Buñuelos are the Rio Grande preference for edible good luck insurance on New Year’s Day. I’d much rather rely on these fried treats than black-eyed peas, eaten around the rest of the state and the South, for luck to start the New Year. My mom and grandmother always fried buñuelos on New Year’s Eve. I made sure to eat one for dessert, snack, and breakfast the next day, if they lasted that long. I wanted to be sure I had plenty of good luck coming my way.
Though the dough is similar to that of sopapillas, buñuelos are thinner and crispier. They have cinnamon in the dough and get a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar on top. Make sure buñuelos are rolled very thin so they fry up crispy.
Makes 18 bunelos
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup vegetable shortening
¾ cup very warm (110°F) water
3 cups vegetable oil
Cinnamon sugar (see here)
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Using your hands or a large wooden spoon, blend well.
Using a pastry cutter or fork, blend in the shortening until it is well mixed.
Add the warm water; gently blend all the ingredients until they all come together. Knead no more than 20 times to form a smooth dough.
Cover with plastic wrap and a clean towel and set aside for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Knead once or twice, then break off pieces of dough and shape slightly smaller than a golf ball. You should have 18 balls of dough.
On a floured board with a flour-dusted rolling pin, roll each ball into a very thin circle, about ⅛ inch. Buñuelos should be about 6 inches in diameter when rolled thin enough.
In a large saucepan or deep-fryer, heat the oil to 365°F. Carefully slip the buñuelos one at a time into the hot oil. Fry each until golden brown and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes, turning once or basting with hot oil to fry the top. Remove to paper towels to drain. Keep warm.
Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on the buñuelos. Serve warm or at room temperature.