Every great sandwich starts with great bread. When making a Cubano sandwich, only Cuban Medianoche Bread will do. Medianoche Bread is a sweet, eggy bread that’s the perfect complement to the Cubano sandwich.
If you follow me on Facebook…o.k. if you aren’t, why not? (Shameless plug) If you follow me on Facebook then you know John and I do a lot of bike riding. It’s great spending time together doing something we enjoy. Sometimes, there is another motivation. One of the trails we ride ends close to a restaurant that we like to stop at for one of the best Cubano sandwiches we’ve ever eaten. If only they were served on this Cuban Medianoche Bread!
Since we enjoy this sandwich so much, I decided I was going to try and make it myself. The restaurant told me where they get their bread, but since I just love baking bread, I decided to find a recipe and bake it myself.
I said that restaurant had one of the best. The very best Cubano sandwich that I’ve had was in Miami. When I was searching for a Medianoche Bread recipe I landed on a site by “Three Guys From Miami“. It’s very evident that they are passionate about their recipes and I learned a lot about the sandwich itself.
They stated that the only way to eat a Cubano is to stay with the classic and to build it correctly. That’s what I wanted, and this bread turned out just as they described. “It’s a sweet eggy roll that is the perfect compliment to the salty tang of the ham and cheese.”
Don’t have time to make it now? Pin it for later!
Cuban Medianoche Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 packages of dry active yeast
- 3/4 cup white sugar divided
- 1 cup warm water warm to touch but not hot
- 1/2 cup lard melted (Crisco shortening can also be used)
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 6 cups bread flour more or less
Egg wash
- 1 egg with 2 tablespoons water whisked together until foamy
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl combine the yeast, warm water, and three tablespoons of sugar. Set aside until the yeast begins to bubble. If it doesn't bubble, the yeast isn't good and you need to start over.
- In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until foamy. Add the eggs, remaining sugar, and salt to the yeast/water mixture. Slowly pour in the melted lard whisking continuously to the yeast/water mixture.
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixture, fitted with the dough hook attachment, pour in yeast/water mixture. Gradually add flour one cup at a time until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. My recipe only took 5 cups of flour. It will depend on your air temperature and humidity on how many it takes for you.
- Knead the mixture for an additional 5 minutes on a medium speed. The dough will be soft and pliable but not overly stiff or sticky.
- Grease a large bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Add the dough turning once so both sides are greased. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 60 to 90 minutes, or until doubled.
- Punch the dough down on a work surface. Divide the dough into 8 to 10 rolls. I actually weighed mine out so they were similar in size (approximately 5.7 oz each).
- Roll to make cylinders about 5 inches long and 2-1/4 inches wide. Place on a greased or parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Cover with a clean damp towel. Let rise in a warm place for 60 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Using a sharp knife or a lame, cut a shallow seam down the middle of the top of the bread, leaving an inch or two uncut on each end of the roll. Brush the tops of the rolls liberally with the egg wash.
- Bake until golden brown, about 20 to 35 minutes. Remove the rolls from the oven and take them off of the baking sheet immediately. Cool on a wire rack. While still warm, brush the tops with melted butter.
- Store at room temperature in a covered container.
Notes
Nutrition
Cuban Medianoche Bread is similar to the Hawaiian rolls in flavor and texture. They could have been made smaller, but John thought they were just the right size. Especially when he got half of mine! The Best Cuban Sandwich is amazing so get your baking stuff together!
If you love homemade rolls as much as we do, here are a couple more of our favorites!
Brioche Bun Recipe
Super Easy Potato Roll Recipe
Sweet Molasses Brown Bread Recipe
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Stacey N Anderson-Ebener says
Can you make this in the breadmaker? At least to make the dough itself.
Julie Menghini says
I don’t own a breadmaker Stacey but the fact that I use a mixer and dough hook I believe you’d be fine using a breadmaker?
Janine says
A Cuban sandwich is made with regular Cuban bread (long, airy, slightly salty loaf which is not sweet at all). If you put the same ingredients between medianoche bread (sweet, denser, similar to challah, and much shorter lengthwise than standard Cuban bread) it is no longer called a Cuban sandwich, it is called a medianoche sandwich, or a medianoche for short. It’s considered a separate (though closely related) sandwich.
