How To Make Sopapillas {Easy Recipe} - The Tortilla Channel (2024)

Serve these sopapillas as a dessert or quick bread. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and dip in honey!

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This fried bread puffs up and is eaten hot with lots of honey. Once you know how it is made you will serve them again and again. So, are you ready to learn how to make sopapillas? Let’s get started!

What You Need For This Recipe

To make this sopapillas recipe you need several ingredients. Take a look at the ingredients below to see what you need:

  • Flour – make these with all-purpose flour
  • Milk – you can use regular milk or plant-based milk
  • Water
  • Butter – use room temperature butter you can also use plant-based butter
  • Sugar – granulated sugar
  • Baking powder – to help lift the sopapillas
  • Salt – to enhance the flavor of the other ingredients

Toppings:

  • Sugar – granulated sugar
  • Cinnamon – to combine into cinnamon sugar
  • Honey – to drizzle on top

Note that the full ingredients list, including measurements, can be found in the recipe card below.

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How To Make Sopapillas

  1. This is the easiest recipe for sopapillas. To make this recipe you can make the dough by hand or in a kitchen machine. I recommend a kitchen machine as it is super-fast.
  2. Add all the dry ingredients to the kitchen machine and pulse a couple of times to combine. Then add room temperature butter to the kitchen machine and let it run so you will get course dough.
  3. Now add the milk and water. Run the kitchen machine again and you will see the ingredients turn into a soft dough. Take it out of the kitchen machine and knead it by hand shortly.
  4. Cut the dough in half and shape it into a ball. Put on and put half of the dough on a lightly floured board. Roll with a rolling pin into a round shape a ½ inch thick.
  5. Cut the dough circle through the middle and then into 4 triangles or wedges so you will yield 8 wedges from one circle. Repeat for the second piece of dough so you have 16 triangles. Preheat a big pot with vegetable oil and fill it with about ⅓ of oil.
  6. Heat to 375℉/190℃ and fry 2 to 3 sopapillas at a time until golden brown. This will take 2-3 minutes. Turn the sopapilla and fry the other side.
  7. It will take about 1 minute.
  8. Take the sopapillas out of the pan with a slotted spoon and drain them on a paper towel. Cool slightly while you combine the cinnamon and sugar.
  9. Sprinkle the sopapillas with cinnamon sugar or drizzle them with lots of honey. Your sopapilla dessert is ready to serve.

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Sweet Sopapillas Recipe

Who doesn’t like fried food? We all know it isn’t good for us but oh it tastes so good and when you try these sopapillas you will have a new favorite.

A sweet doughy snack covered with cinnamon sugar. One bite and you will not be able to resist and eat the rest as well. They are cooked in oil and are similar to oliebollen.

How To Make Sopapillas {Easy Recipe} - The Tortilla Channel (3)

What Are Sopapillas?

Sopapillas are also known as sopaipilla, sopaipa, and cachanga and are fried pastry dough. It originates from Spain and is popular in countries that have a Spanish heritage.

There are several ways these are made. You can find sopaipilla squares in the shape of a pillow, circular, or the shape of a triangle.

In this recipe, they are first made in a circle and then cut into a triangle.

You can serve them as a dessert or snack which is what we will be doing. There are even countries that serve them alongside the main dish.

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Can You Make Sopapillas From Tortillas?

You can! As the base of the sopapillas is similar to a tortilla you can make these fried pastries from tortillas. They will be less doughy but that is no problem.

When you take small soft tortillas cut them into triangles. You can yield 4-6 wedges from a small tortilla. Fill a skillet or small pot with about 1-2 inches of oil and then you can follow the instructions.

Tortillas puff up when heated. This will go faster than with the dough version so stay close and turn the tortillas regularly.

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Can You Make Sopapillas Vegan?

The answer is yes and it is quite easy to make vegan sopapillas. As this recipe contains milk and butter you can easily substitute.

These regular dairy products can be substituted for:

  • Dairy-free milk
  • Almond milk
  • Soy milk
  • Rice milk
  • Vegetable butter
  • Coconut butter
  • Vegetable shortening

Keep following the recipe as described below and change to one of these products.

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Can You Make Sopapillas Ahead?

Yes, you can make sopapillas ahead. They taste their best when made fresh but they do hold up well when you prepare them in advance and serve them later.

You have several options to store them as well as reheat them.

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How To Store Sopapillas?

When you make sopapillas and you have leftovers or you prepared a big batch you have several ways to store them. If you are planning on saving some do not cover them with cinnamon sugar yet this will make reheating much easier.

