This traditional Sopapilla recipe is fried to perfection and drizzled in honey. The dough is very simple to make and tastes delicious.
You are going to love being able to enjoy this easy Sopapilla recipe at home. It is fabulous and very simple to make. It is perfect for a sweet treat topped with a drizzle of honey.
This recipe is one of my favorites in this list of 31 Delicious Cinco de Mayo Desserts. My family also enjoys Traditional Mexican Cookies.
Table of contents
What is a sopapillas?
This is a deep fried dough or pastry. Traditionally it is topped with honey or sugar after it is cooked.
Ingredients
- Flour
- Sugar
- Baking Powder
- Vegetable Shortening
- Oil for Frying
- Honey (for topping)
Get the complete ingredients for this recipe at the bottom of the page.
Variations and Substitution
- You can also dust the sopapillas with powder sugar before serving.
- Another idea we love is to use a cinnamon sugar mixture on top of the sopapillas. This is tasty or you can also drizzle honey on top with this.
- Top with fresh fruit and Homemade Whipped Cream Recipe. Strawberries and blueberries are delicious.
- These can be enjoyed as a savory dish instead of sweet. They are tasty stuffed with taco meat. Then add your favorite toppings.
- Dip in honey instead of drizzling the honey. Sometimes the kids like to dip instead.
- Not as traditional but chocolate sauce is delicious with these and great for dipping. I bet your kids will love this idea.
- Make the dough into different shapes. You can do any shape or size you prefer. The key is just making sure the dough is rolled into the same thickness. This will help them to cook evenly in the oil.
How to make sopapillas
Step 1. First, get out a large mixing bowl. Add the flour, salt and baking powder and combine together.
Step 2. Next, add the shortening and mix this together with the flour mixture. I normally just use my hands to mix it together.
Step 3. Now gradually pour the warm water into the large bowl. Make sure to do this slowly.
Step 4. Keep working the dough with your hands until all the water has been added.
Step 5. Then cover the dough. It needs to rest for about 20 minutes to 30 minutes.
Step 6. Meanwhile, get your pan and oil ready while the dough is resting. You need to heat 3 inches of oil in a deep pot. Finally, roll the dough out and cut the dough into 3 inch squares.
Fry
Step 7. Once cut, put the squares into the hot oil. I would do about 3 to 5 at a time depending on the size of your pot that you are using. Then fry for 1 to 2 minutes per side.
Step 8. Once they are cooked, place the sopapillas on a plate covered in a paper towel. This will help soak up any excess grease. I like to use a slotted spoon to remove from the grease. These are best served warm and we like to drizzle them with honey. My kids like a lot of honey. Feel free to use the amount you prefer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, they can be made in advance. You can make the dough a day before you plan to use it. Store in the fridge up to 24 hours.
Then take out and allow to come to room temperature when ready to use. Roll and cut the sopapillas as normal and cook as instructed.
This is especially helpful if you are making these for an event. It will save you a bunch of time.
These can be stored up to 4 days in the fridge or in the freezer up to 2 months
.Just make sure to use an airtight container. To reheat, bake for 4 to 5 minutes in a 375 degree oven. Spread them out on a baking sheet.
Be careful not to overcook them or they will get dry. You just want them warm when reheating.
I usually use canola oil or vegetable oil. However, you can use any oil you prefer as long as it has a high smoke point.
Oils like this are best for frying sopapillas and fry bread. It is also good for frying because they have a neutral taste and won’t alter the flavor of the food.
More easy desserts
- Fried Ice Cream Recipe
- Sopapilla Cheesecake Recipe
- Homemade Brownie Recipe
- Easy Microwave Fudge Recipe
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars
Sopapilla Recipeย
Ingredients
- 3 cups Flour
- 1 Tbsp Sugar
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- 3 Tbsp Vegetable Shortening
- 1 cup Warm Water
- Oil for Frying
- Honey for topping
Instructions
- In a large bowl mix together the flour, salt and baking powder.ย Then add in the shortening and use your hands to mix the shortening into the flour mixture.
- Then gradually pour the warm water into the bowl and work the dough with your hands until all the water has been added.
- Cover the dough and let the dough rest for 20-30 minutes.
- While the dough is resting, heat 3 inches of oil in a deep pot to approximately 350 degrees F.
- Then roll the dough out into approximately ยผ inch thick on a lightly floured surface.ย Then cut the dough into approximately 3 inch squares. I find that itโs easiest to use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into smaller pieces.
- Then place the squares into the oil (3-5 at a time depending on the size of your pot).ย Fry for 1-2 minutes per side (use tongs to flip the dough) until they are a light golden brown.
- After the cook time, move the sopapillas to a plate covered in a paper towel.
- Repeat the process with all the remaining dough.
- Serve warm drizzled with honey and enjoy!
