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Sopapillas are a delicious fried dough from New Mexico. They are perfectly fried puffed dough and traditionally served with a drizzle of honey or a combination of cinnamon and sugar.
I absolutely love all types of Mexican food. Everything from conchas, beef birria to carne asada tacos. New Mexico’s Mexican food is in its own category.
I went to New Mexico a few years ago and had a transcendent experience in Taos and Santa Fe–two cities that are truly magical. One of my favorite things I ate the entire trip were Sopapillas. I had them both in sweet context and savory (and I ate them alongside a plate of Chilaquiles).
Ingredients You’ll Need for a Sopapillas
- All-purpose flour.
- Baking powder. This is going to activate and make these nice and fluffy and light.
- Granulated sugar. Adding a touch of sweetness and crispness to the dough.
- Kosher salt. With everything sweet, we need a hint of savory.
- Honey. This is going to go inside the dough, as well as on the outside when serving.
- Milk. Whole milk gives this dough a super soft and delicious texture.
For the rest of the ingredients, please see the recipe index card below!
How to Make Sopapillas
- Whisk together the dry ingredients. Weโre using all-purpose flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
- Make a well in the flour mixture. Then pour in the honey and milk. Stir until a dough forms. Rest the dough for 20 minutes.
- Roll out the dough so that itโs 1/8-inch thick. Cut the dough into squares.
- Heat the oil further to 375 degrees F. Drop the squares of dough into the hot oil.
- Fry for 1 minute. Flip and fry on the other side until lightly golden brown.
- Transfer to paper towels to drain. And then serve immediately.
How to Serve Sopapillas
- Honey. I love to serve them with a drizzle of honey.
- Cinnamon and Sugar. I’ve also had them dusted in a combination of cinnamon and sugar.
- Savory options: Serve them along the side with mole or enchiladas.
Recipe Tip
Test a single sopapilla. I always do a test to make sure the oil is the right temperature. If the first one doesn’t puff up, it means it’s not rolled thin enough. A simple fix with the rest of them!
Recipe FAQs
If you’re serving them in a sweet context, I love mixing together a few tablespoons of granulated sugar with two teaspoons ground cinnamon and dusting them with this mixture right when they come out of the oil. OR you can serve them in a savory context alongside these Vegetarian Black Bean Enchiladas or Beef Tacos.
This recipe most notably has zero shortening. I tried a recipe with shortening and I didn’t love it; I found that it lacked flavor and I frankly NEVER cook with shortening if I don’t have to. Instead, I swapped in milk vs. water and found that it was delicious this way.
More Latin-Inspired Desserts
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Sopapillas Recipe
Equipment
- 1 cast iron skillet or medium pot
- 1 spider or strainer to help remove the sopapillas from the oil
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- Canola oil, peanut oil or lard, for frying
Instructions
To Make the Dough:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Next, create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the honey and whole milk.
- Using a spoon or your hands, mix the dough together until it forms a sticky mass. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and allow the dough to rest for about 20 minutes.
To Fry the Sopapillas:
- I know frying this is a bit of a bummer but Iโll say that with these itโs needed and worth it. In a cast iron skillet (or medium pot), add enough oil so it reaches 3-inches up the sides of the skillet/pot. Heat up your oil to around 300 degrees. (Right before we fry them off, weโll heat it up even further.)
- Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. If the dough is at all sticky (it shouldnโt be after it rested) feel free to sprinkle it with a bit of flour so it doesnโt adhere to the surface.
- Dump the dough onto the counter and roll the dough into a thin (1/8-inch thick) square. (It doesnโt have to be a perfect square either, just do your best.) Cut the sopapillas into 4 x 3-inch rectangles. Again, the measurements donโt have to be exact, you can definitely eyeball this.
- Before you fry them up, be sure to get your honey ready. Line a baking sheet or plate with a few layers of paper towels or clean kitchen towel. Heat the oil up again to 375 degrees F.
- Drop the sopapillas in the hot oil, frying two to three at a time, for about a minute, flipping them over at the halfway point. (If they donโt puff up, theyโll still be tasty! But it may mean the dough isnโt rolled thin enough.)
- They should be lightly golden brownโnot too crispy. Transfer them to the bed of paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining sopapillas.
- These taste best straight from the fryer to a plate to being consumed but if you want, you can keep the sopapillas warm in an 200 degree pre-heated oven while you fry up the rest.
- Serve them alongside some honey and apricot preserves.
Notes
- Test a single sopapilla. I always do a test to make sure the oil is the right temperature. If the first one doesn’t puff up, it means it’s not rolled thin enough. A simple fix with the rest of them!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
*This post was originally posted on May 13, 2015 but has since been republished with new photos and copy.
Born and raised in Albuquerque New Mexico I was taught by my mother in law (ex) but it was always the same as tortillas flour lard salt baking powder but never tasted like some of the restaurants …. This recipe is AMAZING anyone who has tried them agreed they taste the way they should they puff easily I am so happy to have stumbled across your recipe THANK YOU!!!!
This recipe is missing a key ingredientโฆshortening. There are better recipes out there
I’ve made them with shortening but I find most people don’t have it on hand and I find that most people want to avoid using shortening nowadays, hence why I developed this recipe using butter. ๐
Too much salt in the recipe
its an easy recipe. But I wasn’t too pleased with them. Will try again
I have not tried this recipe yet, but I can’t wait. My last attempt (as of tonight) totally flopped! Thank you for the tips. I like the idea of using the milk and honey in place of shortening. I think the shortening made the dough denser and I also think I rolled the dough too thick. Thank you for this awesome alternative. I will let you know how my next attempt with this recipe turns out.
I was studying in Eastern Colorado at Phillips university years ago and after a night of drinking with friends, we would stop in a small family cafe to order sopapillas e leche. We would dunk them in the milk, SOOO Good! after returning to the East coast every time i inquire about SOPAPILLAS at “authentic Mexican Restaurants” the only thing I get is a strange look with a definite no. So, thanks for the recipe, now I can make them at home. (If people know about Beignets, how did they miss out on Sopapillas?) This recipe is the closest to those in the cafe.
Gracias
Iโm from NM and curious to try recipe. Dough didnโt rise. It stayed small not stretchy, no puffy.
I am too from NM and I had the same issue! I thought mine were too thick and I needed to stretch them out. They were ok. Will try again but so far I was disappointed as a NMixan.