An indulgent treat that is completely irresistible. This Sopapilla recipe comes out perfectly every time and is so easy to make. Ultra light with a crisp exterior and chewy insides. These golden puffs are delicious sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar or drizzled with honey.
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I love watching the magic of a sopapilla puff up in the hot oil. Have you ever made them yourself or watched someone else make them?
Sopapillas are one of those recipes that seem like they are going to be difficult to get right. They are so crisp and light and delicate that it’s easy to think it would take years of practice to pull off, but the truth is they are dead simple to make.
All you need is a few basic ingredients you probably already have in your pantry and the right oil temperature to make you feel like a wizard in the kitchen. Let’s check out how to make one of my favorite Mexican food desserts.
What are Sopapillas?
Sopapillas are a wheat dough that is rolled thin, cut into shapes, fried in oil, and usually either dusted with powdered sugar or drizzled with honey, or both.
They are loved from New Mexico to South America with lots of variations in between. In Mexico they are most commonly eaten in the northern states and especially in Chihuahua where Armando’s family is from. If you have a favorite Tex Mex restaurant, I can bet they have sopapillas on their menu.
They are very similar to fry bread and the dough is much like a flour tortilla dough or buñuelos.
Why You’ll Love This Sopapilla Recipe
Easy to make. This recipe is seriously kitchen magic. Anyone can make sopapillas, just make sure you have a deep-fry thermometer to get the oil temperature right.
Super crispy and light. These light-as-air puffs are perfect for when you want something a little sweet, but not heavy. They are awesome with a warm mug of atole or coffee for an afternoon or breakfast treat.
They’re Vegan! Made with extra virgin coconut oil and no eggs sopapillas are a naturally vegan dessert.
More Mexican Desserts To Explore!
Easy Chamoy Sauce
Authentic Tres Leches Cake
Mangonada {Spicy Mango Slushie}
Ingredients
- All Purpose Flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Granulated Sugar
- Extra Virgin Coconut Oil. Most sopapilla recipes call for vegetable shortening but I like the flavor and crisp texture coconut oil brings.
- Water
- Avocado Oil
- Powdered Sugar
- Honey
How To Make Them
Step One
Combine dry ingredients. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Whisk to mix well and break up any lumps.
Step Two
Add coconut oil. Rub the coconut oil into the dry ingredients with your fingers until it is in small pea-sized pieces.
Step Three
Drizzle in water. Drizzle warm water into the dry mixture while gently mixing it with your other hand.
Step Four
Knead dough. Mix the dough together with your hands until it forms a soft dough. Knead the dough for 4-5 minutes either in the bowl or transfer to a lightly-floured work surface and knead there.
Step Five
Let dough rest. Roll dough into a ball, place back in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rest 20 minutes.
Step Six
Roll dough. After the dough has rested, roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface with a rolling pin until it is about 1/4 inch thick. You can cut the dough in half and roll it out in two batches if you have limited counter space. Try to get it as close to a rectangle or square shape so you can cut as many even squares as possible.
Step Seven
Cut the dough. After you’ve rolled out the dough, cut into 3-inch-by-3-inch squares. You can cut the dough into any shapes you’d like but squares are most traditional. The dough may stick to the counter while you wait for the oil to heat up. Just slide a small spatula or knife between the dough and the counter to dislodge.
Step Eight
Heat the oil. Pour oil into a pot deep enough so it only reaches about halfway up the sides. Attach a deep-fry thermometer to the side and heat oil over medium-high heat to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with paper towels while you are waiting for the oil to heat up. It is important the oil is at the right temperature before you begin frying. Too low and the sopapillas won’t puff up.
Step Nine
Fry the sopapillas. After you’ve heated the oil, add sopapillas a few at a time and fry on one side until golden brown, about 1 minute. The dough will sink in the oil at first then rise to the top and begin to puff after about 30 seconds or so. Flip and repeat on the other side. Remove with a bamboo skimmer or metal slotted spoon to the baking sheet.
Watch the oil temperature as you fry the sopapillas. Raise or lower the stove heat so it stays as close to 375°F as possible the entire time.
Step Ten
Serve. Dust sopapillas with powdered sugar and drizzle with honey and serve immediately while still hot. You can also toss them in cinnamon-sugar. If you want to go that route, place cinnamon-sugar mixture in a bowl and roll the sopapillas in the mixture straight from the oil while they’re still hot or it won’t stick.
Sopapillas are best eaten right away but if you want to keep them warm you can place them in a 200°F oven for about an hour or so. Drizzle with honey and sugar after you take them out of the oven.
More Crispy Fried Recipes To Try!
- Chicharrones de Harina
- Authentic Churros Recipe with Chocolate Sauce
- Chiles Rellenos Recipe
- How To Make Fried Tostadas
- Pork Flautas
- Poblano, Corn, and Queso Taquitos
- Doritos-Flavored Duritos
A Delicious Treat in about 30 minutes
To be honest I don’t need any excuse to make a batch of sopapillas but the fact that these are virtually foolproof makes them that much more desirable. Let me know when you try them by snapping a pic and tagging me on Instagram@holajalapenoand#holajalapenoso I can see or leave me a comment below (don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating)! Also, sign up for myweekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!
Easy Sopapilla Recipe
Yield: 24-28 sopapillas
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Resting Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
This Sopapilla recipe comes out perfectly every time and is so easy to make. Ultra light with a crisp exterior and a chewy inside these golden puffs are delicious sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar or drizzled with honey.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin coconut oil
- 3/4 cup warm water
- 4 cups avocado oil or other neutral oil, for frying
For Serving
Instructions
- Combine dry ingredients. Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk to mix well.
- Add coconut oil. Work coconut oil into the dry ingredients with your fingers until it is in small pea-sized pieces.
- Add water. Drizzle in warm water while mixing the dough with your other hand. Keep mixing until a soft dough forms. Knead dough until is is smooth and springy, about 4-5 minutes.
- Rest. Form dough into a ball and return to the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest 20 minutes.
- Roll out dough. Place dough on a lightly-floured work surface and roll into a rectangle shape until it is about 1/4-inch thick. You can divide the dough in two pieces and roll out in batches if you have limited counter space. Cut into 3x3-inch squares with a sharp knife or a pizza cutter.
- Heat oil. Pour oil into a pot deep enough so the oil only comes about halfway up the sides. Attach a deep-fry thermometer to the side. Heat over medium-high heat until it reaches 375°F.
- Fry sopapillas. Add sopapillas squares a few at a time. If they have stuck to the counter, run a small spatula or knife underneath the dough to dislodge. Fry until golden on one side, about 1 minute. Flip and let fry on the other side about a minute more. Remove with a bamboo skimmer or a metal slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined baking sheet.
- Serve. Dust sopapillas with powdered sugar, cinnamon-sugar, or drizzle with honey (or any combination of the three) and serve immediatley while still hot.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 1722Total Fat: 155gSaturated Fat: 23gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 125gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 376mgCarbohydrates: 86gFiber: 4gSugar: 49gProtein: 5g
Did you make this recipe?
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