Authentic Sopapillas, Easy & Golden Crispy Softness With Cinnamon Honey Glaze

Want some Sopapillas? If you love those lightly crispy, puffy “little pillows” served piping hot and drizzling with honey right after your meal at a Mexican restaurant, then you will LOVE this authentic recipe! These wonderfully scrumptious pastries are so good you’ll just want to keep eating them. A mouthwatering indulgence!

Easy to make and versatile. Using simple ingredients the recipe makes about 25 for a delicious stack served either salty or sweet that will be devoured in no time, and can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Deep fried until golden and puffy with hollow insides. Drizzle with honey and enjoy as a traditional dessert. Or, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, or fill them whipped cream or ice cream, or stuff with scrambled eggs, or meat, cheese and beans for a great meal. They’re delicious!

Believed to have originated in New Mexico over 200 years ago, sopapillas (“honey cake” in Spanish) is the quintessential New Mexican food and a favorite in Hispanic culture and cuisines. Lighter and puffier than their Indian Fry Bread counterpart with a slightly crisp outside and soft and tender inside, they’re a welcome treat on your dining table! Enjoy!

Deep fried until golden, puffy, and drizzling with honey. They’re scrumptious!

HOW TO MAKE AUTHENTIC SOPAPILLAS

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Inactive: 30 minutes – 1 hour (dough to rise)
Cook time: 15 minutes
Servings: 24-26


Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbs or 1 packet of dried yeast
  • 1 1/2 Cups of warm water (about 115 degrees; don’t get it hot!)
  • 4 Cups of All Purpose flour
  • 1 Tbs of sugar
  • 1 Tsp of kosher salt
  • 1 Tbs of unsalted butter, melted
  • vegetable or canola oil for frying, (canola used in this recipe – at least 2 1/2 cups)
  • Honey, for topping
  • Cinnamon sugar, for topping

Directions:

  1. Mix the yeast and the water and let sit for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the melted butter to the yeast mixture and then slowly stir that into the flour mixture.
  2. Mix well until combined. Knead the dough for 2 minutes until smooth. Put it into a greased bowl and cover. Let sit for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
  3. After the dough has risen, punch it down on a well-floured surface; then roll out into a 1/4 inch-thick rectangle. Using a knife or a pizza cutter, cut out 3-inch squares and then cut the squares into triangles.
  4. Heat 3 inches of oil in a large pot to 350 degrees. Fry 2 triangles at a time in the oil for 1 minute each side. The dough should puff when it hits the oil. Drain the sopapillas on some kitchen towel, then sprinkle with a mixture of 2 Tbsp of cinnamon and 2 Tbsp of sugar. Serve hot with honey.

Notes:

  1. Since this recipe makes a big batch and sopapillas do NOT keep well, you can simply half the recipe if you don’t intend on serving that much.
  2. It’s important to keep the dough moist or else it will lose its elasticity and fry up like a big tortilla chip.
  3. Don’t over-knead it either or you get too much gluten and the dough won’t out to the proper thickness.

Want Another Great Dessert Recipe? Now Watch How To Make Sopapilla Cheesecake!