Hojarascas (Mexican Shortbread Cookies)

Hojarascas, pan de polvo, or Mexican shortbread cookies. What do you call these cookies?

I grew up calling them “pan de polvo,” but my good friend Sonia from La Pina en la Cocina is from Monterey. She calls them Hojarascas, and well, that’s what I’ve started calling them.

Her recipe is different since it uses lard. Here is an adapted version that is 100% vegan and equally yummy.

These are the ingredients that you need to make these Mexican cookies.

• Shortening
• Vanilla
• Flour
• Sugar
• Ground Cinnamon
• Salt
• Cinnamon Tea (see below)

Lard adds flavor and texture to the cookies. You very well can use butter too. In this case, use shortening to make these Mexican vegan cookies.

More Mexican Vegan Desserts: Pineapple Empanadas and Sweet Tamales.

• In a small pot, add water and whole cinnamon.
• Bring to a boil. Turn off the heat.
• Let sit until completely cool.

Some people will use whole cloves or anise seeds in making the spice tea. You can use just cinnamon, two, or all of three to make the tea.

These spices are commonly used to make other authentic Mexican desserts like Capirotada and Arroz con Leche.

• Add sugar and shortening to the KitchenAid mixer.
• Mix well to combine.
• Then add vanilla.

You can also use a hand mixer to accomplish this.

Swap Out Option: For an extra special touch, use scrape out the beans from two vanilla pods instead.

• Next add salt and ground cinnamon to the mixer.
• Add half of the flour. Mix only until everything is incorporated. Don’t over-mix.
• Add flour in stages.

Over mixing will result in dense cookies.

If you add the flour all at once and turn on the KitchenAid, it will fly everywhere.

Word to the Wise: Add the flour little by little to get everything fully incorporated, and your kitchen doesn’t get covered in flour.

Scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl with a spatula.

This will help in making sure everything is completely mixed in.

• Add 1/4 cup cinnamon tea. Mix.
• Add 1/4 cup more of the tea. Mix again.

You want to do this in stages, using ONLY the amount of tea necessary to bring the dough together.

• Add flour to a clean surface.
• Remove the dough from the mixer and place it on the flour.
• Dust the rolling pin with flour.
• Roll out the dough.

The dough will be slightly sticky.

Do not add too much flour. Only the amount necessary to roll out and cut out the cookies. Adding too much flour will result in tough hojarascas.

• Using a cookie cutter, cut out the cookies.
• Gather up any leftover scraps. Roll out and cut out again.

Hojarascas come in all shapes and sizes. Look for a shape that is not difficult to remove from the dough.

• Place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake at degrees for minutes.

You can place the unbaked hojarascas on wax paper to prevent them from sticking.

In the meantime, mix sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.

This is the same mixture used in Buñuelos, or Mexican Fritters.

FYI: Hojarascas are sometimes referred to as “Cinnamon Shortbread Cookies” because of all the cinnamon used in the recipe.

• Place the baked Hojarascas on a cooling rack.
• Once they are cool to the touch, cover them in the cinnamon sugar mixture.

The Hojarascas are very fragile.

Word to the Wise: Let them cool completely before covering with the sugar cinnamon mixture, or they will break apart on you.

Like most Mexican desserts, these cookies are not overly sweet.

Hojarascas are very delicate and soft cookies. They literally melt in your mouth. YUM!

What do they eat for dessert in Mexico?

• Flan
• Pan Dulce like Conchas
• Pastel de Tres Leches
• Toast covered in Cajeta
• etc.

How to Freeze These Cookies

• Add the cookies in a freezer container. Use wax paper to separate.
• Don’t pack them too tight, or they will break.
• Or, freeze raw dough. Thaw for 1-2 hours before using. Bake immediately after thawing.
• Frozen baked cookies need to be thawed for several hours before consuming.

Serve with champurrado, or in the morning, with some cafe de la olla. Hope you enjoy these Mexican cookies.

Print Recipe

Hojarascas

Hojarascas are yummy Mexican shortbread cookies covered in a sweet cinnamon and sugar coating. Make a few dozen because one batch is just never enough.

Prep Time25 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Total Time1 hr 10 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: 45 cookies

Calories: 107kcal

Author: Maggie Unzueta

Ingredients

For the Cinnamon Tea:

• 1 cup water
• 1 stick whole cinnamon

For the Dough:

• 8 oz shortening
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tspn salt
• 2 tbsp vanilla
• 1 tspn ground cinnamon
• 3 cups flour

For the Sugar Coating:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

For the Cinnamon Tea:

• In a small pot, add 1 cup water and the cinnamon stick.
• Bring to a boil. Turn off heat and set aside.
• Let this cool completely.

For the Dough:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a mixing bowl, add the shortening and sugar.
• Mix well.
• Add salt, vanilla, cinnamon, and mix well.
• Turn mixer off.
• Add 1/2 of the flour. Mix only until combined.
• Turn mixer off again.
• Add the remaining 1/2 of the flour.
• Mix only until combined.
• Turn mixer off again.
• Add half of the cooled cinnamon tea.
• Turn mixer on low.
• Add only the amount of tea necessary to bring the dough together. About 1/2 cup.
• Turn mixer off and dust a clean surface and a rolling pin with flour.
• Place cookie dough on the surface and roll it out evenly.
• Cut out shapes using a cookies cutter.
• Place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake for 15 minutes.

For the Sugar Coating:

• Mix the sugar and ground cinnamon in a small bowl.
• Cool the cookies completely on a rack.
• Carefully and gently add each cookie to the bowl and cover with the sugar coating.
• Repeat until all the cookies have been coated.
• Makes about 45 cookies. Enjoy!

Notes

These Hojarascas recipe is completely vegan. However, traditionally it is made with lard. You can swap out the shortening for lard 1:1. 

Please note: The tea needs to be completely cool before adding to the mixture.

Swap Out Option: For an extra special touch, use scrape out the beans from two vanilla pods instead.

While making the dough, scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is fully mixed. 

When rolling out the cookies: Do not add too much flour. Only the amount necessary to roll out and cut out the cookies. Adding too much flour will result in tough hojarascas.

 

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Hojarascas

Amount Per Serving

Calories 107 Calories from Fat 45

% Daily Value*

Fat 5g8%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 9mg0%

Potassium 10mg0%

Carbohydrates 14g5%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 8g9%

Protein 1g2%

Calcium 4mg0%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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