Easy Capirotada Cinnamon Piloncillo Raisins (Printable version)

Sweet bread pudding with piloncillo syrup, cinnamon, raisins, and cheese. A warming Mexican treat for gatherings.

# What You Need:

→ Bread

01 - 1 loaf (16 ounces) bolillo, French bread, or baguette, sliced into 1-inch rounds (day-old preferred)

→ Syrup

02 - 1 1/2 cups (10 ounces) chopped piloncillo or packed dark brown sugar
03 - 2 cups (16 fluid ounces) water
04 - 2 cinnamon sticks
05 - 3 whole cloves
06 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

→ Fillings

07 - 1/2 cup (2.6 ounces) raisins
08 - 1 cup (3.9 ounces) shredded mild cheese such as queso fresco, Monterey Jack, or mozzarella
09 - 1/2 cup (2.1 ounces) chopped pecans or peanuts (optional)

→ For Greasing

10 - Butter for greasing baking dish

# Step-by-step guide:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter.
02 - Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet and toast for 10 to 12 minutes, turning halfway, until dry and lightly golden.
03 - Combine piloncillo, water, cinnamon sticks, and cloves in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until piloncillo dissolves and syrup thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in unsalted butter, discard cinnamon sticks and cloves.
04 - Layer half of the toasted bread in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the raisins, cheese, and nuts if using. Pour over half of the piloncillo syrup.
05 - Repeat layering with remaining bread, raisins, cheese, nuts, and syrup. Gently press down with a spatula to soak the bread.
06 - Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.
07 - Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and top is golden.
08 - Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • This secret: the syrup soaks every layer, turning simple bread into decadent dessert.
  • It’s the kind of recipe that always sparks childhood stories and laughter at the table.
02 -
  • If you skip the bread toasting, your capirotada can turn mushy instead of layered—learned that the sticky way.
  • Adding butter to the syrup right before pouring ramps up the sheen and flavor, and I almost missed this trick once until a helpful neighbor chimed in.
03 -
  • Let the syrup cool slightly before layering—it sinks in and doesn’t melt the cheese too quickly.
  • Lightly pressing down the layers brings out the pudding’s signature texture and keeps each bite satisfying.
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