You can sprinkle cinnamon sugar on them when you have reheated them. In all cases let them cool completely before storing them:

  • Refrigerator – if you plan on serving the leftover sopapillas you can store them for up to 3 days in the fridge. Put them in an airtight food container
  • Freezer – want to keep them longer store them in the freezer. Put them in a freezer-friendly food container and store them for up to 3 months

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How To Reheat Sopapillas?

When you want to reheat them, you have several ways:

  • Oven – you can reheat them in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400℉/200℃ put the sopapillas in an oven-safe dish and cover with foil. Heat for 7 minutes, then remove the foil and heat for 2 more minutes or until warm
  • Air Fryer – you can also reheat them in an Air Fryer. Preheat the Air Fryer to 375℉/190℃ for 3 minutes. Wrap the leftover sopapilla in aluminum foil and warm for 5 – 7 minutes or until warm
  • Microwave – put them in a microwave-safe dish and cover them with plastic wrap. Heat for 30 seconds and check to see if they are warm else extend for 30 more seconds. Be aware that in the microwave they will go soft
  • Deep fry – you can deep fry them to reheat but I would only reheat them if they are not sprinkled with cinnamon sugar as the sugar will dissolve in your oil when you reheat. Heat your deep fryer and put the sopapillas for 20 to 30 seconds or until hot

More Fried Recipes

If you love fried foods, you are in for a treat because we have got some nice recipes you can make:

  • Fried bread
  • Oliebollen
  • Bakabana
  • Chalupa
  • Fried cheese empanadas

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Pin Recipe Print Recipe

Sopapillas

Mireille

Serves: 16 Prep Time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: 16 minutes

Delicious sopapillas? Try these fried pastries that you can serve as dessert or a sweet snack. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar or dip in honey!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1½ tablespoon real butter
  • ½ cup of water
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 1½ teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Toppings:
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • honey

Instructions

  1. Add all the dry ingredients in a kitchen machine and pulse
  2. Then add the butter and run the kitchen machine until you get a coarse dough
  3. Now add the milk and water and run the kitchen machine. In a matter of seconds, you get a soft dough
  4. Take the dough out of the kitchen machine. Knead by hand for a couple of seconds
  5. Cut the dough in half and put half of the dough on a lightly floured board. Roll with a rolling pin into a circle
  6. Cut the circle through the middle and then into 4 triangles. Repeat for the second piece of dough. You will yield 16 wedges
  7. Preheat a big pot to 375℉/190℃ with vegetable oil, filled about ⅓ of the pot
  8. Fry 2-3 sopapillas at a time until golden brown for about 2-3 minutes. Turn the sopapillas and fry the other side. This will take about 1 minute
  9. Take the sopapillas from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel
  10. Cool slightly while you combine the cinnamon and sugar
  11. Sprinkle the sopapillas with the cinnamon sugar or drizzle with honey

Notes

Use the milk at room temperature

Nutrition facts

Calories: 101; Fat: 4.2g; Carbs: 14.2g; Protein: 1.8g;

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How To Make Sopapillas {Easy Recipe} - The Tortilla Channel (2024)

FAQs

What are Mexican sopapillas made of? ›

Sopapilla Ingredients

Flour: This sopapilla recipe starts with all-purpose flour. Shortening: Shortening, not butter, ensures perfectly soft and fluffy sopapillas. Baking powder: Baking powder acts as a leavener, which makes the dough rise. Salt: A pinch of salt enhances the overall flavor of the sopapillas.

Are there different types of sopapillas? ›

In New Mexico, sweet sopapillas are often covered in honey or some kind of syrup and powdered sugar. Stuffed sopapillas are also popular in New Mexico. They are prepared the same way but instead of honey and sugar, the pastries are stuffed with ingredients such as refried beans, cheese, peppers and meat.

What is the difference between sopapillas and fry bread? ›

What's the difference between fry bread and sopapillas? Mostly just the name. Fry bread doesn't have sugar in the dough and the name is used more in Arizona. In New Mexico they are called sopapillas and in the Pacific Northwest some people call them elephant ears.

How do you eat sopapillas with honey? ›

Stir together sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon in a shallow dish. Toss hot Sopapillas in sugar mixture to coat. Serve immediately with honey.

What are sopapillas made of chile? ›

Chilean sopaipillas are a traditional fried dough snack. They are popular street food; you can eat them at festivals, markets, and restaurants nationwide. What is this? Sopaipillas start with a simple dough mix of flour, squash, baking powder, and salt.

