Baking

Cheese Ensaymada (The Fluffiest, Cheesiest Filipino Brioche You’ll Ever Meet)

3 min

Wait until the butter is soft enough to leave a fingerprint before you add it to the dough, and add it gradually, not all at once. That slow incorporation after the first five minutes of kneading is what gives ensaymada its stretchy, tearable crumb instead of a tight roll. Four egg yolks and no whites go into this dough, which is why it bakes up so rich and yellow. The coil matters too, so roll each piece into a long rope, brush it with butter, and wind it loosely so the layers have room to puff.

By Nora Calloway

A little backstory

Ensaymada traces back to the ensaïmada of Mallorca, a coiled pastry made with saïm, or pork lard, that Spanish colonizers brought to the Philippines. Filipino bakers swapped in butter and piled on sugar and cheese, and over time the cheese version became a Christmas and merienda staple. The classic topping is queso de bola, the waxy red Edam that shows up on Filipino holiday tables, though sharp cheddar does the job year-round.

Ensaymada is what happens when brioche gets a Filipino makeover. Soft, fluffy, coiled into a beautiful spiral, then slathered with butter, showered with grated cheese, and dusted with sugar.

It’s a labor of love, but that first pull-apart bite—warm, buttery, slightly sweet, salty from the cheese—will make every minute worth it. Perfect with coffee.

Makes 12 ensaymadas.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1 1

Make the Dough

In a bowl, mix flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Add egg yolks and warm milk. Mix until shaggy.

Knead for 5 minutes. Add softened butter gradually. Knead 10-15 minutes until smooth and elastic. Let rise 1-2 hours until doubled.

2 2

Shape the Ensaymadas

Punch down dough. Divide into 12 balls. Roll each into a long rope (about 15 inches).

Flatten slightly. Spread with softened butter. Roll up into a coil. Place in greased muffin tins.

3 3

Second Rise

Let rise 45-60 minutes until puffy.

4 4

Bake

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake for 15-18 minutes until golden brown.

5 5

Top and Serve

While warm, brush generously with softened butter. Sprinkle with grated cheese and sugar. Serve immediately.

Summary

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Rise Time: 2-3 hours | Cook Time: 18 minutes

Total Time: ~3 hours (mostly hands-off)

Yield: 12 ensaymadas

Difficulty: Medium (patience required)

Storage Notes

Room temp: Keeps 2 days in an airtight container.
Fridge: Keeps 1 week. Reheat in oven at 300°F for 5 minutes (microwave = rubbery).
Freezer (unbaked): Freeze shaped coils on a tray, then bag. Thaw overnight in fridge. Proof 1 hour, then bake.
Freezer (baked, untopped): Freeze up to 2 months. Reheat at 350°F for 10 minutes, then add butter, cheese, and sugar.

The Ingredients

Everything you need.

Prep

30 minutes

Cook

18 minutes

Total

~3 hours (mostly hands-off)

Yield

12 ensaymadas

For the Dough:

4 cups (500g) bread flour
½ cup (100g) sugar
1 packet (2¼ tsp) instant yeast
1 teaspoon salt
4 large egg yolks
¾ cup (180ml) warm milk
½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened

For the Topping:

½ cup salted butter, softened (for spreading)
1½ cups grated cheese (Edesa, sharp cheddar, or queso de bola)
¼ cup sugar (for sprinkling)

Instructions

1
Make the Dough. Make the Dough. In a bowl, mix flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Add egg yolks and warm milk. Mix until shaggy. Knead for 5 minutes. Add softened butter gradually. Knead 10-15 minutes until smooth and elastic. Let rise 1-2 hours until doubled. 2 2
2
Shape the Ensaymadas. Shape the Ensaymadas. Punch down dough. Divide into 12 balls. Roll each into a long rope (about 15 inches). Flatten slightly. Spread with softened butter. Roll up into a coil. Place in greased muffin tins. 3 3
3
Second Rise. Second Rise. Let rise 45-60 minutes until puffy. 4 4
4
Bake. Bake. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake for 15-18 minutes until golden brown. 5 5
5
Top and Serve. Top and Serve. While warm, brush generously with softened butter. Sprinkle with grated cheese and sugar. Serve immediately

Swaps & Substitutions

Bread flour → all-purpose works but the crumb will be a touch less chewy; add a tablespoon of vital wheat gluten per cup if you have it
Queso de bola → sharp cheddar or Edam give a similar salty bite; mild cheddar reads flat against all that sugar
Unsalted butter → if you only have salted, drop the dough's 1 tsp salt to about 1/2 tsp
Dairy milk → warm oat or soy milk proofs the yeast fine, though the crumb loses a little richness
Instant yeast → use the same amount of active dry, but bloom it in the warm milk for 10 minutes first
Muffin tin → a greased ramekin or even a free-form coil on a lined sheet works; the tin just keeps the spiral tall

Questions & Answers

My dough is sticky and won't come together. Did I do something wrong?

Probably not. This is an enriched dough with yolks and butter, so it stays tacky longer than a lean bread dough. Keep kneading; it tightens up around the 10-minute mark. Resist dumping in flour, which makes the crumb dry.

Can I make these ahead?

Yes. You can freeze the shaped, unbaked coils for up to two months, then thaw and do the second rise before baking. Baked ensaymada keeps two days at room temperature or about a week refrigerated; warm them briefly to bring back the soft texture.

Why did mine come out dense instead of fluffy?

Usually an under-proof or tired yeast. The dough should roughly double on the first rise and look visibly puffy after the second. If your kitchen is cold, give it more time rather than going by the clock.

Do I have to use a muffin tin?

No, but it helps the coil rise up rather than spread out. Greased ramekins work, and you can bake them free-form on a lined sheet if you don't mind a flatter, wider shape.

When do the butter, cheese, and sugar topping go on?

While the ensaymada is still warm from the oven. Brush each one with softened butter so the cheese and sugar stick, then sprinkle both on top. Doing it warm lets the butter soak in slightly.

Cheese Ensaymada (The Fluffiest, Cheesiest Filipino Brioche You’ll Ever Meet)