Coyotas from Sonora are flaky and with a delicious sweet and smoky taste! Perfect to enjoy as a sweet treat or breakfast with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate.
Place piloncillo in a small pan, add water, and bring to a simmer. Stir until the piloncillo dissolves.
Simmer over low heat until a thick syrup forms. Remove from heat and allow to cool down completely.
Make the dough
Place flour, baking powder, lard or shortening, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Pour the piloncillo syrup and use the flat paddler to mix until everything is nicely combined.
Transfer the dough to a floured working surface and knead for about 1 minute to achieve a smooth dough. If you notice the dough is too dry, add one to two tablespoons of cold water.
Make the pastries
Roll the dough into a 0.11″ (3 mm (0.11 inch) thick sheet. Cut circles about 4-6 inches each.
Gather the scraps, roll them again, and cut more circles until you have 12-14 pieces.
Mix the other part of the crushed piloncillo and flour in a bowl and distribute in the middle of half of the dough circles (read note 2).
Cover with the other half of the circles, placing them carefully on top and fitting the edges of both pieces. Gently press the edges of each coyota with a fork to seal them securely.
Then, use the fork to poke and create small holes by pressing lightly in the middle, this will prevent air bubbles from forming while baking.
Prepare a baking tray with parchment pepper or a silicon mat and transfer each coyota making sure they’re about 1 inch apart.
Make an egg wash with 1 egg + 1 tablespoon of sugar and brush each pastry, then sprinkle with sugar on top.
Bake
Preheat your oven to 360°F (180°C).
Bake for 20 minutes or until the coyotes are nicely browned on top and have a crispy bottom.
Carefully transfer them to a cooling rack and let them cool completely before storing or you can go ahead and eat them while they’re still warm.
Notes
Piloncillo can be bought crushed already, but if you can't find it, buy it whole and first place it in the microwave for 8-10 seconds to soften, then place it between two sheets of parchment paper and use a rolling pin to break it into small chunks.
You can also use other fillings to make the Coyotas. Cajeta, Nutella, dulce de membrillo, or dulce de leche works perfectly for this recipe.
This recipe yields 7 large pastries, you can make them smaller and get 12-14 coyotas instead.