Did you know that fried dough is delicious?
For Christmas, we have a bit of a tradition where my partner gets me an advent calendar of teas (from Adagio). I wanted to return the favor this year, but it took me a while to decide what kind of treats to get him. What I ended up settling on was a honey advent calendar — this one, specifically — so he can try out a bunch of different kinds of honey.
As it turns out, single-flower honeys can be super flavorful and unique, but that presents another problem: short of just eating it with a spoon, how do you enjoy roughly a tablespoon of honey without losing the flavor entirely? Fruit, Greek yogurt, granola, baking, it all can overwhelm the subtle flavors of the honeys.
In his search for some way to enjoy those honeys, he decided we should make these: sopaipillas. He initially thought they were Mexican, but as it turns out, they’re from New Mexico, though similar dough treats can be found all throughout South America and, really, around the world.
The recipe is super easy to throw together, takes almost no kneading, and just needs to rest a bit. I’m always hesitant with frying (I don’t like messing with hot oil) but these also fry up really easily, just 30-60 seconds per side.
Serve them warm, with powdered sugar coating, tossed in cinnamon sugar, or with a drizzle of honey, and they’re an incredible little treat.
New Mexican Sopaipillas
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Heavy, Deep Pot for Frying
- Tongs
- Rolling Pin
- Dough Cutter
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Flour
- ½ Tsp Salt
- ¾ Tsp Baking Powder
- 1 Tbsp Sugar
- 1 Tbsp Butter
- ½ Cup Milk
- Oil for Frying
- Toppings of Your Choice
Instructions
- Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar in your mixing bowl.
- Using your hands, pinch in the butter and keep mixing it until it disappears into the flour mixture.
- Add in the milk and mix until it turns into a moist dough. Don't be afraid to add a little more flour if it's TOO wet.
- Knead this dough (in the bowl is fine) for a few minutes until it looks and feels a little firm.
- Let this dough rest for 30 minutes.
- Roll out the dough until it's fairly thin, about ⅛th of an inch.
- Cut into pieces of whatever shape or size you prefer.
- Heat the oil to 375℉ and fry the dough in batches 2-4 at a time (depending on the size of your fryer.) They'll puff up quickly; fry until they're golden, about 30-60 seconds per side. I turned them frequently to ensure more even frying.
- Remove from the oil and top with toppings of your choice. Cinnamon sugar sticks best when fresh out of the oil; powdered sugar prefers if you let them rest a bit. Honey can be added whenever you like. Enjoy!