Sopapillas Recipe [Video] (2024)

Sopapillas are crispy, airy, delicious deep-fried pastries, that have been rolled in cinnamon sugar and served with a drizzle of honey.

If you haven’t tried yet my amazing Sopapilla Cheesecake, you are definitely missing out. If you want to take it over the top, make some real Sopapillas, pile them up on top of the cheesecake bars, and drizzle with some honey right before serving. That will be a fantastic dessert!

Sopapillas Recipe [Video] (1)

Homemade Sopapillas Recipe

Sopapillas are beautiful pillows of fried dough rolled in cinnamon sugar, and they are impossible to resist. Every time I travel to Mexico, I just can’t get enough. These pastries are so easy to make at home and they are a hit at brunch parties. You can enjoy them pretty much any day of the week. Also, they are great for Christmas, birthday party, or simply in the morning with a cup of tea or coffee!

A Sopapilla is basically a golden brown pastry shell, that has been deep-fried to perfection. Inside there is nothing but air! Perfect Sopapillas should look like pillows and when you bite into one, you get the light crispiness of the dough and next to some amazing flakiness from the airy center.

What are Sopapillas?

It is a crispy pastry that is very popular in Hispanic cuisine. Sopapillas are deep-fried in oil and rolled in cinnamon and sugar. Usually, they are being served covered with a drizzle of honey.

Sopapillas Recipe [Video] (3)

What do you need to make Sopapillas?

This dessert is fairly easy to make, you will need only a handful of ingredients that are very common.

  • Shortening
  • Flour
  • Sugar
  • Baking powder
  • Salt
  • Water
  • Milk
  • Cinnamon

How do you make Sopapillas?

  • First, you mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl: flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
  • After that, using your hands or a pastry blender, combine the flour mix with the shortening.
  • Lastly, add the warm water and milk. Roll the dough into a ball and let it rest.
  • When ready to use, roll the dough, cut 2×2 inch or larger squares and deep fry.
  • Roll in cinnamon sugar and serve drizzled with honey.
Sopapillas Recipe [Video] (4)

Can you substitute shortening with butter?

While I love butter, and in many instances, you can use butter instead of shortening, however in this Sopapillas recipe, I recommend using shortening.

Butter vs Shortening

What is Shortening and what does it do in baking?

Vegetable shortening is a fat made from vegetable oil and it is usually hydrogenated, so when you buy some, always make sure you choose a non-hydrogenated version. Shortening has a longer shelf life in comparison to butter and it’s also cheaper, but it lacks the flavor of butter. A fun fact is that shortening is vegan.

While butter is usually about 80-85% fat and 15-20% water, shortening is 100% fat. Shortening has a higher melting point than butter, which makes sit easier to incorporate it into the dough that needs to be rolled out. Also, thedough made with shortening will hold its shape better during baking.

What does Butter do in baking?

Butter definitely has the best flavor, so it wins when it comes to making cookies, cakes or frosting. It also adds beautiful flakiness to pie crusts, due to the water content it holds.

But while it tastes good, it can be harder to work with, because of its lower melting point. If it gets too warm, the dough will be too soft to roll and it will tear easily. If it gets too cold, the dough will be more difficult to roll. You may have to transfer the dough in and out of the fridge several times.

Sopapillas Recipe [Video] (5)

How do you make Homemade Cinnamon Sugar?

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup white cane sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Instructions:

In a small bowl add sugar and cinnamon and stir until fully combined.

Can you make Sopapillas dough in advance?

Yes, you can. The dough can be stored in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

More delicious desserts to try:

  • Chocolate banana bread
  • Churros
  • Snickerdoodle bread
  • Irish soda bread
  • Buckeye Cookies

Sopapillas Recipe

  • Prep Time10 MIN
  • Cook Time15 MIN
  • Servings 28 pieces

Ingredients

Sopapillas:

  • 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
  • 3/4 cup water lukewarm
  • 1/2 cup whole milk lukewarm
  • Vegetable or canola oil

Cinnamon Sugar:

  • 1 cup white cane sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

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Instructions

Sopapillas:

  • In a large bowl add dry ingredients: 3 cups of flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Whisk to combine.

