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Semita Hondureña

A traditional Honduran dish — semita hondureña is the bakery sweet of Central American mornings: a soft, buttery yeast bread layered with pineapple or guava jam, topped with a lattice of dough and a sugared, crackly crust.

⏱ 40 minPrep time
🔥 30 minCook time
🍽 12Servings
🏷 DessertCategory
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Semita Hondureña

A traditional Honduran dish — semita hondureña is the bakery sweet of Central American mornings: a soft, buttery yeast bread layered with pineapple or guava jam, topped with a lattice of dough and a sugared, crackly crust. Hondurans slice it for breakfast or afternoon coffee, and every bakery guards its own version of the recipe.

Step by stepInstructions

  1. Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk with a pinch of the sugar and let it foam for ten minutes
  2. Mix the flour, remaining sugar, and salt, then add the yeast mixture, butter, eggs, and vanilla, and knead into a soft, smooth dough, about ten minutes
  3. Cover and let rise until doubled, about one hour
  4. Punch down the dough and divide it, two-thirds for the base and one-third for the lattice
  5. Roll the larger piece into a rectangle and press it into a buttered nine-by-thirteen-inch pan, building a small rim at the edges
  6. Spread the jam mixed with the cinnamon over the dough, then roll the remaining dough into strips and lay them in a lattice over the jam
  7. Sprinkle the top generously with sugar, cover loosely, and let rise for thirty minutes
  8. Bake at three hundred seventy-five degrees F for twenty-five to thirty minutes, until golden and puffed, then cool and cut into squares

💡 Chef tips & storage

A second rise after topping makes the semita lighter and the lattice puff beautifully. Guava paste should be softened with a spoonful of water before spreading.

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Recipe details

Prep40 min
Cook30 min
Servings12
CategoryDessert
PublishedAugust 17, 2026
Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →