Easy Mantecadas (Mexican Muffins)

The best Mantecadas are moist, delicious & super easy to make from scratch. These Mexican muffins are delicious pan dulce loved in every Mexican home. Enjoy with coffee for breakfast, as a snack or dessert- you decide!

Mantecadas

Mantecadas are one of the most popular pan dulce pastries in Mexico. They’re a soft and moist muffin that melt in your mouth. Some people say they remind them of vanilla pound cake. I kind of agree!

For many of us, they’re part of our childhood memories and treat it will always be enjoyed.

You can find them at every bakery, grocery stores and even small convenience stores. The most popular brand is Mantecadas Bimbo. But now, you can make your own! Let me show you how easy it is to make them with my step by step instructions. The best part? no special equipment is needed!

Why you’ll love them!

Never dry – The muffins come out super moist and delicious thanks to the of vegetable oil.
No special ingredients – It uses common ingredients you probably already have at home – and otherwise you can definitely find them at your nearest supermarket.
They’re quick & easy to make– no complicated or time consuming steps required.
They make a great breakfast! Just like Pan Frances, these can be enjoyed with a cup of coffee and call it a day.

A few muffins on a white plate with a coffee mug on the side.

Want to take your baking from good to great? Invest in a kitchen scale! A scale makes it so much easier to measure ingredients accurately and it’s one of the best ways for your baked goods to come out perfect.

Ingredients & Variations

The dry ingredients: All purpose flour, baking powder, table salt and white sugar.
Wet ingredients: 4 large eggs, milk, vanilla extract and vegetable oil.

Variations

If you want to get fancy and make it your own, try adding some of these extra ingredients.

Add other flavors like almond extract or nutmeg. A little bit of it will do the trick.
Add chopped pecans.
Add chocolate chips.
Sprinkle powder sugar before eating.
Bake them in mini muffin tins to make mini mantecadas! Just bake for 14 to 16 minutes instead.

The ingredients for this recipe on a white board.

***Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions.

How To Make The Best Mantecadas

Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C). Line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.
In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together.
In a separate large bowl using a whisk or handheld mixer, beat eggs until fluffy.

Sifting flour thru a fine mesh strainer.

Mixing eggs with a whisk in a large bowl.

Then add the sugar and mix until creamy.
Add the milk and vanilla. Continue to beat with handheld mixer.

Whipping eggs and sugar with a whisk in a large bowl.

Whisking eggs, milk and vanilla in a large bowl.

Add the oil while whisking at the same time. Mix until every ingredient has integrated.
Add the flour a little at the time and whisk each time. Whisk until there are no clumps. Do not over mix.

Adding oil from a measuring cup into a bowl with whipped egg.

Adding flour from a bowl into a large bowl with an egg mixture.

The batter should be like a batter for pancakes. Mix until the lumps are gone and batter is smooth….Do not overmix!

Using a ¼ dry measuring cup, pour the batter into each liner filling it ¾ to the top.
This recipe makes about 18 mantecadas.

A muffin mold with cupcake lines and batter inside.

Bake the muffins for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin pan, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.

Mantecadas on a cooling rack with red flowers on the side. — Easy recipe for vanilla Mantecadas

How to Store Mantecadas

Storing – Place a layer of paper towel into the bottom of the sealed plastic container. Place the muffins on top and cover with another sheet or two of paper towel. This will absorb the moisture and prevent the top of the muffins getting sticky!
Never refrigerate mantecadas. The cool temperature of the fridge changes the texture of muffins and makes them dry out faster rather than keep them moist.
Freeze – One of the easier muffins to freeze, once fully cooled they can be frozen by wrapping them individually in plastic wrap and then placing in a heavy-duty freezer bag for up to 4 months.
To Thaw – Pop out one or two at the time, thaw on the counter at room temperature, and serve with your favorite berries and some whipped cream!

FAQs

How long do they last?

In my house about one day or less! 🙂
Like most muffin recipes, tightly cover them and will remain fresh and moist for up to two days at room temperature.

Why do my mantecadas come out hard and chewy?

One of the common reasons for muffins to become dense and chewy is overmixing. Just whisk your ingredients until all ingredients are mixed and you don’t see any lumps. Over whisking will cause in over working the gluten and will make your muffins chewy.

Another reason is not measuring the ingredients well. This is a big reason to use a kitchen scale!

Why are my muffins dry?

besides over mixing the batter, they can also become dry when left in the baking tins for too long after baking, or if they were baked at too high of a temperature. Follow my recipe to a T. and they will be soft and moist.

MORE delicious…

Mexican Desserts

I hope you like this recipe! Share it, or leave a rating and comment below. For questions that need an answer right away, please contact me and I’ll get back to you asap. Gracias!!!! xx, Ana

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