Julie Menghini says
You are correct, Janine! I actually got this recipe (with permission) from “The Three Guys from Miami” and so I can’t take the credit for their story or change the name of their recipe. I will definitely be posting a Medianoche sandwich in the future, however. Thank you for sharing!
Michele says
My husband surprised me and made this bread… we used it for french dip sammies and it was amazing. Tonight we are making Cuban pork sandwiches with the sliced pickles! It’s going to be so good with that. The texture of the bread was heavenly! Thanks!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you, Michele! We love these rolls. I need to make them even smaller because regarcless of their size I eat the whole thing!
Bubbe says
Three-quarters of a cup of sugar seems like a lot of sugar for a savory bread. There are many sweet doughs and quick breads that don’t have that much sugar in them. Is that measure correct?
Julie Menghini says
It is Bubbe. This is a rich dough.
Mike Hirsch says
The recipe does not seem right to me. Only one cup of warm water for 6 cups of bread flour? Even with the Lard and the eggs it doesn’t seem like enough liquid. When I made it I had to use extra liquid. I’m going to make it again and try it the exactly as it’s written again but it seems like there should be at least another cup of liquid?
Julie Menghini says
Hi Mike, thanks for your inquiry. The recipe is correct and I hope you’ll give it another try. Here is the original link to the 3 guys in Miami that created this wonderful recipe. https://icuban.com/food/pan_medianoche.html If you have any questions, feel free to reach out.
Jessica Aves says
So delicious!!!!!!!
Sadly my bread rolls burnt on the bottom. I used a dark nonstick sheet pan with parchment paper. Do you have any tips on how to avoid such burning?
Thanks!!!
So very yummy despite the burnt bottom.
Sincerely,
Jessica
Julie Menghini says
Hi Jessica! Those rolls are so yummy! Have you had any issues with your oven? Make sure the rack is in the middle of your oven and I would also check the temperature of your oven with an inexpensive oven thermometer to make sure that it isn’t burning hot. My sheet pans aren’t dark so not sure if that could be your issue too. Thank you for stopping by with your comment!
Melissa says
Can you use instant yeast?
Julie Menghini says
Yes, Melissa. This recipe works with instant yeast. The only difference is that you don’t have to wait for the yeast to react as explained in step 1 of the recipe card.
Joycelyn says
Actually the recipe for Medianoche bread, aka Midnight bread is not in the Three Guys From Miami cook book, they do make reference to it though. The recipe itself can be found on their website for anyone who might be interested in finding the original source.
Your posted recipe is pretty well spot on but is lacking the extra 1/4 water than what the Three Guys From Miami recipe calls for.
Also, if lard is not used, it won’t be authentic Cuban bread. From Jorge himself on making Cuban bread..
“You cannot make Cuban bread without lard, if it doesn’t have lard, it’s not Cuban bread, so please don’t substitute!”
Cheers
G
Julie Menghini says
Thank you for your feedback! I’m sure you are correct on the use of lard and that is what I use too. I got permission from the Three Guys From Miami to post their recipe and they specifically requested that I reference that cookbook. I don’t have a copy so went by their request to include it. Also, In the instructions, they never say what to do with that extra 1/4 cup of water and I’ve never used it when baking this bread and wrote my instructions accordingly. Best Wishes, Julie
Madi says
These rolls look so perfect! I can’t wait to make a sandwich with it!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you Madi! They are amazing!
michele says
You’ve got such a talent! Both for making amazing breads and being able to explain to those of us who it doesnt come as naturally! Loved this!!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you, Michele!
Michele Phillips says
I’ve never heard of Medianoche Bread, but I love Cubananos and will be making this bread the next time I make them!
Julie Menghini says
I never knew what it was called either but boy is it delicious!
Jennifer A Stewart says
This bread is perfect for some Cuban sliders and breakfast sandwiches!! I’m not a good bread baker but I am hoping that I can master this recipe!
Julie Menghini says
Thanks, Jennifer. I love Cubanos, especially with this bread!
