Name: Capirotada
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 loaf of French Bread; 2 cups brown sugar or piloncillo coarsely chopped; 2 cups of water; 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 1 tsp ground clove; 3 tbsp butter, cut into cubes; 1/2 cup raisins; 4 bananas, sliced ( or apples, pineapple, or combine all ); 4 oz. sliced almonds ( or walnuts, pecans); Shredded cheese (optional)

Capirotada is a traditional Mexican food dessert similar to bread pudding made with bread, raisins, fruit, nuts, and simple sugar syrup, perfect warm or cold.

Jump to Recipe

Capirotada is usually eaten during the Lenten period, it is one of the dishes served on Good Friday.

There are many variations to this recipe based on the region, available ingredients, or merely personal taste. It is generally composed of toasted bolillo or baguette and soaked in an infused syrup made of the following: whole cane sugar, which is known as piloncillo; clove, and cinnamon sticks.

Ingredients for Capirotada

Bread - Bolillos, baguettes, and French Loaves are the best types of bread to use.

Fruit - Banana is typically used in Capirotada, but you can use any combination of these fruits; dates, apples, raisins, apricots, and pineapple.

Nuts - Almond slices, chopped walnuts, pine, and pecans are great add-ins.

How to make Capirotada

2-ways to make this dish...pieces or sliced

Bread Pieces

Tear the loaf of french bread into 2 to 3-inch pieces, and place on a baking sheet.

Preheat oven to 375°F, and place the baking sheet in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool.

In a medium saucepan, mix brown sugar, water, cinnamon, and clove.

Bring to a boil; simmer on low heat for 15 minutes

Combine bread, raisins, fruit, nuts, and butter in a large bowl

Drizzle with warm sugar syrup, tossing gently to coat. Spoon the mixture into an 11 x 8-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Place shredded cheese on top of Capirotada in the last 5 minutes of baking.

Serve warm, or cold

Bread Rounds

Slice French bread into slices and place on the baking casserole pan or dish (11 x 8 in)
Preheat oven to 375°F, and place the baking sheet in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool.
In a medium saucepan, mix brown sugar, water, cinnamon, and clove.

Place raisins, fruit, nuts, and butter on bread rounds, and drizzle with warm sugar syrup.

Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Place shredded cheese on top of Capirotada in the last 5 minutes of baking.

Serve warm, or cold