A puffed fried quick bread with a flavor like Indian fry bread. The New Mexico version is very large and is the standard table bread at New Mexican restaurants, served with honey.

The sopaipilla is a puffed fried quick bread with a flavor similar to Indian fry bread, and the New Mexico version is very large. It serves as a standard table bread at New Mexican restaurants, with a squeeze bottle of honey or honey butter. Before the 1930s sopaipillas were served with jelly or jam, and honey became the traditional accompaniment from the Great Depression on. They can also be stuffed: El Pinto, Cervantes and El Modelo list stuffed sopaipillas, Sadie's makes sopaipilla sliders, and Papa Felipe's gives free fresh sopapillas at the end of the meal.

Where to eat Sopaipillas in Albuquerque

5 editor picks for Sopaipillas in Albuquerque, ranked by editorial score. All Albuquerque signature dishes · Sopaipillas across every city.

Make it at home

Serves 121 hr 30 minIntermediate

Ingredients

  • 500g all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons shortening or lard
  • 300ml warm water
  • 1 liter neutral oil for deep frying
  • Local honey, for serving

Method

  1. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in shortening with fingers until pebble texture.
  2. Add warm water gradually and knead 5 minutes into a smooth dough. Rest 1 hour covered.
  3. Roll the dough out to 5 mm thick. Cut into 8 cm squares.
  4. Heat oil to 190 C / 375 F. Fry 2 to 3 squares at a time, pushing down with a spider so they puff. They should rise hollow.
  5. Flip after 30 seconds. Fry 30 more seconds until golden. Drain on paper.
  6. Serve immediately with honey for drizzling or pouring inside the pillow.

Editor tip. Oil temperature is the make or break: too cool and the dough soaks; too hot and they brown before they puff. Use a thermometer for the first batch.

Common allergens: Gluten.