Señorita Bread a.k.a. Filipino Spanish Bread: the ultimate snack! (2024)

Tender milk bread, a swirl of mildly cinnamon scented caramel-like filling, and a topping of crispy crumbs all combine to make Senorita Bread; a classic Filipino popular afternoon snack that’s beloved by all ages. There’s nothing quite like a Señorita roll with your cup of coffee, tea, or even dipped into cold milk.

Filipino cuisine is a delicious amalgam of the many cultures that have impacted the Philippines over its history whether through trade, conquest, or political influence. It’s impossible to cover all of these within the confines of a little blog post about a delicious bread roll with sweet buttery filling.

Briefly, though, it’s an East-meets-West culinary history: native Filipino food culture fuses with hints of Malay, Indonesian, Japanese, Arabic, Indian, Chinese, Spanish, and American cuisines. This history which was at many times fraught ended up yielding the food that is, in a word, irresistible.

The many years of Spanish conquest (333, if you’re wondering!) had a massive impact on Filipino food. Many iconic Filipino foods have Spanish names or techniques or ingredients, which helps explain the two most common names for today’s delicious snack; Señorita Bread or Spanish Bread.

My friend Leng grew up in the Philippines and treasures sweet memories of being a 6 year old girl running to the local bakery for Senorita Bread with her friends. They’d eat it with black coffee (if you were poor) or soda (if you were rich) for their merienda or afternoon snack.

Señorita Bread is beloved for good reason. The tender bread is complimented beautifully by the sweet caramel-like filling and crunchy crumb coating. I may not be a 6 year old, but I’d run to any bakery that had these.

If you’re looking for a lovely cup of tea to have with your Senorita Bread, might I suggest Eggnog Chai Latte? And I haven’t forgotten my coffee and hot chocolate people out there. If black coffee isn’t your jam, go for Peppermint Mocha or Hot Chocolate

Spanish Bread

Our Filipino Spanish bread recipe does not require any difficult-to-source ingredients or specialty equipment, so you can make this whenever the muse strikes. And strike often, it will!

Ingredients:

1. Milk
2. Butter
3. All-Purpose Flour
4. Neutral Oil
5. Plain Bread Crumbs
6. Sugar
7. Salt
8. Instant Yeast
9. Cinnamon

Equipment:

1. Large Bowl (or Stand Mixer with dough hook)
2. Dough Whisk or Sturdy Spoon
3. Plastic Wrap or Damp Tea Towel
4. Parchment Paper
5. Half Sheet Pan
6. Rolling Pin

The best, softest sweet bread rolls will be made if you use whole milk for the dough, filling, and topping. You can, however make a very creditable vegan version of Señorita bread using extra virgin coconut milk or vegan butter substitute and soy milk.

I use sunflower oil as my oil in the dough, but you can certainly swap in light olive oil, canola oil, or vegetable oil (among others). Just be sure to pick an oil that is neutral in taste.

Some folks use brown sugar in the filling, but I prefer to use raw sugar. Brown sugar is a perfectly wonderful option, though.

Senorita Bread

To Make the Dough:

Combine the all-purpose flour, sugar, instant yeast, salt, milk, and oil in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. You can use a dough hook on a stand-mixer or do this by hand.

Form the dough into a ball, rolling it around gently on the counter to smooth the surface of the dough. Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and place the bowl in a warm, draft-free place for 30 minutes.

Lightly dust your countertop with flour, turn the dough out, and gently knead for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the dough is very smooth and supple.

Form the dough into a ball again and return it to the bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 30 to 45 minutes.

To Make the Filling:

Scatter the flour in a 2 quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Place the pan over medium heat and toast, whisking it, for 2 to 4 minutes, or until it is slightly darker in colour and smells fragrant and toasty.

Whisk in the butter, breadcrumbs, and sugar, stirring until the melted butter and the sugar and flour are thoroughly incorporated.

Once the sugar is melted and the mixture is light gold in colour, whisk in the milk and cinnamon. Whisk until the mixture thickens, about 3 minutes. The filling should be a light caramel colour. Set the pan aside off of the heat to cool completely.

To Make the Senorita Bread Rolls:

Line a half sheet pan or other baking sheet with parchment paper or grease it lightly. Set it aside.

Once again, lightly flour your countertop. Turn the dough out and gently deflate before dividing it into 12 equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball, cover lightly with plastic wrap, and let them rest for 15 minutes.

Working with one dough ball at a time, roll the dough into an oblong oval that’s about 4 inches across and about 8 inches long. Spread a generous tablespoon of the filling over the whole oval.

Roll up the dough tightly, starting at a more narrow end of the oval. Brush the top of the dough with milk and roll it in breadcrumbs.

Place the roll, seam side down, on the prepared pan. Repeat with the rest of the dough and filling.

Cover the rolls lightly with plastic wrap and let them rise in a warm, draft-free place until they’re doubled in bulk and puffy looking, about 45 minutes to an hour.

About halfway through the rise, preheat your oven to 350ºF. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the rolls are a lovely golden brown.

Allow the rolls to cool on the pan for at least 10 minutes before eating or transferring to an airtight container. Señorita Bread will be good for 3 days at room temperature.

You can store them longer -tightly wrapped in a double layer- in the freezer for up to a month. To reheat the frozen rolls, wrap loosely in foil and heat in a moderate 350ºF oven for about 10 minutes.