Biscochitos Recipe
This Biscochitos recipe is perfect for holidays or everyday treats. Bring this New Mexican traditional cookie to your table today!
Servings: 36
Calories: 145kcal
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 and vanilla. 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
Can you make biscochitos without lard?
Yes, you can use vegetable shortening as a substitute for lard, but it will slightly alter the cookie's taste and texture.
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 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.
Nutrition
Calories: 145kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 35mg | Potassium: 39mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 15IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg