This past month I decided to revisit some of my previous recipes. It’s always good to preparare them several times, kind of like testing it out, lol! Keeps you sane and confirms that you do love what you do and, why it’s all worth while. For today’s post, I am revisiting my recipe for Polvorones. This is a Mexican-style cookie that I grew up with. Sold in every Mexican Panaderia(bakery), typically a little larger than the ones I prepared today.
The other style of Polvorones you see dusted in sugar and cinnamon or powdered sugar is also very popular. The recipes are pretty close as far as ingredients go. I made a few minor adjustments to the original recipe I shared and I am pretty happy these!
This is the first time I have fused the three colors together though. Just a bit of a challenge, but not that difficult. The key is to work quickly while dough is cool. It’s a fun recipe for kids, but really delicious with some café for us big kids. Any little details that remind me of home are worth trying to re-create. I may not be able to return home, but I can bring a little bit of home into my kitchen everyday!
Measure out all your ingredients before you start mixing. It makes the whole process so much easier!
Powdered sugar or granulated sugar?
I find the the powdered sugar combined with vegetable shortening yields the best version of polvorones. The butter and sugar version taste more rich and you can certainly go that route. The important thing is that you get in there and try it!
You can try different flavored extracts to flavor the cookie dough. Some people like to flavor each color differently. Well, the chocolate already has chocolate flavor. But you can use strawberry for the pink, lemon for the yellow and coconut if you decide to leave the dough natural color.
There are various options for coloring the dough these days. Traditional liquid food coloring, gel, organic natural food coloring ans sometimes even spices like turmeric and hibiscus can be used.
Press firmly to make sure the colors will stick together.
To achieve that traditional look of the tri-colored polvorones, I would suggest using a pastry cutter to cut the cookies.
You could bake the polvorones as is or you can sprinkle a cinnamon/sugar to create a more traditional looking tri-colored polvoron cookie.
I left some plain and some sprinkled with cinnamon/sugar mix
I grind fresh Mexican canela(cinnamon) sticks This why you see the specs of cinnamon. I love it this way. I use a coffee grinder just for spices.
Polvorones~ Tri-Colored Mexican Cookie
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups shortening or butter at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tsp Each red and yellow food coloring
- Extra's~ Sugar for sprinkling jam or jelly and chocolate spread
Instructions
Directions:
- In a large bowl, cream the shortening and powdered sugar until smooth. While mixer is on low, mix in the egg, vanilla and baking soda. Gradually mix in 2 cups of flour with the mixer. Gradually mix in a little more of remaining flour until you have a soft "play-doh type dough. If dough is crumbly, gently knead the dough with your hands. If it is too sticky , mix in a little more flour.
- Divide dough into three equal parts into glass bowls. To color, add a couple of drops of red food coloring and work into dough with your hands until desired color of pink. Do the same for the yellow color. To the third section of dough, mix in the cocoa powder until really well blended.
- On a flat and floured surface, roll each color into a log shape, about 12 inches long. Place two of the colors side by side on a large sheet of plastic wrap. Place the third color on top, resting, on the other two. Using your hands, try to form the dough into a triangle shape. Use flour ob your hands when needed, so it doesn't stick to your hands. Cover tightly with plastic and pat firmly, so colors fuse together and stick. Chill for 25 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- When ready, unwrap and slice about 24 (1/2 inch) pieces. Place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes or until edges are lightly golden.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar(optional) as soon as they come out of the oven or leave as is. Cool completely, store in airtight container.
Notes
The following five photos are from the first attempt at preparing tri colored polvorones.
Try and try again! I will revisit a recipe as many times as i need to or until I am happy with the recipe as a whole. I have updated this blog post twice now in the attempts to provide a more authentic recipe.
I added some pineapple/mango jam, blueberry/cherry and Hershey’s chocolate/nut spread. Tasty!
For these soft looking Polvorones, I was wanting to finish up using some dough and this was the result! I love, ove, love them!!
Soft Polvorones
Yields 10 large cookies
Ingredients
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4-2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
Directions
In a large bowl, cream the butter with sugar. Mix in the egg. Mix in the baking soda, salt and vanilla. 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.
Divide the dough in half.Using food coloring gels, add desired food coloring to cookie dough to color dough or leave plain. For the brown, you will use unsweetened cocoa powder for baking. Chill the dough for 20 minutes.
Divide into 10 large dough balls or 20 small ones. Place onto lined cookie sheet. Make sure you space them out. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes
Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 13 to 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Let cool slightly and roll in finely ground sugar. Cool completely before storing in a storage container. They will stay soft for a few days.
And just to make sure the recipe worked like the first time, I tried it again recently! I used a good, dark cocoa powder and orange food coloring gel. I did not roll the balls into a nice round shape, I only cut them. This is why they look flat on top. They are just as soft though!
I share with you a variation on preparing single color Polvorones.
https://pinaenlacocina.com/polvoronespink-cookies-cake/
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Thank you Sonia ! The eyes are the first to taste your beautiful P
olvorones !
Thank you David! Just a kid at heart. I never get tired of these Mexican goodies.
I am disappointed. I just made the tri-color cookies and followed the recipe exactly. They don’t taste anything like the polvorones I have purchased in bakeries. Yes, they are soft and buttery but they are too soft and puffy if comparing them to what is in bakeries. These puffed up a lot and the texture is almost muffin-like. Not the delicate crumb of a cookie. What did I miss? I used the exact measurements, no substitutions.
It’s very difficult to get the exact flavor and texture of the panaderia breads and cookies. They use commercial ingredients, sometimes mixes. Not saying that they use everyday ingredients like butter, shortening and eggs. I am sorry you didn’t like this version. You could try the other version I have on the blog or you could try using shortening with the butter. I think the texture is a bit different with the shortening, more crumbly.
This recipe is slightly different and may yield a more crumbly texture that you are looking for. https://pinaenlacocina.com/polvoronespink-cookies-cake/
I have made these now, many times. They are so yummy. They remind me of my childhood. Thank you!
Thank you Angela for taking the time to commenting on the recipe.
I made these for Hispanic Heritage month and shared them with my spanish classes at school! They were a huge hit! Thank you for the recipe!
Hi Amamnda! That’s wonderful! Thank you for taking the time to write!