Pan Dulce in Santa Ana & Anaheim - Baked Fresh Every Morning
Conchas, cuernos, empanadas, and more than 85 varieties of Mexican sweet bread. A Santa Ana pan dulce tradition since 1994, baked from scratch every morning at both of our Orange County bakeries.
What is pan dulce?
Pan dulce is Mexico's everyday sweet bread - the soft, lightly sweet rolls, pastries, and cookies that fill a Mexican bakery case from morning until close. It is not one recipe. It is a whole family of breads: shell-topped conchas, flaky cuernos, cream-filled conos, fruit empanadas, sugar-dusted orejas, and dozens more that change with the seasons.
Most of it is meant to be eaten simply - with coffee, hot chocolate, or a glass of milk - not as dessert after a meal. That is why a real panadería puts out so many shapes: families buy by the bag, mix favorites for the table, and come back the next day for whatever just came out of the oven.
At Tlaxcala Bakery we have been baking pan dulce the same way for three generations. Everything is mixed, shaped, and baked in-house at our Santa Ana and Anaheim locations. No preservatives, nothing shipped in frozen, and more than 85 varieties rotating through the cases depending on the day and the calendar.
From our cases this week
Real photos from the bakery - trays, racks, and the breads our regulars line up for.
What you will find in our cases
A sample of the pan dulce we bake most often - the full list runs past 85 varieties.
Conchas & pan fino
The classic shell-topped sweet roll in vanilla, chocolate, and sugar finishes. Soft crumb, crunchy topping - the bread most people mean when they say "pan dulce."
Cuernos & croissants
Flaky, buttery horns and croissants pulled from the oven every morning. Great with coffee or split with jam.
Filled pastries
Conos with cream, empanadas with pineapple or apple, and other filled sweets that disappear first on busy weekends.
Cookies & galletas
Polvorones, puerquitos, eye-catching frosted cookies, and the crunchy, dunkable favorites that travel well in a bag.
Seasonal specialties
Pan de muerto for Día de los Muertos, Rosca de Reyes for Epiphany, and holiday trays that only show up when the calendar says so.
For parties & bulk orders
Bags for the office, trays for a party, or a big Sunday box for the family. Call ahead if you need a large order and we will bake it ready.
Looking for savory bread instead?
Pan dulce is the sweet side of the case. If you need rolls for tortas, molletes, or caldo, we also bake bolillo and telera fresh every morning at both locations.
Bolillo has the crackly crust; telera is the softer, flatter torta roll. Same ovens, same morning bake - just a different job at the table.
Read about our bolillo →Where to buy fresh pan dulce in Orange County
Two family bakeries, open every day of the week. Walk in, grab a tray, and take home what still smells like the oven.
Santa Ana
1208 S Standard Ave
Santa Ana, CA 92707
Open daily · 6:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Anaheim
3174 W Lincoln Ave Ste 104
Anaheim, CA 92801
Open daily · 5:00 AM - 8:00 PM
We are a short drive from Garden Grove, Orange, Tustin, Costa Mesa, Fullerton, Buena Park, Westminster, Stanton, and Fountain Valley. If you are searching for pan dulce near you anywhere in central Orange County, one of our two locations is probably the closest real Mexican bakery to you.
Pan dulce questions we get asked
How many kinds of pan dulce do you bake?
More than 85 varieties rotate through our cases, depending on the day and the season. Weekday mornings already look full; weekends and holidays bring out even more shapes and specials.
What time is pan dulce freshest?
First thing in the morning. Our Anaheim bakery opens at 5:00 AM and Santa Ana at 6:00 AM, seven days a week. That is when the cases are fullest and the bread is still warm from the oven.
Do I need to order pan dulce ahead of time?
Not for a normal bag or box - just walk in. For large party trays, office orders, or holiday specialty breads (like Rosca de Reyes or pan de muerto), call the location nearest you a day or more ahead so we can bake enough.
Do you bake pan dulce without preservatives?
Yes. We bake in-house every day with fresh ingredients and no preservatives. That is why it tastes best the day you buy it - take home what you will eat, and come back tomorrow for more.
Where can I buy pan dulce in Santa Ana and Anaheim?
At either Tlaxcala Bakery location: 1208 S Standard Ave in Santa Ana (6:00 AM - 9:00 PM daily) or 3174 W Lincoln Ave Ste 104 in Anaheim (5:00 AM - 8:00 PM daily). Both bake pan dulce every morning.
Is pan dulce the same as a dessert pastry?
Not quite. Pan dulce is everyday Mexican sweet bread - lighter and less rich than cake or French pastry - traditionally eaten with coffee or chocolate any time of day. We bake cakes too, but the pan dulce case is its own world.
Come fill a tray while it is still warm
Both bakeries are open every day. Stop by for a few favorites, or call ahead if you need a big order for a party or the office.