  • Add shortening and using your fingers or a pastry blender, combine it with the flour mix until it is fully rubbed in and the mixture resembles sand.

  • Scoop a well in the center of the flour and shortening mix and add warm water and warm milk.

  • Using a wooden spoon, stir the mixture until well combined.

  • Once combined, use your hands to knead the dough, for about 5 minutes. If the dough is too sticky, add the remaining 1/3 cup of flour a little at a time. The dough should be just lightly sticky, easy to work with, soft and smooth.

  • Knead the dough into a smooth ball. If needed, transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface while you knead it.

  • Once you formed a ball, place the dough on a lightly floured surface and cover with a damp towel. Let it rest for 30 minutes. The dough can also be wrapped in plastic food wrap and refrigerated for 24 hours.

Fry:

  • After 30 minutes, cut the dough in 4, and roll each piece into a small, smooth ball. You can also skip cutting the ball into pieces, and just roll the entire piece, its just harder to work with it this way.

  • One by one, roll out each ball on a floured surface into an imperfect rectangle that is about 1/8-1/4 inch thick. Cut into 3 inch squares and arrange them on a tray that has been covered with parchment paper.

  • Add oil to a deep pan, saucepan or deep-fryer. If using a pan/saucepan, you need to fill it with at least 4 inches of oil.

  • Once the oil is hot, 375 degrees F, add Sopapillas a few at a time and fry until golden brown on both sides.

  • It is important to not add too many at the same time, depends how large is the pan or pot you are using. They should have enough room to puff up. Also, it is very important to move them around. Use chopsticks or two forks, to move them around the pan and turn on the other side.

  • Sopapillas have airy centers, they should inflate almost like balloons when added to the hot oil. When moving them around, turning or removing them from the pot, be gentle and careful, to not pierce them.

  • Cook only until golden brown on each side. Remove and place on a cooling rack that has been placed inside a baking dish. This is done to drain any remaining excess oil.

Cinnamon Sugar:

  • Add cinnamon and sugar to a large bowl and whisk to combine. Toss one by one, the still hot Sopapillas into the Cinnamon Sugar mixture or just sprinkle it on top.

  • Serve warm drizzled with honey.

Nutrition Facts

Sopapillas Recipe [Video] (6)
Sopapillas Recipe [Video] (2024)

FAQs

Why aren't my sopapillas puffing up? ›

The right temperature oil (365 F) is key to making sopapillas that puff up completely. If you don't have a thermometer, you can take a small pinch of dough and place it in the oil. If it immediately bubbles and floats to the surface, the oil is ready. The oil should never be so hot that it is smoking.

What are Mexican sopapillas made of? ›

Sopapilla Ingredients

Flour: This sopapilla recipe starts with all-purpose flour. Shortening: Shortening, not butter, ensures perfectly soft and fluffy sopapillas. Baking powder: Baking powder acts as a leavener, which makes the dough rise. Salt: A pinch of salt enhances the overall flavor of the sopapillas.

Are sopapillas Mexican or Native American? ›

Crispy, golden-brown pillows that are sweet or savory, sopapillas are a traditional New Mexican fried dough made with only five ingredients: flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and shortening. The dish is rooted in the American Southwest, where Hispanic, Spanish and Native American cultures converge.

Are there different types of sopapillas? ›

In New Mexico, sweet sopapillas are often covered in honey or some kind of syrup and powdered sugar. Stuffed sopapillas are also popular in New Mexico. They are prepared the same way but instead of honey and sugar, the pastries are stuffed with ingredients such as refried beans, cheese, peppers and meat.

What's the difference between beignets and sopapillas? ›

Sopaipillas look really similar to French beignets and taste similar to American donuts. All three pastries are made from deep fried dough but beignets are made from a more bread-like yeast dough where sopapillas are a little more light and flaky.

