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I first encountered Biscochitos at a small bakery in Santa Fe, and was immediately intrigued by the unusual flavor profile. These traditional Southwest cookies – the official state cookie of New Mexico – combine the warmth of cinnamon and brandy with the distinctive aroma of anise seeds into a treat that’s somehow even more tender than shortbread. The key to this remarkable texture is an ingredient that might surprise you: lard.

Biscochitos arranged on a black plate with red ribbon and greenery photographed from the top.
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While butter is standard in most cookie recipes, lard creates the delicate texture that’s essential to authentic Biscochitos. The technique is simple but effective – roll out the lightly sweet, anise-scented dough and coat it twice with cinnamon sugar, once before baking and again when the cookies are warm from the oven. Your kitchen will fill with the most incredible aroma as they bake, making them as much a pleasure to prepare as they are to share.

Ingredients for Biscochitos

Biscochitos Ingredients on a gray granite surface.
  • All-Purpose Flour: Standard all-purpose flour works perfectly here – no need for anything fancy.
  • Baking Powder: Be sure it’s fresh for the best rise. 
  • Salt: Fine sea salt blends easily into the dough.
  • Lard: Opt for high-quality lard for its unique contribution to the texture. (More on lard options below.)
  • Sugar: You’ll need granulated sugar both for the dough and for the cinnamon-sugar coating.
  • Anise Seeds: Freshness is key. They should have a strong, aromatic scent, a good sign that they are still potent and will add vibrant flavor.
  • Egg: Use a large or extra large egg, preferably at room temperature, to help it blend smoothly into the dough.
  • Brandy: Choose a brandy that has a smooth flavor. It doesn’t need to be top-shelf, but a decent quality brandy will enhance the overall taste of the cookies.
  • Cinnamon: Regular ground cinnamon – you’ll use this only in the sugar coating, not in the dough itself.

Understanding Different Types of Lard

Lard comes in a few different varieties. The most sought-after is leaf lard, sourced from around the pig’s kidneys and prized for its purity and mild flavor, making it ideal for pastries and cookies. Regular rendered lard is more commonly found and has a bit stronger flavor but still works well for baking. There’s also hydrogenated lard, often available in supermarkets, which has a longer shelf life but can contain trans fats and additives.

Stack of four Biscochitos with more cooling on a rack in the background.

5 Recipe Tips

  1. Keep the dough cool: If your dough gets sticky while rolling, stick it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Cool dough is much easier to cut into shapes.
  2. Roll evenly: Aim for an even ¼-inch thickness – this helps the cookies bake at the same rate and maintain their tender texture.
  3. Cookie cutter sizes: For even baking, stick to cookie cutters of similar size on each tray. I typically use 2 to 2½-inch cutters.
  4. Timing is key: These cookies should be lightly golden when done. Start checking at 12 minutes – they can go from perfect to too brown quickly.
  5. Sugar coating success: Let the cookies cool just briefly before the second coating of cinnamon sugar – they should be warm enough for the sugar to stick but firm enough to handle without breaking.

Recipe Options

  • About the lard: While vegetable shortening would work in a pinch, the cookies won’t have the same distinctively delicate texture.
  • Switch the spirit: Dark rum makes a nice alternative to brandy, though the flavor will be slightly different.
  • Add citrus notes: A teaspoon of orange zest adds a subtle brightness to the cookies.
  • Enhance the flavor: I sometimes add a half teaspoon of vanilla extract along with the anise seeds for extra depth.

Make Ahead and Storage

The dough needs a chill time anyway, so you can wrap it tightly in plastic and refrigerate for up to 3 days before baking. To freeze, roll and cut your cookies, place them on a baking sheet in the freezer, then transfer to a freezer bag once frozen solid. They’ll keep for 3 months and can go straight from freezer to oven.

Baked cookies stay fresh for a week in an airtight container at room temperature. If you want to freeze them, they’ll keep for 3 months in a freezer container or bag – just let them thaw at room temperature before serving.

Biscochitos cooling on parchment paper on a wire rack photographed from the top.

Whether you’re looking to explore traditional New Mexican baking or just want treats beyond the ordinary, these Biscochitos offer a perfect blend of familiar and unexpected. They’re one of my favorite cookies to make at Christmas – both for the pleasure of baking them and for the joy of introducing friends to something deliciously different.

How to Make Biscochitos

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat lard and ¾ cup sugar until soft and fluffy, then add anise seeds and mix well. Incorporate the egg, followed by the flour mixture, mixing until combined, then add brandy and mix thoroughly.

Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to a ¼-inch thickness, sprinkle evenly with a tablespoon of a cinnamon-sugar mixture prepared in a separate bowl, and cut into shapes using cookie cutters. Place the cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet, leaving space between each.

Bake in an oven preheated to 350˚F until lightly browned, then allow to cool slightly before dipping each warm cookie into the remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture and transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Biscochitos

5 from 2 votes
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 18 minutes
Total: 48 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, New Mexican
Calories: 147
Servings: 30 cookies
A traditional New Mexican treat, these cookies offer a tender, crumbly texture with a unique blend of aromatic spices and a hint of warmth from brandy, perfect for festive occasions.

Video

Ingredients 
 

For the Cookies

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 cup lard at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons anise seeds
  • 1 large egg at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup brandy

For the Topping/Coating

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 °F (177 °C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl until combined; set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat lard and 3/4 cup sugar on high speed until soft and fluffy. Add anise seeds and beat on high until well combined. Add egg and brandy and mix until combined. Add flour mixture in 2 additions and and beat on low until combined. Increase speed to medium and mix until dough comes together.
  • Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and roll into an even 1/4-inch thickness. (Or cover and refrigerate until ready to roll out and bake.)
  • In a medium bowl, whisk 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon together until combined.
  • Sprinkle dough evenly with 1 tablespoon of cinnamon-sugar mixture. Cut into desired shapes (2 to 2 1/2-inch diameter cookie cutters) and transfer with a thin, metal spatula to prepared baking sheet, leaving a little room around each cookie. Bake 15 to 18 minutes, or until lightly browned (see recipe note). Remove from oven and let stand until cooled slightly. Then carefully dip each warm cookie into cinnamon-sugar mixture, coating it on all sides, and transfer to serving platter.

Notes

  • Baking time depends on the thickness of your dough. If it’s just shy of the 1/4-inch thickness, keep an eye on the cookies at 12 minutes to be sure they don’t get too brown. If the dough is thicker, it make take longer than 18 minutes, so note the color of the cookie and remove them when they’re lightly brown. Also note that that they’ll crisp up as they cool.

Nutrition

Calories: 147kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 42mg | Potassium: 38mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 10IU | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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4 Comments

  1. David @ Spiced says:

    5 stars
    I haven’t come across Biscochitos before, but they sound absolutely delicious! (And they sound a bit Italian thanks to the anise…) It’s been ages since I’ve baked with lard, but I do know it produces fantastic baked goods.

    1. Marissa Stevens says:

      It really does, David! These are truly amazing both in flavor and texture.

  2. Ben | Havocinthekitchen says:

    5 stars
    Such beautiful and delicious cookies! Interestingly enough, I’ve never tried this recipe nor even heard of it. I’ve never baked cookies with lard, but its use sounds intriguing. And a very generous splash of brandy? I’m in – need to make some this holiday!

    1. Marissa Stevens says:

      Yay! I think you’ll love them, Ben!