-sugar filling
Print Review

Filipino Spanish Bread Recipe

4.88 from 114 votes
Spanish bread is a popular 'merienda' in the Philippines with a sweet buttery filling! Try this delicious Filipino Spanish bread for your afternoon snack.
Prep Time: 1 hour hr
Cook Time: 20 minutes mins
Total Time: 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
Course :Breakfast, Snack
Servings =16
Print Recipe Rate this Recipe

Ingredients
 

FOR DOUGH

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons instant yeast - see NOTE 1
  • ¼ cup white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¾ - 1 cup lukewarm milk - see NOTE 2
  • 3 tablespoons butter - or margarine, melted
  • 1 egg

FOR FILLING

  • ¼ cup butter
  • ½ cup bread crumbs
  • 2 teaspoons flour
  • â…› cup water or milk - or more see NOTE 3
  • ½ cup brown sugar /white sugar
  • â…› teaspoon salt
  • butter - for brushing

FOR BREADING

  • 2 tablespoons milk - or water
  • ½ cup bread crumbs

Instructions
 

  • In a big bowl, mix together flour, sugar, and salt. Pour in lukewarm milk, melted butter, and beaten egg. Mix until well blended. Add the instant yeast and mix well to form a slighly sticky dough.
  • Tip the dough on a surface greased with oil. Knead the dough with lightly oiled hands until it becomes smooth and elastic, about 10-12 minutes.
  • Form the dough into a ball and place the dough in a greased bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and place it in a warm area and let it rise until it doubled in size. Depending on how warm it is, could take 30 minutes to an hour or even longer.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the filling. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter until bubbly. Add the ¼ cup bread crumbs and mix well. Add flour, water or milk, sugar, salt and rest of breadcrumbs. Cook until it gets thick. Remove from heat and continue stirring until it forms a thick paste-like texture.
  • Punch down the dough and divide into 16 equal parts using a knife of dough slicer. Roll each piece into a long triangle (like a pizza slice). Brush the middle part with butter or margarine then spread filling on the surface leaving about a centimeter around the edges unfilled. Roll the dough starting from the wider end towards the smaller end enclosing the filling.
  • Brush each rolled dough with milk or water then roll it on a plate of breadcrumbs and place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper: make sure that the end part sits at the bottom so it won't open up while baking. Cover with cloth or kitchen towel or cling wrap and let them rise for another 20-30 minutes or until they doubled in size. Remove cover before baking.
  • Place the baking sheet on the middle rack and bake at 150°C (300°F) for 20 minutes.
  • Remove the Spanish bread from the oven and transfer to a bread basket. Enjoy while still warm.

Notes

  • NOTE 1: You may also use active dry yeast but it needs to be proofed first by dissolving it in ½ cup lukewarm water or, in this case, in the milk with a tablespoon sugar (taken from the ingredients for dough).
  • NOTE 2: Some flour, though the same type, may absorb water more than others. Start with ¾ cup water and add more up to 1 cup if the dough is too dry. The dough should be a little sticky that will result in moist and soft bread.
  • NOTE 3: Some breadcrumbs absorb more liquid than others. In this case, you may need to add more liquid if you notice that the filling is getting too crumbly while cooking.

Nutrition

Calories: 211kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 4gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 269mgPotassium: 79mgFiber: 1gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 190IUCalcium: 40mgIron: 1.5mg
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @foxyfolksy or tag #FoxyFolksyRecipes!

This recipe for Spanish Bread was originally posted in February 2017. Updated in April 2020 to include new photos and a recipe video. The recipe remains the same.

 

Learn how to make this delicious Filipino Spanish bread for your afternoon snack. | www.foxyfolksy.com

More Bread and Pastries

  • Kababayan is a Filipino bread with a distinct salakot shape and yellow color.
    Kababayan Bread
  • Freshly baked Mamon Tostado in a bread basket served with hot coffee.
    Mamon Tostado
  • Homemade Classic and Ube Piaya on a serving platter.
    Piaya
  • Nutritious and delicious Malunggay Pandesal recipe.
    Malunggay Pandesal

Latest Recipes

Sweet fried rice balls coated with caramelized sugar.

Carioca

Super crispy whole fried chicken on a serving plate served with dipping sauce and rice.

Crispy Fried Whole Chicken

Crispy chicken wings tossed in a mouthwatering garlic-parmesan coating.

Garlic Parmesan Wings

Variety of Spam Musubi with luncheon meat, cucumber, an egg roll on a serving plate.

Spam Musubi

Kung Pao Chicken in a serving bowl with steamed rice on the side,

Kung Pao Chicken

Yellow Cab's famous Charlie Chan Pasta recipe copycat!

Charlie Chan Pasta

An ube cake slice on a serving plate layered with cream cheese frosting.

Ube Cake

Homemade Avocado ICe Cream made with fresh avocados, whipping cream, and condensed milk.

Avocado Ice Cream

Reader Interactions

Comments

    What do you think? Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Rate this Recipe




  1. Ethel says

    September 23, 2023 at 3:33 pm

    4 stars
    Thank you for posting your recipes I have tried and it was a hit to my family.

    Reply
« Older Comments

Primary Sidebar

Author photo

Good food does not have to be expensive or difficult to make. With our recipes, you can make budget-friendly and restaurant-worthy dishes in no time!

Learn more→

  • Sweet fried rice balls coated with caramelized sugar.
    Carioca
  • Super crispy whole fried chicken on a serving plate served with dipping sauce and rice.
    Crispy Fried Whole Chicken
  • Crispy chicken wings tossed in a mouthwatering garlic-parmesan coating.
    Garlic Parmesan Wings
  • Variety of Spam Musubi with luncheon meat, cucumber, an egg roll on a serving plate.
    Spam Musubi

Subscribe

Ebook
Receive new posts directly delivered to your inbox As a bonus, a FREE eCookbook and printable Recipe Cards upon subscription
  • Easy Garlic Mushroom and Baby Potatoes by Foxy Folky
    Pan Roasted Garlic Mushroom and Baby Potatoes

  • Hamondo Recipe
    Easy Pork Hamonado Recipe using Pork Belly

  • Phalaenopsis Orchid Care
    How to take care of orchids?

  • Chop Suey served in a plate.
    Easy Chop Suey Recipe

  • How to make Tapioca Pearls by Foxy Folksy
    How to make Black Tapioca Pearls for Bubble Tea (Milk Tea)

  • Baby Back Ribs in Oven | Foxy Folksy
    Fall-off-the-bone Baby Back Ribs in Oven

Footer

  • Try this Chicken Sotanghon Soup. A tasty and immune-boosting Filipino chicken soup with slippy cellophane noodles. | www.foxyfolksy.com
    Chicken Sotanghon Soup
  • Yummy Coffee Jelly
    Coffee Jelly
  • Pichi Pichi Recipe
  • Homemade Japanese Cheesecake | Foxy Folksy
    Japanese Cheesecake
  • Cheesy Cauliflower
    Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
  • Get recipe for this sticky, sweet and salty BBQ Pork Belly in oven! | www.foxyfolksy.com
    BBQ Pork Belly Recipe

Footer

↑ back to top

FEATURE ICONS

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2014 - 2021 Foxy Folksy All Rights Reserved

HOME | ABOUT | CONTACT | RECIPE INDEX

PRIVACY POLICY| DISCLOSURE|COPYRIGHT POLICY