Ashlyn says
There is truly nothing better than freshly baked bread! These look amazing and I bet the sandwiches are out of this world! 🙂
Julie Menghini says
Thank you! There isn’t anything healthy about this one and that’s why they’re so yummy.
Michaela Kenkel says
Julie – What a gorgeous bread. I really need to break out of my Comfort zone and try these!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you! I had a great time making them and have made them several times.
Debra C. says
I tried to explain to my sister in law what a Cuban sandwich is – she immediately repeated it’s a grilled cheese with ham and I was like NO – it’s so much more! You’re right, it would start with this lovely bread – YUM!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you Debra! You are so right that a Cuban sandwich is so much more than meat and cheese. I’ve got to put them back on my menu!
Julianne P. says
I spent a summer abroad in Havana when I was in college. One of my favorite cheap meals was a grilled sandwich served at my hotel’s bar that only had ham and cheese on a Cuban sandwich roll. They used a white cheese that was sharper than Swiss and the bread had a little sweetness to it. No pickles, no mustard, no roasted pork. It was delicious, though, and I still dream about it. Don’t get me wrong; I also love what we all call the Cubano sandwich, but your sister-in-law wasn’t necessarily wrong.
I’ve tried unsuccessfully to recreate it. The Three Guys from Miami were my trusted resource for the bread so many years ago. Unfortunately, my palate wasn’t sophisticated enough at the time to identify the cheese used in my favorite sandwich. It was the same kind of cheese Havana restaurants/paladares served with guava paste as a dessert. Ugh, now I need to figure that out.
Julie Menghini says
Hi Julianne! I tried finding the name of that cheese for you but didn’t have any luck. If you find out, let us know!
Julianne P. says
I haven’t verified yet if this is it, but the description seems spot on. It’s simply called queso blanco.
https://tropicalcheese.com/products/cheeses/white-cheese
Julie Menghini says
Ah, that’s what my son thought it might be. His father-in-law (passed) lived in Cuba for a time too. Thank you, Julianne!
debi at Life Currents says
I’m always interested in different recipes from different parts of the world. This Cuban bread looks so good. Perfect for sammies!
Julie Menghini says
It is really amazing bread. So soft and tender and perfect for hearty sandwiches!
Angela says
I absolutely love baking bread! The aroma as it bakes is just heavenly!! I’ve actually never heard of this bread but it sounds incredible and I am very much looking forward to trying it out! Thanks!
Julie Menghini says
We are bread sisters Angela! I love baking bread too. The smell is amazing and it’s so relaxing for me.
Lourdes says
Hi! Just found your page and am definitely pinning this recipe for later use. Only thing I wanted to add was that this sandwich you’ve made is actually called a Medianoche (hence the name of the bread). The original sandwich Cubano is made on regular Cuban bread which is not sweet whatsoever (similar to French bread but with a crispier crust). Personally, I prefer the medianoche cuz of its sweetness. Like another commentator stated we (Cubans) also use this type of bread to make appetizer sized sandwiches for parties. The filling though is similar to a pimento cheese spread but includes ground ham. We call them “bocaditos”. In many stores throughout Miami you could find the bocadito spread for sale. Hope you & your family have a happy New Year!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you so much for commenting! I love learning about the culture of food and found your comment very interesting. I love making bread so will be looking for an authentic cuban bread and will be looking up bocaditos too! Thank you for stopping by and I hope you and your family also have a Happy New Year!
Brina says
Hi, I am not a baker, but I am attempting this recipe haha. I was curious if you needed 4 eggs total? 3 for the bread and one for the wash? Or just 2 for the bread and 1 for the wash?! Sorry if that is a dumb question! I just want to get it right!
Julie Menghini says
Hi Brina! Not a stupid question at all. You want 3 eggs for the bread so 4 total. If you’ve already made this let me know how it came out! Thank you for trying my recipe.
Melanie @ Gather for Bread says
I’m the biggest bread fan. These look amazing, Julie!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you Melanie! I just love making it too.
Hilda says
I rediscovered this same bread in Spain where they tend to be made very small and used for bite sized sandwiches. They were very popular in bars back in the day, and are now very rare. Apparently they are used mostly for birthday parties now. I have been meaning to make them, so thanks for the reminder and the recipe.
