I remember the first time I traveled to Buenos Aires, Argentina’s capital. For four days, our breakfast was Argentinian Medialunas and a coffee. They are the perfect mid-afternoon snack. They are widely popular and always available in Argentina. They have also been adopted in Chile, my home country.
Are croissants and Medialunas the same?
No, Medialunas are between a brioche and a croissant. They are made with a sweet, enriched (eggs and butter) dough with many layers and a subtle hint of lemon and vanilla. The sweetness is restrained.
Medialunas are a little challenging to make but fabulous to eat. They can be frozen and popped in the microwave or toaster for a real treat. Don’t forget to try them if you ever go to Argentina.
I recommend using European-style butter in this recipe (higher in fat, 82% or more) for better taste.
What is Facturas in Argentina?
Facturas is a unique Argentinian way to refer to Pan Dulces. Medialunas are a kind of factura.
Places to get Medialunas:
In Houston: Argentina Cafe
In Seattle: Boca Bakery
Leave a comment if you know of other Argentinian bakeries.
Other Argentinian recipes here.
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Argentinian Medialunas
A traditional recipe for Argentinian Medialunas or sweet croissants.
- Total Time: 5 hours, 30 minutes
- Yield: 18
Ingredients
PLEASE USE THE METRIC MEASUREMENTS
for the dough,
- 300 ml. of whole milk
- 14 grams (2 envelopes) of active yeast
- 525 grams of all-purpose flour
- 40 grams of sugar
- 15 grams of honey
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon of lemon zest, optional
- 10 grams of salt
- 2 eggs (1 for the dough and 1 for the brush)
for the butter layers,
- 40 grams of all-purpose flour
- 225 grams of European-style butter, at room temperature (Plugra works well)
for the syrup,
- 1/2 cup of water
- 1/2 cup of sugar
Instructions
- Warm the milk; it should not be more than 110F or 43C. Add the yeast and stir until dissolved. Let stand for 10 minutes; it should form abundant bubbles. If you do not see bubbles, repeat the process and make sure that the yeast is alive.
- With a fork, mix the butter with the 40 grams of flour and spread over parchment paper, give it a square shape of about 6″ per side. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
- Place the flour, sugar, honey, vanilla extract, lemon, salt, and one egg in a bowl. Using the paddle attachment, mix everything while adding the milk with the yeast. Work to form a sticky dough for about 5 minutes. Change to the kneading hook and knead for 10 minutes at a low speed.
- Place the dough on a floured board. Stretch the dough into a square of about 12″ per side, place the square of butter in the center, and fold the dough to cover the square of butter. Pinch to seal the edges of the dough. Roll without exposing the butter into a rectangle. Fold in 3 as a letter, the left side first. Place in a floured tin and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Remove the dough from the floured board and place it with the longest side in front of you. Extend to form a rectangle and fold again in 3, always on the left side first. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Repeat this process two more times. After the four times doing the folding, don’t refrigerate. Move to the next step.
- Stretch the dough on the floured counter into a rectangle of 45 x 30 cm (18 “x 12″) with a thickness of 5 mm. Cut so that the rectangle has straight edges. Cut three long strips of 4” wide each. Then, cut each one in 3, and then diagonally, you will get 18 triangles. Extend each triangle and roll up starting from the base. Guide yourself with the photos.
- Butter generously a quarter baking sheet. Place each roll in the sheet and give it a horn shape, pressing the tips into the baking sheet, place the next crescent almost touching the previous one, fill the tray.
- Place the remaining egg and a little water or milk in a small bowl. Beat until fully incorporated.
- Preheat the oven to 350F or 180C.
- Leave the medialunas covered with a dishcloth in a warm place for 30-45 minutes; they should grow but not double in size.
- Brush with the egg mixture and bake for 30 minutes, rotating if necessary.
- Meanwhile, prepare the syrup. Place the water and sugar in a small pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Let boil for 4 minutes to reduce.
- Remove the medialunas from the oven; they must be well browned, prick with a toothpick in several parts, and brush with the syrup so that it is absorbed. Keep brushing until you use all the syrup.
- Serve warm. They keep for three days. They can be frozen and reheated without problems.
- Prep Time: 5 hours (2 h. active time)
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Sweets
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Argentinian
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 194
- Sugar: 7.1 g
- Sodium: 175.1 mg
- Fat: 8.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 5.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 25.2 g
- Fiber: 0.8 g
- Protein: 3.7 g
This recipe was sponsored by Plugrá® butter.
Hi pilar, i love medilunas and i am so happy i found this recipe. I want to make sure i understand all the steps before i make them. For step 5, after folding and refrigerating, do we roll the dough out each time from the folded rectangle to it orginal size then fold or just unfold, turn it over and refold?
You roll each time again and fold following the pattern, so the layers are stacked.
Brilliant! Thank you so much for the highly detailed instructions. I wouldn’t have dared to dive into this recipe if you hadn’t given such wonderful detailed instructions. Tell us some more home cooking recipes!
Best wishes,
Jennifer Scott
North Plains, Oregon
Thanks!. It’s a laborious complicated one. Glad that you enjoy it.
Hi Pilar. I made your recipe last night. The medialunas were delicious. I should say that they were ready before 30 minutes in the oven. I am glad I was checking them often. Thanks!
Hi Norma, I’m glad you made them and that they were good.
I spent a month in Argentina with my husband and children in March and enjoyed the sights and family he has in Buenos Aires but we also equally enjoyed the medialunas. After eating so many for 30 days we were desperate for them when we got back to the states! Your recipe is the best! I’ve made it nearly 10 times for us and his brothers and dad too, approved by the experts!
I do have a question though. I normally struggle with the dough, especially near the end. Yours looks so friendly and flexible! I’m brand new to baking, just desperate for medialunas! Thanks for the amazing recipe!
Wow, you are going to be an expert in NO time. For the dough, keeping the temperature of the dough cold (working fast or with smaller batches is the easiest), good flour (I use King Arthur Flour is really the best), good butter (Costco or European style varieties).
Let me know if you have other questions.
Thank you Pilar for posting this recipe. I was in Bogota a month ago and had a media luna from a bakery where the chef is Argentinian. It was so good and have been thinking about it since returning home. I will be trying your recipe.
They are fantastic, glad you found my site. Good luck,