There are many delicious desserts you will find on a Mexican restaurant’s menu, one being sopapillas. A tasty deep fried bread that is hollowed and covered in honey is a great way to finish any meal. Sopapillas, or also known as sopaipillas, is a great dessert that is full of culture and history. Eddie’s Mexican Restaurant would like to put the spotlight on sopapillas and its rich history and how it is made so we can bring to light this wonderful dessert.

History of Sopapillas

Sopapillas are made from a deep fried dough that was introduced to Mexico and South America by the Spanish during the Columbian exchange. Throughout Spain, the sopapilla recipe varies. However, the variation of sopapillas that was introduced in Mexico and throughout South America came from the Andalusian, the city of Cordobe which is in southern Spain. This version of the sopapillas are what is still known today and is now widespread throughout America. Sopapillas are often seen on many Mexican or Spanish restaurant menus. Not only are sopapillas a common dessert, but this dessert is also often associated with the holidays for its rich and natural flavoring. In 1598 the Spanish settlements in New Mexico, known as the bunuelos in Spain, had a major impact on the trade of fried wheat dough. The trade of fried wheat dough exploded during this time where sopapillas weren’t the only highly desired dessert. Other fried dough such as churros and bunuelos were also in high demand. Bunuelos and sopapillas together are two very common Mexican desserts that make great holiday desserts. Sopapillas is a heavily influenced dessert that merged with traditional Mexican cuisine.

Sopapilla Dessert Recipe

For those who are not super familiar with what sopapillas are and how they are made, there are a few things you will want to know. A sopapilla is often classified as a type of doughnut. It is a wheat base dough that is deep fried. The dough is cut into a square and is then deep fried. As they fry they will poof up and an air pocket will form. Once they have been cooked, the traditional topping is honey which is drizzled over the top and then served. However, sopapillas can be made with other toppings as well. In many modern Mexican kitchens it is common to have sopapillas topped with chocolate, powdered sugar, or covered in a cinnamon sugar. However, is some regions of Spain, some sopapillas are made flat more like a cookie sprinkled with sugar. Regardless as to the dessert’s influence, sopapillas are a great dessert that everyone should try.

Authentic Mexican Cuisine in Las Vegas, Nevada (Just Minutes from Summerlin, North LV, Paradise, Lone Mountain & Henderson, NV)

Sopapillas have traveled across the ocean, to Mexico, to South America and then upward to North America. Sopapillas are embraced by traditional Mexican restaurants as well as many Tex-Mex restaurants. As sopapillas travel through the world and time, this is a great dessert that if you see it on the menu, you must simply try. Many have fallen in love with this great dish. When visiting Eddie’s Mexican Restaurant make sure to save room for dessert and try our sopapillas today. Come on down or order to go at Eddie’s Mexican Restaurant!