Best Mexican Cookies Recipes

SPICY MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Beat 1 1/2 cups sugar, butter, vanilla extract, and salt together in a bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs; add cream of tartar and baking soda. Beat in cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and cayenne powder. Beat in flour. Stir chocolate chips into the dough.
• Mix remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon together in a bowl.
• Roll heaping tablespoons of dough into balls. Roll balls in the sugar-cinnamon mixture and place on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until centers are set and edges crack slightly, about 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes.

MEXICAN WEDDING COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Stir in vanilla and water. Add the flour and almonds, mix until blended. Cover and chill for 3 hours.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Shape dough into balls or crescents. Place on an unprepared cookie sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from pan to cool on wire racks. When cookies are cool, roll in confectioners' sugar. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

TRADITIONAL MEXICAN WEDDING COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream together butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy; stir in vanilla.
• Whisk together flour and salt; add gradually to butter mixture; stir in chopped nuts.
• Chill dough if it seems too soft.
• Form dough into 1 1/4" balls and place onto parchment-lined or ungreased baking sheets.
• Bake at 400° for 10-12 minutes or just until the cookies start to turn light golden-brown; remove from oven and allow to cool slightly; while cookies are still warm (but NOT hot) remove them from baking sheets and roll, a few at a time, in powdered sugar until evenly coated; cool cookies completely on wire racks.
• Cookies may (optionally) be rolled in powdered sugar a second time once cooled to room temperature.
• NOTE: Forming dough into 1" balls will increase yield to 48 cookies.

MEXICAN WEDDING COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter and granulated sugar until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and orange zest until fully combined.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add the flour mixture gradually to the mixer until just incorporated. Fold in the chopped pecans by hand.
• Using a tablespoon-sized cookie scoop, portion the dough onto a baking sheet. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes.
• Divide the chilled dough between 2 baking sheets, leaving about 1/2 inch between each cookie. Bake until just golden, about 12 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
• Once the cookies have cooled, place the powdered sugar into a shallow dish. Roll each cookie in the powdered sugar until completely coated. Enjoy!

MEXICAN HOT-CHOCOLATE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down side of bowl. Add eggs and beat to combine. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture and beat until combined.
• In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar, cinnamon, and chile powder (if using). Using heaping tablespoons, form balls of dough and roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place, about 3 inches apart, on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until cookies are set in center and begin to crack, about 10 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cookies cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to racks to cool completely. (Store in an airtight container, up to 1 week.)

MEXICAN CINNAMON COOKIES

Steps:

• Place egg white in a small bowl; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes., Preheat oven to 375°. In a large bowl, beat lard until creamy. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; gradually beat into lard., Beat egg white on high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently whisk in sugar and egg yolk. Gradually beat into lard mixture. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead gently 8-10 times., Divide dough into 6 portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a 24-in.-long rope; cut diagonally into 1-in. pieces. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are light brown. Cool on pans 2 minutes., In a small bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon. Roll warm cookies in cinnamon sugar mixture or confectioners' sugar. Cool on wire racks.

POLVORONES (MEXICAN WEDDING COOKIES)

Steps:

• Put 1/2 cup of the walnuts and the salt in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Roughly chop the remaining 1 cup walnuts.
• Position two oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
• Beat the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the granulated sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the flour, then the ground and chopped walnuts. Divide the dough in half, forming each half into a ball. Wrap separately in plastic and chill until cold, about 30 minutes.
• Put the confectioners' sugar in a large bowl.
• Working with half of the chilled dough at a time and keeping the rest in the fridge, roll the dough by 2 teaspoonfuls between your palms into balls. Arrange the balls on a large baking sheet, spacing them 1/2 inch apart.
• Bake the cookies until golden brown on the bottom and just pale golden on top, about 18 minutes. Cool the cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Toss the warm cookies in the powdered sugar. Transfer the sugar-coated cookies to a rack to cool completely. The cookies can be prepared up to 2 days ahead. Once cooled, store them in an airtight container. You need to make sure they are cooled before storing them, otherwise they will get soggy. Sift additional powdered sugar and cinnamon over the cookies if desired before serving.

MEXICAN PECAN COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Mash together the flour, butter, pecans, and 1/4 cup of confectioners' sugar in a bowl until the mixture is thoroughly combined and forms a soft dough. Pinch off about 2 teaspoons of dough per cookie, and roll into 3/4-inch balls. Place the balls on ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the bottoms of the cookies are lightly golden brown but the tops are still pale, 8 to 12 minutes.
• Let the cookies cool completely, then roll in remaining confectioners' sugar.

