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Easy Ensaymada Recipe (Filipino Sweet Cheesy Brioche)

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Imagine cinnamon rolls but made with sugar and cheese instead. That’s what Filipino ensaymada is. Soft and sweet brioche, brushed with butter, dunked in sugar and sprinkled with cheese. This ensaymada recipe is simple and easy to follow too. Enjoy!

Easy Ensaymada Recipe

Happy new year everyone! Did you have a nice holiday break? Ready to take on the new year? Have you decided on a resolution yet?

I did, I am, I haven’t.

I have been trying to get better at working with dough since the latter part of last year though. Does that count? Conquer dough? Well, there’s no New Year’s Resolution Police so I guess that’ll be ok.

I have a long road ahead of me dough though because currently, I kind of suck (I once took out a chilled pie dough for rolling and it proceeded to crumble before my eyes lol). I have perfected a few recipes however, this ensaymada recipe one of them. It’s another cherished Filipino snack too so it’s extra special; whenever I make it, I’m transported home.

What is ensaymada?

Easy Ensaymada Recipe

If you google what ensaymada means, you’ll find that its roots can be traced back to a pastry from the Spanish island of Majorca. The Philippines was under Spanish rule for almost 400 years after all so a lot of our food, culture and even language have strong Spanish influence.

Bottom line: ensaymada is delicious. Think of it as a cinnamon bun – soft and tender – but without the cinnamon and the frosting. Instead, the lovely brioche is generously brushed with butter, dunked in sugar and again generously sprinkled with cheddar cheese.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Soft brioche, brushed with butter, dunked in sugar and sprinkled with cheese. Enjoy!” quote=”Soft brioche, brushed with butter, dunked in sugar and sprinkled with cheese. Enjoy!”]

Easy ensaymada recipe

Easy Ensaymada Recipe

Why easy ensaymada recipe you ask? Truth be told, the traditional dough recipes you’ll find for ensaymada has about a thousand steps. Who has the patience? (Evidently not me.)

So I decided to make it simpler and I’m quite happy with the result. It’s not exactly the same as the ensaymada you’ll find at a local bakeshop but it’s a darn good one if I say so myself!

Great with coffee, better with hot chocolate!

Easy Ensaymada Recipe

Eat ensaymada for breakfast or, like most Filipinos, as merienda or afternoon snack. Dunk it in hot chocolate while you’re at it! Enjoy!

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Easy Ensaymada Recipe (Filipino Sweet Cheesy Brioche)

Easy Ensaymada Recipe (Filipino Sweet Cheesy Brioche)

Filipino ensaymada - soft and sweet brioche, brushed with butter, dunked in sugar and sprinkled with cheese. This ensaymada recipe is simple and easy to follow. Enjoy!

Ingredients

    Phase 1:
  • 1/2 cup warm water (110F)
  • 1 package active dry yeast (0.25 ounces)
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
    Phase 2:
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
    Phase 3:
  • 2 large eggs lightly beaten, room temperature
  • 4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil (or vegetable oil)
    Phase 4:
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and allowed to cool slightly
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
    Phase 5:
  • Melted butter
  • Granulated sugar
  • Shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions

    Phase 1:
  1. In a measuring cup, stir 1/2 cup warm water, 1 package active dry yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar until dissolved. Set aside and let stand until bubbly (about 10 minutes).
    Phase 2:
  1. In a medium saucepan on medium heat, warm 1/2 cup milk until you see bubbles forming at the edges. Remove from heat and stir 1/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 cup butter until the butter has melted.
  2. Set aside and let cool until lukewarm.
    Phase 3:
  1. In a large bowl, combine your yeast mixture, your milk mixture, eggs and 1 1/2 cups flour. Stir until combined. Proceed to add the rest of your flour 1/2 cup at a time combining well after each addition.
  2. Once the dough starts pulling and sticking together in a ball, transfer it into a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (8-10 minutes). When in doubt, knead some more.
  3. Oil a large bowl with 1 tablespoon canola oil. Place your dough in the bowl and turn to ensure the whole dough is coated. Cover with a damp cloth and allow to rise in a dry warm place (about 90F - see notes) until it doubles in size (about 1 hour).
    Phase 4:
  1. When your dough is ready, transfer it into a lightly floured surface and roll out slightly. Evenly divide the dough into 12 pieces (see notes) and flatten each one into a 4x6 inch rectangle.
  2. Brush each piece with melted butter and sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Roll the dough tightly up and pinch the edges to seal. Then roll each one into itself (like a spiral) and place onto your ensaymada moulds (see notes). Brush the tops of each ensaymada with butter, cover with damp cloth and let rise for another 30 minutes.
  3. Preheat your oven to 375F and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Do not over bake. Let cool in the mould and when it's cool enough to handle, put your toppings.
    Phase 5:
  1. Brush the still warm ensaymada with melted butter then dip in a bowl filled with granulated sugar. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Serve warm.

