Sopapillas Recipe
Light pastries coated in a sweet blend of cinnamon, sugar and powdered sugar. Served with honey
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Ingredients
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Dough
Frying
Coating & Serving
Method
Dough
- 1
Prepare dry ingredients
In a large mixing bowl whisk together 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar until evenly combined.
- 2
Cut in butter
Add 4 tablespoons cold cubed unsalted butter to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
- 3
Add liquids and form dough
Make a well in the center and add 1 cup warm water and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Stir with a fork or wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently 6–8 times until the dough comes together and is smooth. Avoid over-kneading.
- 4
Rest the dough
Shape the dough into a ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let rest at room temperature 20–30 minutes. Resting relaxes the gluten and makes rolling easier.
Shaping & Preparing to Fry
- 5
Roll out dough
After resting, divide the dough into 2 portions. Work with one portion at a time and keep the other covered. On a lightly floured surface roll the dough to about 1/8-inch (3 mm) thickness.
- 6
Cut sopapillas
Using a pizza cutter, pastry wheel, or knife, cut the rolled dough into 2½–3 inch squares or rectangles. Traditional sopapillas are usually square or diamond-shaped; if you want a pocket, cut a small slit (1/2 inch) in the center of each piece so steam can form a pocket while frying.
- 7
Keep pieces covered
Place the cut pieces on a lightly floured tray, cover loosely with a towel so they do not dry out while you heat the oil.
Frying
- 8
Heat oil
Pour about 4 cups oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet, leaving at least 2 inches of headspace. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a small piece of dough into the oil; it should sizzle and rise to the surface quickly, browning within 60–90 seconds.
- 9
Fry sopapillas
Carefully add 3–4 pieces of dough at a time (do not overcrowd) and fry, turning once, until puffed and golden brown on both sides, about 45–90 seconds per side depending on thickness and oil temperature. Use a slotted spoon or spider to turn and remove them to drain.
- 10
Drain
Transfer fried sopapillas to a baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain excess oil for about 1–2 minutes before coating.
Coating & Serving
- 11
Prepare coating
While frying, combine 1 cup granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon in a wide shallow bowl or plate and stir until evenly blended. Place 1 cup powdered sugar in a separate bowl if using. Warm 1 cup honey slightly (microwave 15–20 seconds) so it pours easily.
- 12
- 13
- 14
Serve
Arrange sopapillas on a serving platter and serve warm with honey on the side for drizzling or dipping. To serve traditional pockets, pass a small bowl of honey and encourage guests to fold and drizzle inside.