Honey pestiños or homemade pestiños

Ingredients

• 375 gplain flour
• 125 mlextra-virgin olive oil
• 125 mlwhite wine
• 2.5 ml (½ teaspoon)salt
• Peel of 1lemon
• 2.5 ml (½ teaspoon)sesame seeds
• 2.5 ml (½ teaspoon)anise seeds
• 150 mlhoney
• 30 mlwater
• As neededoil for frying

Instructions

1. 1

   Infuse the oil

   Warm the olive oil with the lemon peel in a frying pan over a medium heat for a few minutes to flavour the oil. Leave it to cool, then remove the peel.

2. 2

   Mix dry ingredients

   In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, sesame seeds and anise seeds.

3. 3

   Make the dough

   Add the infused oil and white wine to the flour mixture. Knead until the dough is smooth and evenly combined.

4. 4

   Rest the dough

   Cover the dough with a clean tea towel and leave it to rest for 30 minutes.

5. 5

   Shape pestiños

   On a floured surface, roll the dough out thinly. Cut it into rectangles and fold opposite corners over to form the pestiños.

6. 6

   Fry until golden

   Fry the pestiños in plenty of hot oil until golden. Lift them out and set them on kitchen paper to drain off excess oil.

7. 7

   Coat in honey

   In a small frying pan, warm the honey with the water until it forms a syrup. Dip the pestiños in the hot honey and arrange them on a platter to cool.

8. 8

   Let the syrup set

   Serve the pestiños once the honey has set.

What are pestiños?

Pestiños are Spanish fried pastries, commonly associated with Andalusia and made for festive occasions such as Easter and Christmas. Their folded shape and honey coating make them distinctive.

This version flavours the dough with lemon-infused olive oil, sesame and anise, then finishes the fried pastries in honey syrup. A short rest makes the dough easier to roll and shape.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 200 calories, 0g protein, 0g carbs, 0g fat.

The flour provides most of the carbohydrates, while olive oil and the oil absorbed during frying contribute fat; honey adds further sugars. The dough has little protein compared with a meal built around a protein-rich food, so serve a portion alongside yoghurt or another savoury protein and some fruit.

Build flavour into the dough

Infused oil: warming the olive oil with lemon peel gives the dough a gentle citrus aroma. Let the oil cool and remove the peel before mixing it in.

Seeds: sesame and anise bring the characteristic savoury, aromatic notes that balance the sweet coating. Mix them through the flour so they are distributed throughout the dough.

Rest, roll and fold

Resting: cover the dough and leave it for 30 minutes as directed. This gives it time to relax before rolling.

Shaping: roll the dough thinly on a floured surface, then cut rectangles and fold opposite corners towards the centre. Press the folds into place so the pastries keep their shape as they are moved to the oil.

Frying and texture

Oil: use plenty of hot oil so the pastries can fry freely, and add them in batches if needed. The recipe does not specify a temperature, so judge by the oil being hot enough to fry and watch for an even golden colour.

Draining: transfer each batch to kitchen paper after frying. This removes excess surface oil before the pestiños are dipped in syrup.

Make the honey coating

Syrup: warm the honey with the water in a small pan until the mixture forms a syrup. Keep it hot enough to coat the pastries, taking care not to let it boil over.

Coating: dip the pestiños in the warm syrup, then leave them on a platter until the honey has settled. Allow space between them so they are easier to lift once cool.

When to serve them

Pestiños are a sweet finish for a festive meal or a small treat with coffee or tea. Their honey coating makes them rich, so serving one or two alongside fresh fruit can balance the plate.

Allow time for the syrup to set before serving. The recipe takes 90 minutes in total, including the 30-minute dough rest.

Recipe notes & tips

• Let the lemon-infused oil cool before combining it with the flour.
• Flour the work surface lightly to prevent the dough sticking as you roll it.
• Roll the dough thinly so the pastries fry through and become crisp.
• Fry in batches if the pan is crowded, so the pestiños have room to cook evenly.
• Drain the pastries on kitchen paper before dipping them in honey.
• Leave the honey coating to set before serving or stacking the pestiños.

Variations

• Citrus note: add a little orange peel alongside the lemon when infusing the oil.
• More anise: increase the anise seeds slightly for a stronger aromatic flavour.
• Spiced honey: warm a small piece of cinnamon with the honey and water, then remove it before coating.
• Sesame finish: sprinkle a few sesame seeds over the syrup-coated pestiños before the honey sets.
• Sugar finish: leave out the honey coating and dust the cooled pastries lightly with icing sugar.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Oil too hot: the outside can darken before the pastry cooks through, so watch the colour and adjust the heat.
• Dough too thick: the pastries may be heavy rather than crisp, so roll it thinly as directed.
• Loose folds: the corners can unfold during frying, so press them together securely when shaping.
• Crowded pan: the pastries may cook unevenly, so fry them in batches with room to move.
• Excess oil: skipping the draining step can leave the coating greasy, so use kitchen paper before dipping.
• Syrup not settled: warm honey can remain sticky, so let the pestiños cool on the platter before serving.

How to store

Once completely cool, store the pestiños in an airtight container at room temperature and eat within a few days for the best texture. They are best enjoyed at room temperature; reheating can soften the honey coating.

Frequently asked questions