Biscochitos
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.
Servings: 30 cookies
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.
Video
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
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