Polvorones~ Mexican-Style Cookies

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 lot 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! And with all that delicious Cabot butter, how could I go wrong? 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! #foodieforlife #beingmexican 

Polvorones~ Tri-Colored Mexican Cookie

My eyes would immediately go to the colorful polvorones as soon as I walked into la panaderia(bakery)!

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: 24 cookies

Ingredients

Ingredients:

• 1 cup shortening  
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 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 as much of  flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the remaining flour. If dough is crumbly, gently knead the dough with your hands. Mine was pretty smooth.
• 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 well blended. Chill the dough for 20 minutes.
• On a flat surface, roll each color into a log shape, about 14 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. Cover tightly with plastic and roll gently to fuse the three colors together and shape it slightly. Freeze for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• When ready, unwrap and slice 24 to 30 equal 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. 
•  Dust with fine sugar(optional) as soon as they come out of the oven. Or you can use the end of a wooden spoon to make a small indentation in the center for jam or chocolate spread. It's up to you.  Cool completely, store in airtight  container.

Notes

If you would like to prepare an all chocolate polvoron with crushed chocolate abuelita:

Reduce flour to only 2 cups. Mix 1/4 cup cocoa powder in with the flour, then add to the wet ingredients. Finely crush one abuelita disc(3 ounces) and fold into the dough.

You can shape as instructed or you can simply roll into a ball and place on lined baking sheet. Use a flat bottomed glass or bowl to flatten and then sprinkle with granulated sugar before baking.

Bake as directed. Yields 10 large cookies.

Tried this recipe?Mention @pinaenlacocina or tag #pinaenlacocina!

Cabot Goodness!!

Polvorones

Tips~ I did not divide the dough equally and had extra chocolate. I prepared a few and added some chocolate spread to the center. My favorite one! 

Polvorones

Tips~This is the dough after it came out of the freezer. You could also chill it overnight.

Polvorones

Tips~ You could play with the final shape of the cookie by rolling it once it’s wrapped. I wanted a more traditional triangle shape instead of round. Actually, almost looks heart shaped.

Polvorones

Polvorones

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 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/