Sopapillas at Home Recipe
This homemade Sopapillas recipe brings a delightful traditional New Mexican fried pastry to your kitchen. Light and fluffy inside with a crispy golden crust, these sopapillas are dusted with cinnamon sugar and drizzled with honey for a sweet, irresistible treat perfect for dessert or snack time.
- Author: Maya
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 16 sopapillas 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: New Mexican
- Diet: Vegetarian
Dough Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp shortening
- ¾ cup hot water
For Frying
For Dusting & Drizzling
- ¼ cup confectioners sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 4 tbsp honey
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the shortening and mix with your hands until well incorporated and crumbly.
- Add Hot Water: Pour the hot water gradually into the bowl. Use your fingers to combine the flour mixture and water until dough begins to form.
- Knead the Dough: Transfer the dough to a clean surface and knead for 4-5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Shape it into a ball and return it to the bowl.
- Rest the Dough: Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let it rest for at least 20 minutes to relax the gluten, making it easier to roll out.
- Divide Dough: Lightly knead the rested dough, form into a ball again, flatten slightly, and cut into 4 equal pieces using a knife or pastry cutter.
- Heat Oil: Pour vegetable oil into a large pot and heat over medium-low heat until it reaches 350ºF (175ºC).
- Roll Dough Pieces: Roll each piece into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to flatten one ball into a 6-inch diameter disk about ⅛ to ¼ inch thick. Cover the remaining dough pieces to prevent drying.
- Cut and Fry: Cut each disk into four triangle-shaped pieces. Carefully place a few triangles at a time into the hot oil without overcrowding. The sopapillas will puff up immediately.
- Cook Until Golden: Fry the sopapillas for about 2-3 minutes per side, turning once, until golden brown and crispy. Total frying time is about 4-5 minutes per batch.
- Drain Excess Oil: Use a slotted spatula to remove the fried sopapillas and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil. Repeat with remaining dough.
- Serve: Dust the warm sopapillas with confectioners sugar mixed with ground cinnamon. Drizzle generously with honey before serving.
Notes
- Ensure the oil temperature is steady at 350ºF to get perfectly puffed sopapillas without absorbing too much oil.
- Shortening can be substituted with unsalted butter or lard for a richer flavor.
- For a vegan option, replace shortening with vegetable shortening or coconut oil and ensure honey is substituted with agave syrup or maple syrup.
- Do not overcrowd the oil during frying to maintain the correct oil temperature and ensure even cooking.
- Sopapillas are best served warm for optimal texture and flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sopapilla
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 130mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 27g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: sopapillas recipe, homemade sopapillas, fried dough, New Mexican dessert, cinnamon sugar sopapillas, honey drizzled pastries