Ensaymada: the Filipino brioche with butter, sugar and cheese

Ensaymada is a soft, coiled Filipino bread made from an enriched yeast dough, brushed with butter and topped with sugar and, in many versions, grated cheese. The Filipino ensaymada comes from the ensaimada of Mallorca, a spiral pastry from a Spanish island, and over time it became its own bakery staple with its own toppings. This guide explains what ensaymada is, how it tastes, where it came from, how the classic and special versions differ, and what is known about the ensaymada at Nanding’s Bakery in Honolulu.

What is ensaymada?

Ensaymada is a spiral-shaped, buttery bread that sits somewhere between a bread roll and a pastry. The dough is enriched with eggs, sugar, milk and butter, so it is richer and more tender than pandesal, and it is rolled and coiled into a round shape that looks like a snail shell.

After baking, the top is brushed with butter and finished with sugar. Many Filipino bakeries add grated cheese, and the combination of sweet, buttery and salty is what many people think of as the classic taste. The roll is often sold in a paper cup or small box, and it is common as a treat, a gift or a holiday item.

It is sold at bakeries throughout the Philippines and in cities with Filipino communities, including Honolulu, where it appears on the shelves of Filipino bakeries alongside Spanish bread and pandesal.

Where does ensaymada come from?

Ensaymada comes from the Mallorcan ensaimada, a coiled pastry from the Balearic Islands of Spain. The Filipino version carries a Spanish-derived name, which reflects the centuries of Spanish rule in the Philippines and the way Spanish baking terms entered Filipino food.

The two breads are related, but they are not the same. The ensaimada of Mallorca is traditionally made with pork lard, which is called saim in Mallorcan, and it is often dusted with powdered sugar. The Filipino ensaymada is usually made with butter and topped with butter, sugar and often cheese.

How exactly the pastry reached the Philippines and changed there is not something this guide can document in detail. Food historians describe the general route of Spanish baking influence, but the specific steps are not recorded in the sources used here, so the details of that journey are best described as unconfirmed.

What does ensaymada taste like?

Ensaymada tastes rich, sweet and buttery, with a soft, light crumb that pulls apart in layers or spirals. The top has a thin film of butter and sugar that melts slightly in the mouth. If cheese is added, the salty bite balances the sugar.

The texture is its signature. A well-made ensaymada should feel airy and tender, not dense or greasy. Because the dough is enriched with butter and eggs, it tastes closer to a brioche than a plain bread roll, which is why it is often described as the Filipino brioche.

A fresh ensaymada has a clearer buttery aroma. A day-old one can be a little drier, and a short warm-up helps. Flavor depends on the baker, the quality of the butter and how much topping is used.

What are the classic and special versions?

The classic ensaymada has butter, sugar and cheese on top. Special versions add richer toppings or fillings and are usually larger and more expensive.

The names and exact ingredients differ by bakery, so a special at one shop is not the same as a special at another. If the details matter, such as for a gift or for a guest with a food allergy, ask the shop what is in it.

What flavors and variations exist?

Ube is the most common modern flavor, and it appears in the dough, the topping or the filling. Ube is a purple yam used throughout Filipino sweets, and it gives ensaymada a purple color and a nutty, vanilla-like sweetness. Coconut and sweet potato are other flavors that have been reported at some bakeries.

Savory-sweet versions with ham, salted egg or cheese are also found, as are mini versions made for parties. These variations are often seasonal or tied to holidays, when ensaymada is a popular gift.

For Nanding’s Bakery, the menu notes describe the ensaymada as a soft, sweet spiral pastry topped with whipped butter and sugar. A 2015 report listed flavors that included coconut, ube and sweet potato. Those flavors are historical reports, and the current range was not confirmed.

Ensaymada vs brioche vs Spanish bread: what is the difference?

Ensaymada is closer to brioche than to a typical bread roll, but it has a different shape and topping. All three are soft, enriched breads, so they are easy to confuse.

The simplest way to remember it is that ensaymada is the most buttery and the most decorative of the three. Spanish bread is the more everyday snack, and brioche is the French cousin that appears in many different forms.

What is known about the ensaymada at Nanding’s Bakery?

Ensaymada is on the menu of Nanding’s Bakery as recorded in November 2026, and it is one of the items named in press reports about the bakery. Press reports, including a 2018 Honolulu Star-Advertiser column, name ensaymada among the items the bakery sells.

A few facts are available, each with a date:

• A 2007 Honolulu Advertiser profile recorded a price of $2 for an ensaymada. That is a 2007 price, and no current price was found.
• A 2015 article listed ensaymada flavors that included coconut, ube and sweet potato.
• The bakery is best known for Spanish rolls, and pan de sal is reported as the second best seller, so ensaymada is a secondary item in the press coverage.

The bakery has no published price list that this guide could find. The Martha Street shop’s Google profile lists the phone number (808) 367-1172, and call-ahead ordering is the safest way to confirm availability. A 2018 Star-Advertiser column advised calling a day ahead for large orders. For hours and addresses of each shop, see hours and location and the locations page.

What goes well with ensaymada?

Ensaymada goes well with drinks that are bitter, plain or lightly sweet, because the pastry already carries sugar and butter. Black coffee, brewed tea and plain milk are the usual companions, and hot chocolate is a popular pairing in Filipino households.

A cheese-topped ensaymada also works as a light breakfast next to fruit, since the salt in the cheese balances the sweetness. Some people split a large one and share it, treating it as a small dessert. A mini version suits a party table, where guests take one or two pieces.

Ensaymada is not usually eaten with a savory meal in the way pandesal is. It is closer in role to a sweet roll or a coffee cake, and it is more often bought for the occasion than for everyday use.

How do you store and eat ensaymada?

Ensaymada is best eaten fresh, at room temperature or lightly warmed. The butter on top is at its best when soft, and the crumb is lightest on the day it is baked.

Do not microwave a cheese-topped ensaymada for long, since the cheese and butter can turn greasy. A short warm-up is enough. These are general home-kitchen suggestions, not instructions from any bakery.

What mistakes should you avoid with ensaymada?

The most common mistake is serving it cold, straight from a refrigerator, which firms the butter and dulls the flavor. Another is stacking boxes on top of the pastry, which flattens the spiral.

At home, the typical errors are:

• Under-proofing the dough, which gives a dense crumb instead of an airy one.
• Skimping on butter in the dough, which makes the ensaymada dry.
• Adding the sugar topping before the butter, which makes it fall off.
• Baking too long, which toughens the soft crumb.

If buying from a shop, ask what is on top if you have an allergy or a dietary question. Ingredients differ by bakery, and the sources used for this guide do not list the ingredients at Nanding’s Bakery, so the shop itself is the right source.

Common questions

This article is general information from an independent guide, not from Nanding's Bakery itself. For the store’s current details see hours and location.