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Joanna Gaines's Sopaipillas with Honey

Sopaipillas with Honey

byJoanna Gaines
Total 1 hour and 25 minutes
Active 40 mins
Makes 6 servings
Special Equipment
a deep-fry thermometer
Special Equipment
a deep-fry thermometer
Ingredients
Sopaipillas
  • 1 1/4 cups warm water (105 to 110°F)
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
  • 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 1 tablespoon Vanilla Sugar (recipe follows)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon salted butter, melted, plus more for greasing the bowl
  • Cinnamon sugar, for dusting
  • 2 quarts oil, for deep-frying
Honey Drizzle
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1 tablespoon salted butter, melted
Vanilla Sugar
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
Directions
  1. To make the sopaipillas: In a liquid measuring cup, stir the yeast into the warm water. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, Vanilla Sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
  3. Add the bloomed yeast and melted butter. Mix well with a wooden spoon to combine.
  4. Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
  5. Have ready a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven to 375 to 400°F on a deep-fry thermometer (it should be about 3 inches deep).
  6. Dust a work surface with flour. Punch down the dough three times and place it on the work surface. Roll it out into a large rectangle that is about an 1/8-inch thick. The thinner the dough, the crispier the sopaipillas will be.
  7. With a pizza wheel or knife, trim the edges of the dough to create straight edges. Cut the dough into 24 squares. Alternatively, cut into rectangles or triangles. Working in batches,  gently add the sopaipillas to the hot oil and fry until golden brown and puffed, about 1 minute per side. The sopaipillas will sink to the bottom and then pop back up to the top, inflating like a little balloon.
  8. Transfer them to the prepared plate to drain and immediately dust with cinnamon sugar.
  9. To make the honey drizzle: In a small cup or bowl, stir together the honey and sugar.
  10. Serve the sopaipillas hot and drizzled with the buttered honey. They are best eaten when they’re freshly fried.
  1. In a bowl or container, scrape the vanilla seeds into the sugar, massaging to evenly disperse and break up any large clumps. Add the scraped vanilla pod to the sugar to get the most flavor. Store in an airtight container in a dry, dark area for a year or longer.