Among the most beloved offerings at Plaza Café, in Santa Fe, are these airy sopaipillas, perfect for drizzling with honey. Inspired by owner Leonardo Razatos’s mother Beneranda’s family recipe, they’re “so popular,” he says, “that we even serve the fried breads on the side with otherwise carb-hearty dishes like burritos and our stuffed sopaipillas.” To celebrate 80 years of Razatos family ownership of the beloved Santa Fe restaurant, I teamed up with Leonardo to write its first-ever cookbook, The Plaza Café Cookbook: Classic New Mexico Recipes from the Santa Fe Landmark (UNM Press). The book, published this September, pairs the cafe’s storied history with that of the family that has guided it for eight decades, while sharing the recipes and techniques behind its classic American diner fare, homestyle Mexican and New Mexican specialties, sky-high pies, cakes, and, of course, sopaipillas. 

Copy of the Plaza Cafe Cookbook.

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon lard, softened
  • ¾ cup hot water
  • Corn oil or other neutral oil, for deep frying
  • Honey

Makes 12

1. In an electric mixer, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt over low speed. Stop the mixer and add the lard and hot water. Beat on medium speed for about 5 minutes. The dough will start out sticky but eventually will become soft and pillowy.

2. Cover the bowl with a damp dish towel and let rest for 15 minutes. Divide the dough into 3 balls, cover again on a floured work surface with the damp towel, and let them rest for another 15
to 30 minutes.

3. On the floured work surface, use a tortilla roller or rolling pin to roll out each ball of dough into a circle or rectangle approximately ¼ inch thick. Trim off any ragged edges and discard them. To avoid toughening the dough, avoid rerolling it. Cut each portion of dough into 4 wedges or smaller rectangles.

4. Warm at least 3 inches of oil in a heavy, high-sided skillet or saucepan to 400°. Slip 1 or 2 dough pieces into the oil. After sinking briefly, the sopaipillas should begin to balloon and rise back to the surface. Once they start bobbling on the surface, carefully spoon oil over them for the few seconds it will take until they have fully puffed. Turn them over and cook until the second side is golden. Drain with a slotted spoon.

5. Arrange in a napkin-lined basket and serve immediately with honey.

This story originally appeared in “It's a Dry Sweet” by Sarah Mock.