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You can easily make Sopapillas from home that are fluffy, lightly crispy, and absolutely delicious, dusted with powdered sugar and a drizzle of honey.
Want more of my bakery favorites? Try our Homemade Scones, Cinnamon Roll Biscuits, Strawberry Crepes, or Buttermilk Biscuits!
I'd say NOW is a very good time to try Sopapillas.
I'd say NOW is a very good time to try Sopapillas.In case you're unfamiliar with sopapillas (or sopaipa, cachanga) these beauties are fried pastries similar to a scone/donut or beignet, and they're popular in Hispanic culture; particularly in New Mexico and South America.
They're often served as dessert, topped with honey, powdered sugar, or cinnamon sugar, but they can also be served savory style and stuffed with meats and cheeses. They are absolutely heavenly and so easy to make.
How to make Sopapillas:
Make Dough: Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add shortening then cut it in with forks or a pastry blender. Gradually stir in water until the mixture comes together. Knead dough in the bowl for a few minutes until smooth.
Rest: Cover bowl tightly then allow the dough to rest for 20 minutes – this is an important step so they “pillow up”.
Roll dough into a square about 1/8-inch thick. Cut three strips vertically and horizontally to make 9 pieces.
Fry: Add about 1-2 inches of oil to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once the oil is lightly bubbling, lay a square of dough very carefully onto the hot oil. It will sink to the bottom and then begin to float to the top of the oil. Once it floats to the top, lightly drizzle hot oil over the top of it as it cooks, which will help it to pillow-up. Cook for about 30 seconds then flip to the other side and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Remove to a paper towel lined plate.
Serve homemade sopapillas warm, with a dusting of powdered sugar and a drizzle of honey, or sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. Store leftover sopapillas at room temperature for 1-2 days.
Freezing Instructions:
To Freeze Dough (recommended method): Make the dough and freeze dough in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter until it comes to room temperature, then roll out the dough and fry as instructed.
To Freeze Fried Sopapillas: Freeze cooled pastries for up to 2 months. To reheat, allow them to thaw completely then bake at 300°F for about 5-8 minutes (turning halfway through) until warm.
Sopapillas
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable shortening
- 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon warm water
- oil for frying
- powdered sugar and honey , , for serving (or cinnamon sugar)
Instructions
- Make Dough: Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the shortening and cut it in with forks or a pastry blender. Gradually stir in water until the mixture comes together. Knead the dough in the bowl for a few minutes until smooth.
- Rest: Cover the bowl tightly and allow the dough to rest for 20 minutes.
- Heat Oil: Meanwhile, add about 1-2 inches of oil to a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Roll dough into a square about 1/8-inch thick. Cut three strips vertically and horizontally to make 9 pieces.
- Fry: Once the oil is hot, use tongs to lay a square of dough very carefully into the hot oil. It will sink to the bottom and then begin to float to the top of the oil. Once it floats to the top, lightly spoon hot oil over the top of it as it cooks, which will help it to pillow-up. Cook for about 30 seconds and then flip to the other side and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Remove to a paper towel lined plate.
- Serve dusted with powdered sugar and a drizzle of honey, or sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.
- Store leftover sopapillas at room temperature for 1-2 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I originally shared this recipe February 2020 . Updated August 2024.
So easy! So good!! Wow!!
Recipe has wrong flour proportion to water. This makes a soupy dough which won’t fry up well. For 1/3 cup of warm water you will need 2 cups of AP flour.