ANCHO CHILE-MEXICAN CHOCOLATE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, chile powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the brown and granulated sugar and beat until slightly fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until well combined.
• Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low, add half the flour mixture, and beat until just combined, then add the remaining flour mixture and beat until the mixture just comes together, 1 to 2 minutes, being careful not to overmix. Add the chocolate chunks and pepitas and beat on low until just combined.
• Use a 2-ounce ice cream scoop or a 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, making about 14 cookies total and leaving at least 2 inches between each cookie.
• Bake until the edges of the cookies are crisp but the centers are still tender, about 15 minutes, rotating the baking sheets top to bottom and front to back halfway through the baking time. Remove from the oven, set the baking sheets on wire racks, and let the cookies cool completely on the pans. They should keep up to 5 days in an airtight container.

MARRANITOS (MEXICAN PIG-SHAPED COOKIES)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, cream together brown sugar and shortening until smooth. Mix in 1 egg, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the baking soda, cinnamon, and molasses. Mix in flour until the dough is stiff enough to roll out.
• Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into cookies using a pig shaped cookie cutter. Place cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Brush the remaining beaten egg over the tops of the cookies.
• Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the centers of the cookies appear dry and edges are lightly browned.

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine the flour, cocoa, soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix thoroughly with a whisk. Set aside. Combine the sugars in a small bowl and mix well with fingers pressing out any lumps. (Process in a food processor if lumps are stubborn).
• In a medium mixing bowl, beat butter and margarine until creamy. Add sugar mixture, cinnamon, peppers, and vanilla. Beat on high speed for about one minute. Beat in egg white. Stop the mixer. Add the flour mixture. Beat on low speed just until incorporated. Gather the dough together with your hands and form it into a neat 9 to 10-inch log. Wrap in waxed paper. Fold or twist ends of paper without pinching or flatting the log. Chill at least 45 minutes, or until needed.
• Place oven racks in the upper and lower third of the oven preheat to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
• Use a sharp knife to slice rounds of chilled dough a scant 1/4-inch thick. Place 1-inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake 12 to 14 minutes. Rotate baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back about halfway through. Cookies will puff and crackle on top, and then begin to settle down slightly when done. Use a metal spatula to transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. Allow cookies to cool completely before storing or stacking. Store in an airtight container up to two weeks, or freeze up to 2 months.

MEXICAN WEDDING COOKIES (POLVORONES DE CANELA)

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and 1 cup confectioners' sugar on medium speed until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low and gradually mix in flour mixture until incorporated. Shape dough into a square and wrap in plastic; refrigerate 1 hour.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough 1/2 inch thick. Using a 2 1/2-inch round cutter, cut out cookies. (Scraps can be rerolled once.) Divide evenly between two parchment-lined baking sheets. Using a 3/4-inch round cutter, cut out a hole in the center of each cookie. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake, rotating halfway through, until edges begin to brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool on sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
• In a small bowl, stir together remaining 2 teaspoons cinnamon and 1 cup confectioners' sugar. Working with one cookie at a time, toss in cinnamon sugar until thoroughly coated. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.

MEXICAN WEDDING COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients.
• Form into 1 1/2" balls.
• Bake on cookie sheet at 350°F for about 10-15 minutes or until set.
• Roll in additional powdered sugar while still warm.

SPICED MEXICAN CHOCOLATE COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. In small bowl, mix flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and red pepper; set aside.
• In 2-quart saucepan, heat butter and chocolate chips over low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted. Remove from heat; stir in granulated sugar. Pour into large bowl. Beat in eggs with spoon one at a time until blended. Beat in vanilla. Stir in flour mixture until well blended. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Shape dough into 36 (1 1/4 -inch) balls. Lightly butter hands if dough is sticky when shaping into balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets; flatten slightly. Sprinkle about 1/4 teaspoon of Demerara sugar over top of each cookie.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are set. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, at least 20 minutes. Store covered in airtight container.

