Sopapillas are a popular puffy fried dough that is a staple in Tex-Mex and Southwestern U.S. cuisine. When made properly, sopapillas should puff up into light, hollow pillows. However, sometimes sopapillas don’t rise and puff as expected, resulting in dense, flat fried dough. There are a few key reasons why sopapillas might not puff up.
Common Causes for Sopapillas Not Puffing Up
Not enough leavening
One of the main reasons sopapillas won’t puff up is because there is not enough leavening in the dough. Sopapillas rely on chemical leaveners like baking powder or baking soda to give them lift and make them puffy. Here are some tips for getting the leavening right:
- Use the correct amount of leavener called for in the recipe. Reducing the leavener can prevent rising.
- Make sure baking powder or soda are fresh and not expired or stale.
- When using baking soda, ensure you add an acidic ingredient like buttermilk to activate the soda and cause rising.
- Mix the leavening thoroughly into the dry ingredients before adding the wet ingredients.
Overmixing the dough
Another common culprit for sopapillas not puffing is overmixing the dough. Overmixing develops too much gluten in the dough, making it tough rather than light and puffable. Here are some tips for avoiding overmixed sopapilla dough:
- Mix the wet and dry ingredients together just until a shaggy dough forms – don’t knead the dough.
- If mixing by hand, stir with a spoon or fork rather than vigorously mixing with your hands.
- If using a stand mixer, mix on low speed for a minimal amount of time – usually less than a minute.
- The dough should look rough and shaggy – avoid mixing until completely smooth.
Not resting the dough
Allowing the sopapilla dough to rest before rolling and cutting is essential for the leavener to work and for the dough to relax. Skipping this rest time can result in flat sopapillas. Follow these recommendations:
- After mixing the dough, cover it and let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
- For even better rise, refrigerate the dough for 1-2 hours before rolling. The cool temperature helps relax the gluten.
- Do not skip this rest time or the sopapillas may not reach their full rising potential.
Rolling the dough too thin
Rolling the sopapilla dough too thin is another issue that can prevent puffing. Here is how thick the rolled dough should be:
- Roll or press the dough to 1/2 inch thickness. Any thinner and it may not puff up adequately.
- Use a rolling pin or tortilla press to achieve an even thickness.
- Cut into squares or triangles rather than rounds, as the corners help the sopapillas puff.
Not proofing before frying
After rolling and cutting the sopapillas, they need a short proofing time before frying. Proofing gives them time to puff up slightly from the leavener. To properly proof:
- Lay the cut sopapillas on a baking sheet and cover lightly with plastic wrap.
- Let sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes.
- Heat up the oil while proofing so sopapillas can go straight into the hot oil.
Frying at too low temperature
The oil needs to be hot enough to make the sopapillas puff up when added. If the oil is too cool, they may absorb oil and turn out greasy rather than light and airy. Follow these frying tips:
- Heat oil to 350-375°F on a deep fry or candy thermometer.
- The oil should shimmer at the surface and bubble around the edges.
- Fry in small batches to maintain the oil temperature.
- If oil is too cool, sopapillas will absorb oil rather than puff.
Not frying long enough
In addition to frying at the right temperature, sopapillas need sufficient frying time to set their structure and finish puffing. Under-frying can result in raw interiors or lack of rise. Follow these tips:
- Fry sopapillas 1-2 minutes per side until nicely browned.
- They should puff up almost immediately when added to the hot oil.
- Cook in small batches and flip once with tongs or a slotted spoon.
- Drain on a paper towel-lined plate afterwards.
How to Fix Sopapilla Dough That Didn’t Rise
If you notice your sopapilla dough is not rising after you’ve let it rest, there are a few tricks you can try to get them to puff up:
Give it more time
– First, allow the dough more time to rest, up to 1 hour at room temperature. The leavening sometimes needs extra time to produce gas bubbles.
Knead gently to reactivate
– Turn the dough onto a floured surface. Knead gently just until the dough becomes stretchy, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. This helps redistribute the yeast. Re-cover and let rise again.