What does sopapilla mean in Spanish? ›

A sopaipilla, sopapilla, sopaipa, or cachanga is a kind of fried pastry and a type of quick bread served in several regions with Spanish heritage in the Americas. The word sopaipilla is the diminutive of sopaipa, a word that entered Spanish from the Mozarabic language of Al-Andalus.

Are sopapillas Mexican or Native American? ›

Crispy, golden-brown pillows that are sweet or savory, sopapillas are a traditional New Mexican fried dough made with only five ingredients: flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and shortening. The dish is rooted in the American Southwest, where Hispanic, Spanish and Native American cultures converge.

What to eat with sopapillas? ›

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.

What is another name for a sopapilla? ›

Sopaipilla, sopapilla, sopaipa, or cachanga are all terms used to describe a fried pastry (similar to a donut or beignet) and are popular in Hispanic culture particularly in New Mexico and South America.

What is the difference between a buñelo and a sopapilla? ›

Sopapillas are softer, slightly chewy, and more pillowy (more like a donut) and served with a drizzle of honey, while bunuelos are thin, have a crispy exterior and light, airy interior, and are served with cinnamon sugar and piloncillo syrup. Buñuelos will keep well in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Why aren't my sopapillas puff up? ›

The right temperature oil (365 F) is key to making sopapillas that puff up completely. If you don't have a thermometer, you can take a small pinch of dough and place it in the oil. If it immediately bubbles and floats to the surface, the oil is ready. The oil should never be so hot that it is smoking.

Are sopapillas a Texas thing? ›

They're quite popular in the West (particularly in New Mexico), but they're also a big, fat deal here in Texas.

Are fry jacks the same as sopapillas? ›

Fry Jacks are essentially fried dough. They are kind of like French beignets, or Latin American sopapillas. A traditional Belizean breakfast will have, fry jacks, salsa or tomatoes, refried beans, eggs and an additional protein like chicken or fish.

Is a sopapilla the same as a beignet? ›

They are all fairly similar, but some Beignets, and most doughnuts, use yeast, and Fry Bread and Sopapillas use baking powder, and they are all made just a little differently.

What is the difference between a sopapilla and a zeppole? ›

Zeppole - Italian fritters sometimes served with a filling. Funnel cakes - Deep fried dessert made from a batter dropped from a funnel usually dusted with powdered sugar. Sopaipillas / Sopapillas - Southwestern crispy puffs drizzled with honey and often flavored with cinnamon or honey.

Are Sopapillas and scones the same thing? ›

Sopapillas are fried scones or fried dough, a famous Mexican street food.

Can you reheat sopapillas? ›

Place them in an airtight container or freezer bag, and they will last for about 3 months in the freezer. To reheat frozen sopapillas, place them in the air fryer at 350°F for 2-3 minutes, or until they are heated through and crispy again.

Are sopapillas good? ›

Sopapillas are the perfect fun dessert to serve with New Mexican, Tex-Mex or Mexican food. (Variations are also served with Argentinian, Chilean and Uruguan food too!) And when served hot and fresh outta the fryer, look out, because they are downright irresistible.

Why are sopapillas important? ›

Not only are sopapillas a common dessert, but this dessert is also often associated with the holidays for its rich and natural flavoring. In 1598 the Spanish settlements in New Mexico, known as the bunuelos in Spain, had a major impact on the trade of fried wheat dough.

What is sopapilla dough made of? ›

It's a treat that is very easy and quick to make, and it only uses a few common ingredients. To make Sopapillas, you will need flour, water, shortening, sugar, baking powder, and a few other ingredients that almost everyone has in their pantry.

What state official pastry is the sopaipilla? ›

The classic bread accompaniment to a New Mexican meal, Texas named the Sopaipilla its official state dessert in 2003.

Are Sopapillas French? ›

It is said that the sopapilla originated in Albuquerque, New Mexico more than 200 years ago. However, they are most likely a descendent of sweet fried dough from Southern Spain which is known as sopaipa. It's commonly served with warm honey and syrup that has been flavored with anise or cinnamon.

What is the secret of soft buns? ›

Flour isn't going to make the difference. In fact, use a high-protein flour for both, i.e. a “bread” flour. The secret to soft, light rolls, if you're looking for something like a dinner roll, is an enriched dough that contains butter or other dairy, eggs, or both.

Why is my fry bread not fluffy? ›

Leave dough in bowl and cover with a towel and set in warm place for atleast 20 minutes, but leaving longer makes the bread fluffier.

What is the difference between a beignet and a sopapilla? ›

Sopaipillas look really similar to French beignets and taste similar to American donuts. All three pastries are made from deep fried dough but beignets are made from a more bread-like yeast dough where sopapillas are a little more light and flaky.

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