POLVORONES ROSAS (PINK MEXICAN SUGAR COOKIES)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Beat butter and shortening with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla extract and salt. Mix in powdered sugar. Add enough red food coloring to reach the desired shade of pink. Stir in flour until dough is just combined.
• Scoop 2-inch balls of dough onto a cookie sheet. Dip the bottom of a glass in sugar use it to press dough to 1/2-inch thickness.
• Bake in the preheated oven until bottoms of cookies are slightly golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Dip cookies in decorator sugar while still warm. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

MEXICAN CINNAMON SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift or stir together in a bowl the flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon (or anise seed to taste), and set aside. In a medium bowl beat the vegetable shortening or lard with a mixer until light. Slowly beat in the ¾ cup sugar until light. Beat in the egg and 1 tablespoon brandy or milk, mixing until light and fluffy. Slowly beat in the flour mixture. If it becomes too stiff to mix, stir in 1 tablespoon more brandy or milk until dough holds together and is semi-firm and can be shaped into logs. If it is too stiff, the logs will not hold together. If too soft, the logs will not hold their shape. In a small bowl stir together the cinnamon sugar mixture and set aside. On a lightly floured surface or pastry board knead the dough briefly until it holds together without cracking or breaking apart. Divide the dough into 2 equal parts. Return 1 part to the bowl. On the lightly floured surface shape the other piece of dough into a log, and with the palms of the hands roll it back and forth until it is about 12-inches long. With a sharp knife cut the log into fourths, then cut each fourth into 5 slices. Roll each slice in cinnamon sugar mixture and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Place slices about 1½-inch to 2-inches apart. Place cookie sheet in a preheated 350° oven, and bake until done, about 9 to 10 minutes. Cookies should not be over baked or browned. Remove from oven, and while cookies are still warm, roll each cookie again in the cinnamon sugar and place on a wire rack to cool. Repeat the above process for the other piece of dough. You can probably do this while the first cookie sheet is baking. After all cookies have cooled, store them in a covered container or in a zip-lock bag.

SPICY MEXICAN COOKIES (CHOCOLATE)

Steps:

• In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa, cinnamon, cayenne, salt and pepper.
• In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until light and fluffy.
• Slowly add the dry ingredients until they are fully blended into the dough and no traces of the flour mix remain.
• Divide the dough in two and roll each half into a log that's 9 inches long. Wrap each log tightly in plastic wrap and place in the freezer overnight or a minimum eight hours (if you're not interested in baking the whole batch at once, the dough will keep up to six weeks in the freezer).
• Having been frozen, the dough will require a small amount of effort to cut through. With a sharp knife, cut 1/3" cookies from the dough. Bake at 375° F for 8-10 minutes or until edges are firm. Allow cookies to cool 30 seconds to a minute then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

MEXICAN OJARASCAS COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Sift together all dry ingredients into a bowl and set aside.
• In a large bowl, whip together the shortening and lard until nice and light.
• Add the dry mixture slowly, one cup at a time (6 cups only first).
• Place the mixture on the countertop or on a table.
• Add the remaining dry mixture with the water and continue to knead the dough by hand until you form a good nice dough ball.
• Sprinkle some flour on the countertop or on the table and spread out the dough with a rolling pin to a thickness of 1/2 inches and use a cookie cutter to make cookies.
• Place on a cookie sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes.
• While cookies are being baked, mix together the topping ingredients in a bowl.
• Once the cookies come out of the oven, place one by one in the sugar and cinnamon mixture one at a time and sprinkle them with this mixture.
• Place on a cooling rack to finish cooling.

MEXICAN SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Beat shortening until light and fluffy. Add one cup sugar, and anise seed. Mix until creamy. Add eggs and mix well. Add flour, baking power, cream of tartar, salt and orange juice. Mix well.
• Knead dough until smooth. On lightly floured surface, roll to 1/2 inch thick. Cut using cookie cutter into different shapes. Bake until light brown, 5 - 8 minutes. Roll cookies in mixture of 1 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons of cinnamon while still warm.

CHOCOLATE MEXICAN WEDDING CAKES (COOKIES)

Steps:

• In a food processor or blender, process pecans with 1/4 cup of the powdered sugar, until very fine. Mix in flour, cocoa and salt & set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream butter with 3/4 cup of the powdered sugar; Blend until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla until well blended.
• Add flour mixtureslowly, until well mixed. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Form dough into 1-inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake until golden, 18 to 20 minutes.
• Mix together remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar and cinnamon. When cookies have cooled slightly, roll in cinnamon mixture. Finish cooling on wire racks.
• Makes 36 cookies.