How is puffed pastry made to rise so high? ›

Follow this tip: As a rule of thumb, a higher oven temperature (400°F is ideal) results in puff pastry with a higher rise. The higher temperature produces steam, which is the crucial component that makes the puff pastry, well, puff.

What does sopapilla mean in Spanish to english? ›

A sopaipilla, sopapilla, sopaipa, or cachanga is a kind of fried pastry and a type of quick bread served in several regions with Spanish heritage in the Americas. The word sopaipilla is the diminutive of sopaipa, a word that entered Spanish from the Mozarabic language of Al-Andalus.

What is the difference between a buñelo and a sopapilla? ›

Sopapillas vs Buñuelos: A sopapilla (soap/pah/pee/ya) is soft, sweet dough (made with flour), flash-fried to puff up into a pillow and drizzled with honey when served hot. A buñuelo (boon/whale/oh) is the same dough, deep fried to a flaky crispness, dredged in sugar and cinnamon, and usually served cool.

Are fry jacks the same as Sopapillas? ›

Fry Jacks are essentially fried dough. They are kind of like French beignets, or Latin American sopapillas. A traditional Belizean breakfast will have, fry jacks, salsa or tomatoes, refried beans, eggs and an additional protein like chicken or fish.

What is a fun fact about Sopapillas? ›

A sopaipilla, sopapilla, sopaipa, or cachanga is a kind of fried pastry and a type of quick bread served in several regions with Spanish heritage in the Americas. The word sopaipilla is the diminutive of sopaipa, a word that entered Spanish from the Mozarabic language of Al-Andalus.

What are 3 foods that are indigenous to Mexico? ›

Today's food staples native to the land include corn (maize), turkey, beans, squash, amaranth, chia, avocados, tomatoes, tomatillos, cacao, vanilla, agave, spirulina, sweet potato, cactus, and chili pepper.

Does Spain have sopapillas? ›

They're originally from Spain, and variations can be found in countries throughout Latin America including Argentina, Chile, and Peru. These versions are often flat, similar to buñuelos, but the Tex-Mex style, along with the New Mexican style, is puffy.

Is sopapilla a churro? ›

Sopapilla is a Spanish Heritage fried sweet bread similar to a Churro. I discovered my love for Sopapilla when I would pick up fresh tortilla bread from my local bakery. Headed towards the pastries and they had Sopapilla Cheesecake! Imagine, flaky cinnamon sugar dough layered between a tangy, creamy cheesecake filling.

What is the difference between a sopapilla and a zeppole? ›

Zeppole - Italian fritters sometimes served with a filling. Funnel cakes - Deep fried dessert made from a batter dropped from a funnel usually dusted with powdered sugar. Sopaipillas / Sopapillas - Southwestern crispy puffs drizzled with honey and often flavored with cinnamon or honey.

Do they have Sopapillas in Mexico? ›

This is where the Mexican Sopapillas come into play... they are like fried puff pastry with a honey drizzle and topped with powdered sugar! (similar to Greek loukoumades recipe we featured a recipe on in the Fall).

Why aren't my buns light and fluffy? ›

If your dinner rolls aren't fluffy it could be because of one of two reasons. Either, you added too much flour or you possibly used all bread flour. Alternately, not giving your dinner rolls enough time to proof and get puffy before baking could yield dense rolls.

Why won t my buns rise? ›

Dough may not have been kneaded enough. Kneading 'exercises' the gluten in the bread and gives it the elasticity to hold in the air bubbles produced by the yeast. It is these air bubbles that cause the dough to expand and rise.

Why did my cinnamon buns not rise? ›

If your butter/milk mixture is too hot, it will kill the yeast and you won't really notice until you're far into the recipe… when the rolls won't rise! Keep the temperature warm to the touch, around 100–110°F (38–43°C). An instant read thermometer is a handy tool for this baking recipe and many others.

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