Julie Menghini says
Thank you Hilda! I will make them smaller next time. John and I really like these.
Gail says
Can you use butter instead of lard.
Julie Menghini says
I haven’t tried that Gail but you could use shortening. If you make it with butter, please let me know how it comes out!
Kitty says
This bread looks delish! I rarely make bread but this one looks so perfect I’ll have to give it a try.
Julie Menghini says
I hope you do Kitty! It was delicious and fun for me to do.
frugal hausfrau says
That bread sounds divine and I love the Three Guys from Miami! They helped me make my Cuban roast, Lechon Asado, lol!
Mollie
Julie Menghini says
Thank you! That sounds amazing Molly! I love the way they cook, and I emailed them for permission to post their recipe and they got right back to me. Impressive for sure! I’ve got to make more of their recipes. I just hopped over to take a look at your Lechon Asado and your roast and Cubano looks absolutely amazing!
Caroline says
Those look so good! I am always inspired to make bread more myself when I see your posts!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you Caroline! These rolls were so fun and delicious to make. Give it a try!
judigraber says
Looks lovely – a sweet bread with all that sugar! I just became interested in baking different kinds of bread since I participated in KAF’s bakealong and made Pane Bianco.. I hope to make a bread to use for grilled cheese. There are a lot of fun recipes to bake.
Julie Menghini says
I just love making bread. This one really tastes like the Hawaiian rolls that I don’t buy because they’re horrible for you. I do the monthly challenge when I can but hope to do it more this winter. I love a great grilled cheese and can’t wait to see what you come up with! Enjoy your day and sweet comment.
Angie | Fiesta Friday says
Ok, this is my favorite medianoche snack from now on. Obviously that’s what it’s meant to be! And a,so Cubanos, too, I guess
Angie | Fiesta Friday says
*also, duh!
Julie Menghini says
Bahahah
Elaine @ foodbod says
These look so perfect, they look so professional!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you, Elaine! I’m a little nutso when making rolls. I actually weigh the dough and then break them up evenly. Are you laughing Elaine! I know you are great at throwing in this and that but I’m not that confident with bread YET! Your loaves always look professional to me!
Sonal says
What a gorgeous looking bread there Julie! Must have tasted awesome!!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you Sonal!
Debbie says
Gracious me, don’t show me bread Julie!!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you Debbie!
lynn says
Wow these look so good!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you sweet girl!
John says
Jeffery here. These were awesome and I highly recommend them. The flavor and texture were a great blend and they held up well to the ham and pork. I love a good Cuban and try them everywhere. You can’t beat a fresh homemade sandwich.
Julie Menghini says
Thank you Jeffrey! Ha! Fresh baked bread is always the best especially if there is a good glass of wine to go with it!
Johanne Lamarche says
You are hard core Julie! Those rolls look amazing. Drooling and hungry again as I read you!
Julie Menghini says
Ha! Thank you Johanne! I was so happy to have a new bread to make. It was so much fun and yummy to boot!
Annie says
WOW – that bread looks delicious! I definitely will be trying this recipe soon!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you so much Annie! Are you a bread baker too?
Kristen says
Of no fault to the recipe author……I did something wrong when forming them individually and then had to mush the dough back together and shape them again which made me end up with them being a little lumpy BUT they still came out deeeeeelicious and (even better)with some character haha.Would definitely make them again!
Julie Menghini says
I love your sense of humor, Kristen! You can rename your rolls character rolls LOL! I’m so glad you enjoyed them.
[email protected] says
This bread looks absolutely perfect Julie. I would butter the inside, toast it, then stuff it chock full of meat and veggies 😀
Julie Menghini says
Thank you Jess! We definitely grilled the insides and stuffed it with the Cuban roasted pork. It was amazing!
Celebrating Sunshine says
Your bread looks a-ma-zing, Julie! I can almost feel the freshly baked bread aroma. 🙂
Julie Menghini says
There’s nothing like the ocean or the aroma of baking bread right Ana?
[email protected] says
Gorgeous and mouthwatering, Julie!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you so much Josette!