Soft, sweet puffy Mexican pastry is a must for any fiesta. This delicious dessert bread is dusted with cinnamon sugar and drizzled with honey.
As a kid my family rarely went out for dinner. So, when we did it was always a special treat. I fondly remember the first time I ever laid eyes on a sopapilla. We had gone out to dinner to a local restaurant called Panchos. After our meal the waiter brought out a plate of these huge puffy breads, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. It was love at first sight!
You’d think after a big Mexican dinner you wouldn’t have room for dessert. But, I tell you once you’ve had one it doesn’t matter how full you are, you still make room for a sopapilla.
A sopapilla is a delicious puffed pillow of fried dough. It is soft, sweet, and slightly chewy. These warm little pillows are made extraordinary with a dusting of cinnamon sugar and a drizzle of honey.
Any Fiesta needs some Homemade Sopapillas. I normally don’t like to fry foods, but these puff up so quickly that they hardly absorb any oil. After all these are for a celebration, so you have to live a little, right?
You can make these as big or little as you wish. I like the triangle shape, but have also made them into squares.
I think these are perfect sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and honey. You could also serve them with fresh whipped cream and strawberries.
These heavenly creations are super easy to make. You start with all-purpose flour, baking powder, a little shortening, sugar, salt, and some warm water.
Gently knead and all that comes together to form a beautiful soft, elastic dough. I let the dough rest, covered for about 1 hour.
Once the dough has rested I divide the dough in half. Keep the unused dough lightly covered with a towel. Now, simply roll each portion into a large circle about 1/4 inch thick. I use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into equal triangles.
One at a time, I dip each triangle into hot oil for 10 seconds on each side and watch them magically puff up and turn into a slightly crisp and chewy bread.
Here is the yummy part…sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar while warm!
My son has only seen a sopapilla in a restaurant. With something cooking he comes downstairs, sniffing the air, eyes wide searching for the source of this wonderful aroma.
He saw this plate full of fresh homemade sopapillas and his face lit up. He looks at me and says, “are those soapy pillows?” Soapy pillows??? Haha
More like homemade so·pa·pil·las! I laugh…why would anyone want to eat a soapy pillow?! Silly kid…he knows they are called sopapillas, but says the name sounds like soapy pillows.
Call them what ever you want, but I guarantee with one bite of these delectable treats and you will be hooked!
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- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp vegetable shortening
- ¾ cup warm water (110 degrees)
- vegetable oil
- cinnamon sugar
- honey
- In a large mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt with a wooden spoon.
- Add shortening, incorporate into the flour with your fingers to make small crumbles.
- Slowly add the warm water to the flour, stirring with wooden spoon to form dough.
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured counter.
- Knead dough for about 5 minutes, or until soft and elastic.
- Cover and let rest for 1 hour.
- Pour an 1½ inches of vegetable oil in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat to 375° F.
- Divided dough in half. Keep unused dough covered with a towel.
- Roll dough out into a large circle, ¼ inch thick.
- Using a knife or pizza cutter divide the dough into 8 triangles. Repeat with remaining dough. Keep triangles covered until ready to fry.
- Slowly dip a triangle into the oil, after 10 seconds gently flip over using a slotted spoon. After 10 more seconds carefully remove from oil and place on a plate lined with a paper towel. Repeat with each triangle.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar while warm.
- Serve warm with honey.
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