Sonhos de Natal

The story

Sonhos de Natal, a light fried dough of butter, flour, and eggs dusted with cinnamon and sugar, take their name from the word sonhos—dreams—a nod to the airy, almost ethereal texture that sets them apart from the heavier, denser fried doughs of other European traditions. The dough is made much like French choux pastry (the same one used for éclairs), and the balls are fried in hot oil until they puff up and turn golden, hollow on the inside. Right after frying they are rolled in cinnamon sugar or drizzled with honey, while still warm and at their crispest. Sonhos are part of a wide range of Portuguese fried holiday pastries that also includes filhós and other regional variations, all tied together by the shared idea that fried dough is a festive sweet reserved for the holidays. For Portuguese families in the diaspora, sonhos are among the easiest and quickest desserts to make for the holiday table, and a particular favorite with children for their lightness and softness.