Authentic Sopapillas for Your Sugar Fix
August 29, 2008 by Marye Audet
Filed under Desserts
Sopapillas are wonderful, there is just no other way to say it…Hollow squares of fried dough, dusted with sugar, and served with honey to pour in the hollow middle part. Every bite is sweet, and sticky, messy and incredible.
You have to serve them hot. And you HAVE to eat all of them at that meal. You can’t save any for later. Why? Because cold sopapillas are as disgusting as the fresh ones are good. Just. Don’t. Go. There.
Here in Texas they are often served as the dessert at the small Mom and Pop Mexican restaurants. They are perfect because they are simple, inexpensive, and actually quite filling. Did I mention delicious? Did I mention my addiction to them?
When you drop them in the fryer be sure not to crowd them and only do about 2 or 3 at a time depending on the size. As soon as the float to the top start spooning the hot oil over them to make them puff even more. Turn them once and take them out of the oil when they are golden.
Sopapillas
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
Stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and shortening until it is crumbly. Stir in water and mix until the dough is smooth.
Cover and let stand for 20 minutes for the gluten to relax. Meanwhile heat the oil in a deep fryer to 375 degrees.
Roll out on floured board 1/8 thick. Cut into large-ish squares. Fry until golden brown on both sides. Drain. Dust with confectioner’s sugar or granulated sugar and serve hot with honey to pour in the hollow centers.
Image:Marye Audet
They’re also amazing with cinnamon sugar on them…. YUM!!! Not owning a deep fryer, have any suggestions on what to do with/how to store the leftover oil from frying?
Cool it, strain it, and pour it back into the bottle.
All I can say is I’m SO glad we don’t have a deep fryer. One over-the-top decadent recipe was enough for me this week.
LOL Jen!
Making these and eating them all while they’re hot….not a problem in this house Marye!! LOL!! Those pictures are beautiful!!
When I saw these delicious little wonders that you created the post went straight to my favorites folder! I grew up in Texas and there used to be a little Mexican restaurant there that would serve these as a dessert with honey and I loved them!
Thank you so much for putting this recipe out there
Bunny. thanks! I don;t hve the best camera..but I am working on my images.
Tablebread- Gotta love those little Mexican places..people who have only eaten corporate Tex-Mex do NOT know what they are missing.
A Hispanic friend of mine in New Mexico introduced me to sopapillas. She used them more like bread and we filled them or used them as a scoop with beans. She did also use them as dessert with honey or sugar. I love them both ways. I have always had trouble making them like she did, Her recipe was similar to this one so now I am re-motivated to try again.
Thanks – I think:)
LOL Diane.
Sopapillas (sweet) and Indian Fry Bread (with beans) are very similar but not the same..at least not in Texas.
You may not thank me when you get on the scales in a month.
Ah Hah! We have Indian Fry bread here in Nevada. I’d never heard the difference between fry bread and sopapillas described as you have. Thanks. I just had a similar experience with scones. I had some in Utah that I loved but after leaving there could never find them. Just recently I discovered that Utah scones are a different breed from the more common biscuit like scones. Utah scones are fried and similar to sopapillas and eaten dripping with honey. Found a good website that describes them and their origin.
Thanks again for the great sopapilla recipe and for the the info.
They look so light… and delightful!
Thanks for stopping by Leonor!
These look positively divine. Please consider submitting the recipe to the Root Source Challenge — next week’s ingredient is honey and you could win a cookbook!
Check it out:
http://www.cookthink.com/blog/?p=1204
Corrine, I will do that! Thanks
What a wonderful recipe for sopapillas!!! Brings back childhood memories of mom making them for us. She still makes them, just not as good anymore. My sister found a somewhat similar recipe for sopapillas, yet not as great as this one. I found this recipe this morning and made them for my daughter. She couldn’t stop saying Mmmmmm after each bite. I can’t wait for my husband to come home this evening and greet him with a warm bite of these delectable treats!
I am so glad you like them pamela!