rotada

Rotada is a traditional dessert in Mexico and parts of Latin America, commonly associated with Lent and closely related to capirotada. It is a bread pudding-style dish made from stale bread that is fried or toasted to dry it, then soaked or layered in a sweet, spiced syrup and finished in the oven or warmed on the stove.

The syrup is usually made from piloncillo or brown sugar, water or milk, and cinnamon, with optional additions such as cloves, vanilla, or citrus zest. Typical fillings and toppings include cheese (queso fresco or cotija), nuts (peanuts or almonds), raisins, sesame seeds, and shredded coconut. Fruit or chocolate may appear in regional variations. The texture combines soft, syrup-soaked bread with chewy morsels and crunchy toppings.

Rotada has many regional varieties; some preparations emphasize the bread and syrup, others foreground dairy and nuts. Its origins are debated, but it is widely understood as a Mexican adaptation of older bread-pudding traditions with Moorish or Sephardic influences, adapted for Holy Week observances. Today it is enjoyed year-round in homes and restaurants, though it remains most strongly associated with Lent and Holy Week in many communities.

Variants may simply be called capirotada or rotada depending on location, and recipes may differ in ingredient lists and proportions. Regardless of name, the dish represents a family-friendly, dessert-style use of day-old bread and a warm, cinnamon-forward sweet flavor.