Pan Dulce~Favorite Mexican Bakery Treats

Polvorones also known as Wedding Cookies when left round and rolled in powdered sugar.

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter or shortening 
4 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/3 teaspoon anise seeds
1/3 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 full teaspoon of vanilla bean paste
2 cups all purpose flour

* 1 cup finely crushed pecans, optional

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cream the butter, add powdered sugar, anise, cinnamon, salt and vanilla bean paste. Mix until smooth and creamy. Gradually mix in the flour until dough forms. It will be crumbly. if adding pecans, add them in now and fold them in as best you can.

2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll 30 dough balls and divide between the two baking sheets. You could leave the polvorones round, or you could flatten them slightly as I did. I used the bottom of a glass.

3. Bake in preheated oven, one sheet at a time, for 13 to15 minutes, turning pan halfway through the baking time. This will help them bake more evenly.

4. If using sprinkles, they must go onto the cookies before baking. For cinnamon and sugar, gently dredge them in a mix of cinnamon/sugar while they are still slightly warm out of the oven. For powdered sugar, sift over cookies, or roll them in the powdered sugar once cooled. Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container. Yields 30 cookies

Polvorones remind me of the holidays, but they are a great cookie for anytime!

Polvorenes~Galletas  Mexican Shortbread Cookies. This is an older recipe and my first attempts at preparing the colored polvorones.

Polvorones Mexican Shortbread Cookies

Polvorones, Mexican Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients
1 cup butter at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. mexican canela(cinnamon), optional
1/4 tsp. salt
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
red food coloring
yellow food coloring

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar,apple pie spice,baking soda and salt. Beat until combined, scraping down sides of bowl. Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in remaining flour. If dough is crumbly, gently knead the dough with your hands.

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2. Divide the dough in half. Add a couple of drops of red food coloring and work it in with your hands until desired color of pink. Add a couple of drops of yellow food coloring to the remaining dough.

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3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in th 1/2 cup of sugar. Place balls 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet and gently flatten with the bottom of a glass.

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4. Bake in preheated oven for 13 to 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Transfer cookies to a storage container, once cooled. Makes about 24 cookies

Gorditas  de Azucar-Sweet Griddle Cakes

Gorditas de Azucar

La Panaderia’s Mexican Pink Cake, My Version…. #welovecake #I LovePinkCake

La Panaderia’s Mexican Pink Cake

Marranitos~Cochinitos. 

Marranitos, puerquitos or cochinitos are all names that come to mind when I think of this pig cookie. This recipe is adapted from the more traditional big pig cookie(bread) that you could find by clicking onto this link. https://pinaenlacocina.com/how-to-prepare-mexican-marranitos-puerquitos/

Ingredients

2/3 cup butter,softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon orange zest
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 egg
1/2 cup molasses
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Directions

1. In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the brown sugar,ginger,baking soda,cinnamon,orange zest,salt and ground cloves. Beat until combined, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in the egg and molasses until combined. Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough in half. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.

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2.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lighty greas a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper, set aside.On a lightly floured surface, roll out half of the dough at a time to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out shapes with a lightly floured 4 to 5 inch pig shape cookie cutter. Place cutouts 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.

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3.Bake in preheated oven for 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are light brown. Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer to wire rack, let cool.Makes 18 to 24 cookies.

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4. To store, layer cookies between wax paper in an airtight storage container. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for 3 months.

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Variation: To serve cookies, you can sprinkle with powdered sugar or take the orange, leftover from zesting, combine the fresh juice with some powdered sugar to make a glaze. Lightly glaze cookies when ready to serve. Note: I used a smaller cookie cutter this day(about 2 1/2 inches), made about 55 to 60 small cookies. This has more of a cookie texture. If you want the more panaderia-style version, visit the link above. 

Traditional Holiday Hojarascas