This Biscochitos recipe makes crisp, delicate cookies flavored with anise, orange zest, and cinnamon sugar. Made with traditional lard, these New Mexican cookies have a light, crumbly texture and plenty of flavor.
They’re especially popular during Christmas and special occasions, but they’re delicious with a cup of Atole de Vainilla any time of year.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe ❤️
- Traditional New Mexican flavor. Anise, orange zest, and cinnamon sugar give these cookies their distinctive flavor and aroma.
- Crisp and delicate. Lard gives Biscochitos their classic crumbly texture.
- Easy to make ahead. The dough can be prepared and chilled before rolling and baking.
- Perfect for the holidays. Use your favorite cookie cutters to make festive shapes for Christmas or special occasions.
- Helpful tips included. I’ll show you how to work with the crumbly dough so it comes together properly.
-Maggie
🛒 Ingredients
- All purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Crushed anise seed
- Orange zest
- Lard
- Sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- Brandy, sweet wine, rum, or orange juice (optional)
You’ll Also Need
- Sugar
- Ground cinnamon
🥣 Instructions
Dry Ingredients
- Sift together your all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Add the crushed anise seeds and orange zest.
- This will serve as your flour mixture.
Whipping Lard
- In another large bowl, beat together the lard and ¾ cup sugar using an electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
To Make the Dough
- Add the egg, vanilla, and brandy. Mix until combined.
- Using an electric mixer (or Kitchen Aid), slowly add in the flour mixture to the lard mixture.
This is not your traditional cookie dough. The texture will look more like a pie crust than a cookie dough.
Carefully, with your hands, gather and shape this mixture into a firm dough ball, ensuring all loose flour particles are integrated.
Once formed, wrap the cookie dough securely in plastic wrap and allow it to chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Rolling Out Dough
- Set your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. While it’s heating up, line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Take the chilled dough and cut it into 3 equal-sized balls. Take one dough ball at a time, knead until smooth.
If it feels crumbly when you try to roll it out, knead it a little more until it comes together. Or, as a last resort, add a splash of water. Just a splash.
Cookie Cutting
- On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out to ¼ inch thickness.
- Cut out cookies, using a 2 ½ inch circle cutter (or whatever shape cookie cutter you prefer).
Baking
- Place cookies on lined baking sheet and bake until golden.
- About 10 to 12 minutes.
Topping
- In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon for the topping’s tasty exterior crunch.
- While the cookies are still warm, sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes.
- Then carefully dip each cookie into the remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture.
✏️ Note
Traditional Biscochitos use lard and taste better because of it, but you can substitute vegetable shortening if you can’t find lard. Or, last resort, use butter.
🙋🏻♀️ Frequently Asked Questions
The dough is supposed to be crumbly initially, like pie crust. If it remains so, try kneading more or adding a small amount of liquid. A splash of water or more liqueur.
Biscochitos are also sometimes called biscochos, particularly in New Mexico. The name can vary by region and family tradition.
The answer varies. Generally speaking, biscochos refer to various baked goods, while biscochitos are New Mexican anise-flavored shortbread cookies. However, in some cases, both terms will refer to these cookies.
The word “biscocho” in Spanish means biscuit. “Biscochitos” means little biscuit.
Storage Instructions
- Keeping these biscochitos fresh is a breeze, provided they aren’t devoured immediately!
- Place them in an airtight container, ensuring the lid is securely fastened for best results.
- Store in a cool, dry place, and enjoy their delightful crispness whenever you reach for one.
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- Instead of anise seeds, you can also use 1 teaspoon ground anise or ½ teaspoon liquid anise extract.
- Brandy is traditionally used but optional. You can also swap out for Kahlúa or orange juice.
- Take it up a notch, and drizzle melted chocolate on top. Or for a festive Christmas look, add green and red sprinkles.
- Sift the flour. I know it’s the instructions, but I can’t recommend this enough. It’ll keep the cookies light and not dense.
These Biscochitos are crisp, delicate, and full of that classic anise and cinnamon flavor. They’re a delicious New Mexican treat that’s perfect for Christmas, special occasions, or enjoying with a cup of champurrado.
Biscochitos Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon anise seed crushed
- 1 orange zest
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 ¼ cups lard
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ tablespoon brandy sweet wine, rum, or orange juice (optional)
For Topping:
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add in the crushed anise and orange zest.
- In a separate large bowl, combine the lard and sugar.
- Using an electric mixer (or KitchenAid), beat the lard and sugar until fluffy. About 3 minutes.
- Add the egg, vanilla, and brandy. Mix to combine.
- Slowly add in the flour mixture. Once the mixture is combined, immediately turn off the mixer.
- This is not a normal cookie dough. The dough will be crumbly (kinda like a pie crust dough).
- Using your hands, work the dough into a ball, adding the crumbly pieces into the dough.
- Then, wrap in plastic and refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut the chilled dough into 3 equal-sized balls.
- Take one dough ball at a time, knead it until it is soft and smooth.
- Repeat with the remaining dough balls.
- If it feels crumbly, knead it a little more until it comes together. If it is still not coming together, add a splash of water.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to ¼ inch thickness.
- Cut out cookies, using a 2 ½ inch circle cutter (or whatever shape cutter you like).
- Place cookies on the lined baking sheet and bake until golden. 10-12 minutes.
- Remove the cookies from the oven.
- In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon for topping.
- While they are still on the baking sheet, sprinkle with some cinnamon and sugar on top.
- Let cookies cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet. Do not try to remove, or they will crumble.
- After 10 minutes of cooling, carefully dunk each cookie into the sugar-cinnamon mixture.
- Place back on cookie rack until completely cooled.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Instead of anise seeds, you can also use 1 teaspoon ground anise or ½ teaspoon liquid anise extract.
- Brandy is traditionally used but optional. You can also swap out for kaluha or orange juice.
- Take it up a notch, and drizzle melted chocolate on top. Or for a festive Christmas look, add green and red sprinkles.
- Sift the flour. I know it’s the instructions, but I can’t recommend this enough. It’ll keep the cookies light and not dense.
Wow! This treat recipe looks amazingly delicious and very tasty! Kids will definitely love and enjoy eating this! I can’t wait to make this for my family!
These Biscochitos are a treat for the taste buds. Can’t wait for your family to enjoy them—happy baking!