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Loading...Medialunas are Argentina's beloved answer to the French croissant, smaller and sweeter, finished with a glossy sugar syrup. These soft, buttery crescents are a staple of Argentine breakfast tables and afternoon merienda, traditionally dipped into a steaming café con leche. Unlike their French cousin, medialunas use a gentler dough enriched with milk and eggs for a tender, brioche-like crumb.
Prep Time30 mins
Cook Time22 mins
Total Time52 mins
Servings4
Yield12 medialunas (4 servings)
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 430 kcalCalories
- 17 gFat
- 10 gSaturated Fat
- 62 gCarbs
- 2 gFiber
- 24 gSugar
- 8 gProtein
- 190 mgSodium
- 140 mgPotassium
- 65 mgCalcium
- 2.6 mgIron
- 1 mgVitamin C
- 110 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the dough
- 500 g all-purpose flour (about 4 cups)
- 100 g unsalted butter, cold and cubed (or pork lard for traditional flavor)
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 200 ml warm whole milk (about 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 7 g active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 1 tbsp lemon or orange zest
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
For the sugar syrup glaze
- 120 g granulated sugar
- 60 ml water
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Directions
- Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk with a pinch of the sugar; let it stand 5-8 minutes until foamy and fragrant.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, remaining sugar, salt, and citrus zest, then cut in the cold butter with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
- Add the eggs, vanilla, and the activated yeast mixture; stir with a wooden spoon until a soft dough forms, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface.
- Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes until smooth, soft, and slightly tacky; cover with a clean towel and let rise 1 to 1.5 hours until doubled in size.
- Punch down the dough and roll it into a 30 cm (12 inch) round about 5 mm thick; cut into 12 wedges with a sharp knife.
- Roll each wedge from the wide base toward the tip into a crescent shape, gently stretching the dough and tucking the tip underneath.
- Arrange crescents on two parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving 4 cm of space between each, cover loosely, and proof 40-45 minutes until visibly puffy.
- Brush the proofed crescents with a beaten egg yolk thinned with a splash of milk, then bake at 190°C (375°F) for 18-22 minutes until deeply golden.
- Meanwhile, simmer the sugar, water, and honey in a small saucepan over medium heat for 4-5 minutes until slightly syrupy; remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
- As soon as the medialunas leave the oven, brush them generously with the warm syrup so the surface becomes glossy and the glaze soaks in; serve warm or at room temperature.
Cook’s Notes
- Traditional recipes substitute 100 g of pork lard for the butter for the most authentic flavor and slightly flakier texture.
- Allow at least 2 hours of total rising time (first rise plus final proof); a slow, cool proof develops better flavor in the dough.
- Brush the syrup on while the medialunas are still hot so the surface absorbs the glaze and forms the characteristic shiny crust.
- Eat the medialunas the day they are baked; they stale quickly and are best enjoyed warm with café con leche or mate.
- For perfectly shaped crescents, pull the wide end slightly while rolling to elongate the dough and create a graceful curve.
