Yield: 6 conchas
Prep Time: 30 minutes (plus rising time)
Bake Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: ~5 hours
🍂 A Cozy Fall Twist on a Classic Pan Dulce
Fall baking has officially taken over my kitchen! And honestly? I’m not fighting it. I cannot get enough of these warm, spiced, cozy flavors, and I’m squeezing in every fall bake I can before Thanksgiving arrives.
These Pumpkin Spice Conchas are my latest obsession: tender, lightly sweet bread topped with a crisp vanilla crackle that splits in the prettiest of patterns. They’re nostalgic, seasonal, and the perfect companion to your morning coffee (or your midnight snack… no judgment!).
🍁 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ultra-soft and fluffy, thanks to our Signature House Dough made with pumpkin purée.
- Warm fall flavors from pumpkin-spiced buns to a vanilla crackle topping that unfurls beautifully in the oven.
- Approachable and forgiving, even for concha beginners, this dough is incredibly workable and you can build on experience to recreate my other recipes that use our Signature House Dough.
- Naturally flavorful without relying on excessive sugar or fat.
- Festive and stunning for autumn gatherings, cozy breakfasts, or Thanksgiving dessert tables.
Another Pumpkin-Spiced Concha?
Absolutely! And here’s why.
This recipe uses our Signature House Dough, the base dough I return to again and again for many of my bread-style bakes. It’s soft, adaptable, and incredibly dependable: enriched just enough to stay pillowy but sturdy enough to carry flavors, fillings, and toppings.
Because it’s so versatile, I can take it in any direction: ube, matcha, chocolate… and this time, pumpkin spice. Its mild sweetness makes it the perfect canvas for bold seasonal flavors and cozy fall spices.
And let’s be real! Fall baking windows are short. I’m cramming in every cozy flavor I can until Thanksgiving hits, so yes, another pumpkin-spiced concha feels just right.
🥣 Ingredients
Crackle Topping
- 76 g (⅓ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 60 g (½ cup) powdered sugar
- 90 g (¾ cup) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
Pumpkin Spice Concha Dough
- 2 ¼ tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
- ½ cup warm water
- 1 ½ tsp granulated sugar (for blooming)
- 450 g bread flour
- 75 g granulated sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp pumpkin spice
- 100 g canned pumpkin
- 1 large egg
- 76 g (⅓ cup) unsalted butter, softened
Egg Wash
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tbsp whole milk
🧡 Instructions
1. Bloom the Yeast
In a small bowl, whisk together the warm water, active dry yeast, and 1 ½ teaspoons of sugar. Set aside for 5–10 minutes, until foamy.
2. Mix the Dough
In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the bread flour, sugar, pumpkin spice, and salt.
Add the bloomed yeast mixture, canned pumpkin, and egg. Mix with the dough hook until a shaggy dough forms.
Add the softened butter and continue kneading. Once the dough pulls away from the bowl, knead for 5 additional minutes (15–20 minutes by hand), until smooth and elastic. The dough should pass the windowpane test.
3. First Rise
Turn the dough onto a clean surface and shape into a smooth ball using the pull-and-tuck method.
Place into a lightly greased bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let rise until doubled, about 2–2 ½ hours.
4. Make the Crackle Topping
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine butter, powdered sugar, flour, and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
Roll the crackle dough between two parchment sheets and refrigerate until firm.
5. Shape the Conchas
Punch down the dough and divide into 6 equal portions. Shape into smooth buns.
Remove the chilled crackle topping, cut 6 discs with a round cookie cutter, and place one on each bun.
Score with a warmed knife or use a concha cutter.
6. Second Rise
Cover and let rise for 1–1 ½ hours, or until puffy.
7. Apply Egg Wash
Whisk together yolk and milk. Brush only the exposed dough, avoiding the crackle topping.
8. Bake
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Bake for 25 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden and the topping is set.
Cool fully on a wire rack before serving.
🛠️ Equipment
- Stand mixer (dough hook + paddle attachment)
- Kitchen scale
- Mixing bowls (large + medium)
- Rubber spatula
- Bench scraper
- Parchment-lined baking sheet
- Concha cutter or sharp paring knife
- Cooling rack
- Plastic wrap or clean kitchen towel (for proofing)
💡 Tips & Tricks
- Weigh ingredients for the best texture. Concha dough is sensitive to small changes.
- Knead for the full 5 minutes for a smooth, elastic dough that rises beautifully.
- Press the crackle topping lightly to avoid early cracking.
- Chill topping discs during the first rise; let them soften slightly while shaping the buns.
- Warm your knife or cutter for cleaner scoring.
- Add a pinch of pumpkin spice to the crackle topping for extra fall flavor.
- Roll the topping evenly so it melts cleanly over the bun.
🍂 Variations
- Maple Pumpkin Conchas– Add 2 tbsp maple syrup to the dough + 1 tsp maple extract to the topping.
- Brown Butter Conchas – Replace the softened butter in the dough with nutty brown butter.
- Extra-Spiced – Add a pinch of Chinese 5-spice for a deeper, more complex aroma.
🧈 Storage
- Room Temperature: Store airtight for 2–3 days.
- Freeze: Freeze up to 2 months (place on top of heavier items to protect the topping). Defrost completely prior to reheating.
- Reheat: Best warmed in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes.
🧁 Make-Ahead Options
- Dough: Prepare through the first rise, then refrigerate overnight.
- Topping: Roll out and refrigerate (tightly wrapped) for 2–3 days.
☕ Pairing Suggestions
- Café de olla
- Champurrado (a family favorite!)
- Milk tea
- A scoop of vanilla ice cream
- Sliced and buttered like a pineapple bun (one of my concha designs even look like one!)
🔁 Substitutions
- Pumpkin: Replace with sweet potato, acorn squash, or kabocha mash.
- Butter: Use plant-based butter (chill dough briefly for easier handling).
- Pumpkin Spice: No pre-made mix? Substitute with a blend of cinnamon + nutmeg + ginger + cloves.
Hey It's Jen Lou 