Create steam in the oven
– Place a small oven-safe pan with 1 inch of hot water on the bottom rack. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Put the sopapillas on the middle rack, above the water. The steam will help puff the dough.
Spritz with water before frying
– Use a spray bottle to mist the rolled-out dough with water before frying. The moisture will turn to steam in the oil and help sopapillas rise.
Add more leavening
– Mix in an extra 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder. The extra lift can help sopapillas puff up more.
Use dough enhancers
– Mix in a small amount of dough enhancer, like gluten or L-cysteine, to relaxed the dough and allow better rising. Follow package directions.
Preventing Dense, Flat Sopapillas
Now that you know the potential causes and fixes for sopapillas that don’t rise, you can take steps when making them to prevent flat sopapillas:
Use fresh leavening and the full amount
Don’t skimp on the baking powder or baking soda in the recipe. Use the full recommended amount called for and make sure they are fresh and not expired or stale.
Avoid over-mixing the dough
Gently combine the wet and dry ingredients. Don’t knead the dough. Mix only until it just comes together into a shaggy ball to prevent over-developing the gluten.
Let the dough rest sufficiently
After mixing, cover the dough and let it rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, or chill for 1-2 hours. This allows the leavening to work and the gluten to relax.
Roll dough to the proper thickness
Roll or press the dough into a 1/2 inch thick round or square. Too thin and sopapillas won’t have enough structure to rise.
Proof before frying
After cutting, allow sopapillas to proof for 10-15 minutes before frying. This allows yeast a head start on rising before hitting the hot oil.
Fry at the right temperature
Heat oil to 350-375°F. The high temperature will set the structure and activate rising immediately for light, puffy sopapillas.
Example Recipe for Light and Fluffy Sopapillas
Now that you know how to make sopapillas that will puff up into pillowy fried doughs, here is a step-by-step recipe to try:
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 3/4 cup warm water
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Honey for serving
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and cinnamon.
- Cut in the cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the water until a shaggy dough forms.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest for 30-60 minutes.
- Roll the dough into a 1/2-inch thick round on a floured surface. Cut into squares or triangles.
- Heat 3 inches oil in a pot over medium heat to 350°F. Working in batches, fry the sopapillas 1-2 minutes per side until puffed and golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
- Serve the hot sopapillas drizzled with honey.
FAQs About Sopapillas
Here are answers to some common questions about getting sopapillas to turn out light and fluffy:
Should sopapilla dough be sticky or firm?
The sopapilla dough should be slightly sticky and shaggy rather than completely firm and smooth. Avoid kneading to a smooth ball. Some roughness indicates adequate moisture and that it hasn’t been overworked.
Can I use self-rising flour instead of all-purpose flour?
Self-rising flour already contains salt and leavening, so you would leave those ingredients out of the recipe. Otherwise, you can substitute self-rising for all-purpose flour without any issue.
What can I serve with sopapillas besides honey?
Popular sopapilla toppings include powdered sugar, agave nectar, preserves or fruit compotes, maple syrup, caramel sauce, whipped cream, ice cream, savory fillings like beans or chile beef, and more. Get creative!
Should I cover sopapillas while frying?
You should not cover the pan when frying sopapillas. They need exposure to oxygen in order to fully puff and develop their signature air pockets. Covering can make them greasy.
Can sopapillas be baked instead of fried?
While frying makes them lightest and fluffiest, you can bake sopapillas instead. Roll or press thinner, to 1/4 inch, and bake at 425°F for 8-10 minutes. They won’t puff quite as dramatically but are still tasty.
Conclusion
Making light, fluffy sopapillas is easy when you use the right amount of leavening, avoid over-mixing, fry at sufficiently high heat, and follow a few simple rising tips. Now that you know the common issues that can cause sopapillas not to puff, as well as tricks for fixing flat doughs, you can fry up perfect pillow-like sopapillas at home. Getting the hang of sopapilla puffiness just takes a little practice.
