Senorita Bread Recipe (Filipino Spanish Bread)

I have never made a senorita bread recipe until this year. I have heard that the señorita bread at Starbread Bakery is an airy pastry. It is soft and filled with a buttery sweet mixture. This is a copy-cat recipe of the senorita bread rolls you can find at StarBread Bakery. Another name for señorita bread is Filipino Spanish bread. It is a soft Filipino bread roll that is filled with a sweet and slightly crunchy filling. 

Senorita bread rolls are great for a quick breakfast. Filipino Spanish bread - as the senorita rolls are also called - are similar to an American cinnamon roll. However, they are not topped with icing and are slightly less sweet. Senorita bread also makes a perfect afternoon snack to dip in your coffee. 

What is señorita bread?

Senorita bread is a similar size and shape to a crescent roll, but it is filled with a sweet mixture of butter, sugar, and breadcrumbs. Senorita bread is also commonly called Filipino Spanish bread and is traditionally made in the Philippines. 

Spanish bread is a common afternoon snack in the Philippines. Fun fact: Filipinos call the traditional mid-afternoon break merienda. The airy senorita roll is a perfect treat to dip in coffee or to eat while sipping tea. Since the country of the Philippines was once colonized by the Spanish, Filipino cuisine has touches of Spanish flair. 

What is Starbread Bakery? 

Senorita bread - another name for Filipino Spanish bread - was first made popular in the United States by Starbread Bakery. Starbread Bakery is a Filipino bakery that makes pastries. It was started in 1988 in Vallejo, California by “Auntie Nelly, Uncle Romy Maranan and their five children.” Starbread Bakery is located throughout the San Francisco and Sacramento area in northern California. A location was recently opened in Las Vegas and San Diego. 

What is the filling inside of senorita bread?

The filling of senorita bread is a mixture of butter, sugar, and bread crumbs. Sometimes it will also contain a little cinnamon. It has a similar flavor to American cinnamon rolls, but it doesn’t not have icing and is more like a sweet dinner roll. Another yummy pastry that has a sweet center is sopapilla cheesecake.

What are the ingredients for the senorita bread recipe?

• Milk
• Sugar
• Instant yeast
• Egg
• Salt
• Unsalted butter
• Bread Flour or All-Purpose Flour
• Breadcrumbs
• Brown sugar or white sugar
• Cinnamon (optional)

How do you make Senorita bread (Filipino Spanish Bread)?

Make the Pastry Dough 

1. The first step to make this senorita bread recipe is to prepare the dough. In a small bowl, add the warm milk, instant yeast, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Gently mix together. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the yeast activate. The yeast should begin to foam after about 5-10 minutes. If the yeast doesn’t begin to foam or bubble, this may mean the yeast is no longer usable. 
2. Add the yeast mixture, egg, butter, salt, the remaining sugar, and 1 ½ cups of flour to the bowl of your stand mixer. Using a dough hook, mix the ingredients together. Add the remaining flour until the mixture begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl and come together in a ball. Continue to use the kneading attachment for about 5 minutes. If the dough is too dry, slowly add water or milk until the dough begins to form into a ball. If the dough is too sticky, add flour a tablespoon at a time. The dough will be slightly sticky and soft, but should have some shape.
3. Gently transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl. Cover the bowl with a clean towel or plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm spot until the dough has doubled in size, approximately one hour. 

Prepare the Senorita Bread Filling

1. As the dough is rising, prepare the senorita bread filling. Add the butter to a saucepan over medium-low heat. Once the butter is melted, whisk in the flour, breadcrumbs, milk, and brown sugar. Add the cinnamon, if using.

How to Roll Senorita Bread

1. Once the pastry dough has doubled in size, punch down the dough to deflate it. 
2. Divide the dough into approximately 16 equal pieces. Roll each piece out onto a lightly floured surface. Each piece should be approximately 6 inches long by 4 inches wide. 
3. Next, equally spread the senorita bread filling onto each piece. 
4. Starting with the shortest edge, roll the bun into a crescent-like shape.
5. Use melted butter to brush the tops of each Spanish bread roll. Sprinkle additional breadcrumbs on top of the rolls.

Bake the Filipino Spanish Bread

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the rolls on the parchment paper and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the rolls are light golden brown.
3. Serve the rolls warm.

📖 Recipe

How do you store Senorita bread?

Senorita bread can be kept at room temperature for 2-3 days. Make sure to keep the rolls in an air-tight container to keep the rolls from drying out. Spanish bread can be stored in the refrigerator to increase the time they stay fresh. 

How do you reheat Senorita bread?

If the señorita bread has been kept at room temperature, you can put it in a microwave for 5-10 second intervals until it is warm. If the senorita bread was frozen, microwave the roll for 30 seconds, check the temperature, and then continue to heat it in the microwave for 5-10 second intervals.

You can also reheat Senorita bread by putting the rolls on a baking sheet. Heat the Spanish bread in the oven for 6-8 minutes at 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

Can you freeze señorita bread (Filipino Spanish bread)?

Yes, senorita bread can be frozen. Let the Spanish bread cool until it reaches room temperature. Next, freeze the bread in a sealed bag. To defrost a senorita bread roll, microwave the roll for approximately 30 seconds until the Spanish bread is no longer frozen and slightly warmed. 

Can you bake senorita bread later?

Yes, you can bake senorita bread later. To bake the senorita bread later, prepare the dough, add the filling, and roll the bread into buns. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Once you are ready to bake the senorita bread, add the rolls to a baking sheet. Let the rolls come to room-temperature (usually 1-2 hours) before following the baking directions.