Cuban buñuelos are celebratory deep-fried pastries shaped into figure-eights or spirals, made from a dough of yuca and malanga that fries into a crisp exterior with a soft, stretchy interior. They’re always served drenched in an anise-scented syrup that perfumes the whole home. Most iconic during Christmas and New Year, Cuban buñuelos are tied to family ritual and the warmth of seasonal gatherings, with each household fiercely guarding its preferred shape, syrup, and secret mix of roots.

Regional Roots

• Cuba