Notes

I keep my dough in my oven to rise. I usually preheat it to about 100F then turn it off just when I'm about to knead my dough. This way, the temperature would have gone down to 90F when I put my dough in.

I use a kitchen scale to make sure my dough is evenly divided.

If you don't have ensaymada moulds, you can use a muffin pan instead.

https://theunlikelybaker.com/easy-ensaymada-recipe/

Happy baking!

Did you try this ensaymada recipe? Tell me about it in the comments section below. I’d love to hear all about it.

Here are other breakfast/snack options for you:

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    • It’s so frustrating isn’t it?? But when I get it right, well it’s hard to beat the smell of freshly baked bread 🙂 Thanks Bobbi! Hope you like this!

      Reply

  6. I love learning about these new recipes from your blog! Sweet rolls and cheese are two of my favorite things, so I’m positive they’re even better together. The hot chocolate sounds perfect with it as well!

    Reply

    • Hi Liz! I’m glad 🙂 Sugar and cheese, hard to say no to! And hot chocolate of course. Hope you’re having a great week!

      Reply

  7. Yum! This bread looks heavenly! It reminds me of mallorca sweet bread from Puerto Rico, except it doesn’t have cheese. I think I’d love the addition of the cheese. I mean, cheese + carbs?! How could you go wrong with that?! And if you can make this, you can definitely make any other yeasty treat!

    Reply

  12. I’ve never heard of ensaymada, but it looks wonderful. Who wouldn’t like buttery, sweet, bread topped with cheese? Yum!!

    Reply

    • Thanks Britney! 🙂 Those scones are actually one of the most popular recipes on here, hope you get to make them one day soon! They’re quick and easy and delicious 🙂

      Reply

  18. my mouth is actually watering reading this recipe and looking at your pictures! This sounds incredible. I am game for anything that has cheese in it! Thanks for sharing, it was fun learning about a new food! Happy New Year!

    Reply

  25. Happy New Year! What better way to bring in the new year than with carby goodness 😀 I have a bunch of New Year’s resolutions. Working on dough is not one of them, but it is a fabulous one! I need to work on my dough for sure! This bread looks SO good. Plus, there’s cheese and that makes it even better! I’ve never tried this before and would love to! Cheers to a wonderful new year, Jolina 🙂

    Reply

    • Hahaha this made me laugh Dawn! I might be the only person in the world welcoming the new year with carbs sugar and cheese LOL! Well I ate salad yesterday, that must count for something teeheee. Yes, cheese is pretty hard to resist 🙂 Have a wonderful new year yourself my friend!

      Reply

    • Nice! Me too, though I try to go back home at least once every 2 years. Still, I’m homesick all the time so I end up making all these Filipino food that I miss from home! Hope you get to try this Belle. It’s not like Goldilocks (I wish haha) but it’s still pretty awesome 🙂

      Reply

  30. Delicious! Speaking of cinnamon roll, in here (Romania) we are more into something similar but with nuts – that’s our guilty sweet pleasure. But, besides this, we are also crazy for salty pastry. But in the end, having something with sweet and salty combined, is something to die for! So yes, this brioche is absolutely perfect. 🙂 And as a fun fact, to get my weird taste: I love eating sweet crepes with salty white cheese. Haha!

    Reply

    • Hi Maria! That sounds so delicious! Is it cinnamon based? I’d have to look it up 🙂 And I agree, I love salty sweet combos, it satisfies both my cravings in one bite! I gotta try your sweet crepe + salty white cheese combo too. You’ve given me so many delicious ideas!

      Reply

  31. I did, I guess and I won’t be 😉 This sounds utterly delicious, I love finding new things I have never heard of and this is completely new to me and is right up my street.

    Reply

  32. I love these so much! My best friend’s Mom made these and I always loved it when she did. I never thought to try it out on my own. It looks soooo good!

    Reply

    • Hi Lisa! Me too 🙂 It’s so interesting learning about other cultures and traditions and just the way other people live.

      Reply

  44. I have never heard of ensaymadas before, but these sound fantastic! I love how you added some history to your piece and even included a bit of personal honesty – lol. Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing what sounds like some Filipino deliciousness!

    Reply

  46. OMG I wish I didn’t see it 😀 Cinnamon roll and cheese <3 yuuuuum! The recipe seems pretty easy I definitely have to try it ! I love trying new international snacks!

    Reply

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