Easy Sopapilla Recipe

There is nothing I like more than dessert than an easy dessert! As long as you have something to deep fry in, these are easy, quick, and delicious. The pastry is tender and pillowy with perfect hollows in the center to hold honey or chocolate sauce.

Save this recipe by clicking on the ❤️ heart on the right-hand side of the screen or in the recipe card.

🗝️ Key takeaways

• Sopapillas are quick and easy to make.
• They're the perfect ending to any Tex-mex meal.
• Using water instead of milk as the liquid in the recipe makes the outside of the sopapilla crispier.

What are sopapillas? I'm glad you asked!

Basically, Sopapillas are squares of pastry dough that are rolled and deep fried. As they fry, they puff up with air like pillows. The centers become hollow—they have to be hollow because that, my friends, is where the honey drizzle goes when you eat them.

🧾 Ingredients

This is an overview of the ingredients. The full measurements and instructions are in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.

🍴 Equipment

• deep fryer
• thermometer
• ladle with strainer
• rolling pin

🥫 How to store leftovers

Do not, under any circumstances, try to save these sopapillas for later. Make only as many as you will eat in an hour or so. As they cool and stand, they will lose their crispness and become soggy and greasy.

Ick.

💭 Things to know

• Don't overload the fryer. Just add 3-4 sopapillas at a time.
• Don't flip the sopapillas while they are frying. Gently spoon the hot oil over the top.
• When the sopapillas come out of the fryer, drain them quickly and then roll them in the cinnamon mixture.
• If you are not allergic to peanuts please, please, please use peanut oil. It is more expensive than the other types but it is the best that I have found. It is light, flavorless, and leaves the outsides crispy.

👩‍🍳 FAQs

📞 The last word

There are a couple of schools of thought on how to serve them. I like them rolled in cinnamon and sugar - my daughter likes them plain.

Either way, they make a great snack or the perfect way to end a Southwestern dinner. You can make them in large squares or small - it's sort of up to you.

Once you get this recipe down you can throw them together in just a few minutes.

If you haven't done much deep frying because you are a bit afraid of it take a deep breath and give these a try. Get an electric deep fryer. With one of those, you can be sure that the oil is at the right temperature, and it is so much easier than frying on top of the stove.

Ready to try this sopapilla recipe? Sure you are!

If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.

If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖 Recipe

Spicy Sopapillas

5 from 4 votes

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Sopapillas are a light, pillowy pastry that is deep fried. As they fry they puff and become hollow in the centers. They can be rolled in cinnamon sugar or left plain. You take a bite to open them up and then drizzle honey right down inside... oh so good! Serve them while they are hot.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Tex-Mex

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings:24

Calories:102

Author:Marye Audet-White

Ingredients

Sopapillas

• ▢ 4 cups flour
• ▢ 2 teaspoons baking soda
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ ¼ cup butter
• ▢ 1 ½ cups warm water
• ▢ Enough oil to fill your deep fryer

Cinnamon Sugar Mixture

• ▢ ¼ cup white sugar
• ▢ 1 ½ tablespoon cinnamon
• ▢ ½ -1 teaspoon ground ancho chile, optional - adds a little heat

Instructions

Sopapillas

• Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
• Cut in the butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
• Stir in the water until the dough is smooth.
• Let stand for 20 minutes.
• Roll out on a floured board to about ¼ inch thick.
• Cut into squares.
• Heat oil in deep-fryer to 375 degrees F.
• Add a few of the dough squares to the hot oil - do not over crowd.
• Fry until golden brown on both sides, pushing the dough under the oil occasionally.
• Drain on paper towels, then roll in cinnamon sugar mixture.

Cinnamon Sugar Mixture

• Mix the ingredients and gently roll the hot sopapillas in the mixture.

Notes

Storage:

Sopapillas are best eaten when fresh and warm. If you must store some then place them in an airtight container for a day or two - but they won't be nearly as good.

Tips:

• Drain on a wire rack over paper towels or a brown paper sack.
• Don't overload the fryer. Just add 3-4 sopapillas at a time.
• Don't flip the sopapillas while they are frying. Gently spoon the hot oil over the top.
• When the sopapillas come out of the fryer, drain them quickly and then roll them in the cinnamon mixture.
• If you are not allergic to peanuts please, please, please use peanut oil. It is more expensive than the other types but it is the best that I have found. It is light, flavorless, and leaves the outsides crispy.

You'll find more helpful tips and variations in the body of the post.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 102kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 206mg | Potassium: 24mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 59IU | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.

First published May 2008. Last updated April 8, 2024, for editorial improvements.

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