Description
A golden, puffy pocket of fried dough that's crispy on the outside and soft and airy inside—perfect for drizzling with honey or loading with savory toppings.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ tablespoons shortening
- ½ cup warm water
- 3 cups vegetable oil for frying
- Optional garnish: powdered sugar, honey
Instructions
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
- Use a pastry blender or a fork to cut in the shortening until crumbly.
- Stir in warm water until a dough forms.
- Knead for 2–3 minutes until smooth—don't overwork it.
- Cover and rest dough for 15 minutes.
- Heat oil in a heavy skillet or Dutch oven to 350–360 °F.
- Roll dough into a 9×12‑inch rectangle on a floured surface.
- Cut into 12 squares or rectangles (adjust size as preferred).
- Fry in batches, 1–2 minutes per side until golden. Drain on paper towels.
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar and drizzle with honey if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Try an air-fryer version at 350 °F for 8 minutes, flipping halfway.
- Top with savory ingredients like taco meat, cheese, beans, and pico de gallo for a meal.
- You can bake instead of fry at 400 °F for 12–15 minutes, flipping halfway.
- Use vegetable, canola, or peanut oil for frying due to high smoke points.
- Dough can be made ahead and refrigerated until ready to roll and fry.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sopapilla
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 95mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
