Sopapillas

This is another recipe I found written in my mom’s handwriting in her old Betty Crocker cookbook. Sopapillas are deep-fried puffs of dough, a bit like a beignets, served sprinkled with powdered sugar and often enjoyed with a drizzle of honey. They’re an old San Antonio favorite.

Ingredients #

Instructions #

In a bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Use a pastry knife to cut in the shortening until the mixture is sandy. Add the water, mix until a rough dough forms, and turn the mixture out onto a floured board. Knead the dough until smooth.

Heat the oil to 370 F.

Roll the dough out as thin as possible and cut into 3 or 4-inch squares. Fry in hot oil, keeping them well apart to prevent sticking, until golden brown and puffed. Drain on paper towels, dust lightly with powdered sugar, as serve as soon as possible.

Cook’s notes: #

• You can hold these for a bit (at least while you cook the rest) in a 200 F oven.
• These are sometimes rolled in a mixture of granulated sugar and cinnamon in lieu of the powdered sugar.