Polvorones Mexican Cookies Recipes

POLVORONES DE CANELE (CINNAMON COOKIES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
• In a medium bowl, cream together 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar and butter until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Combine flour, salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon; stir into the creamed mixture to form a stiff dough. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Mix together 1 cup confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon; roll balls in cinnamon mixture.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in preheated oven, or until nicely browned. Cool cookies on wire racks.

POLVORONES MEXICANOS

Steps:

• First, adjust the oven rack to the middle position and turn the oven on to 325 degrees. Grease 2 baking sheets or line with parchment paper.
• In a medium size bowl mix the flour, baking powder and baking soda.
• Using a stand mixer, beat shortening and sugar on medium speed until it turns fluffy and creamy, for about 3 minutes. Add egg and orange zest or vanilla and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low and add the flour mixture one cup at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed. The dough will become a little stiff. If you don't have a stand mixer, mix the ingredients in the same order in a large bowl using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. I had made them using a stand mixer and by hand and both methods work fine. Of course, it will be faster using the stand mixer.
• Divide the dough in half forming a disc with each piece of dough. Roll each disk of dough into a large circle using your rolling pin, about 1/3 inch thick, on the lightly floured surface. Using the 3 1/4 biscuit cutter, cut out 8 circles, re-rolling dough scraps just once to form more circles. Roll out the second disk of dough and proceed to form the rest of the circle as you did with the first tone.
• Place dough circles on prepared baking sheets spacing the cookies 1/2 inch apart. Dust center of the cookies with granulated sugar. Bake until edges are lightly browned, about 18 minutes, switching and rotating baking sheets halfway through baking time. Let the cookies cool on sheets on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling wire racks.
• When baking cakes, bread or cookies, I prefer to use grams instead of ounces or cups, tablespoons or teaspoons. When using grams, your measurement of ingredients will be more precise every time. Baking is a little bit of science and art, and every time you change the amount of an ingredient the results are going to be different. Kitchen scales are not expensive and are a very useful tool for your baking.
• This is another common shape for polvorones, and for this, you will need a very highly sophisticated gadget: a glass bottle! Yes, use the tip of a glass bottle to stamp that little circle at the center of the cookies.
• Place about 1/2 cup of granulated sugar in shallow dish. Divide the dough into medium size balls (65 grams), with your hand roll 16 balls. Roll balls in sugar to coat.
• Place the balls on a lightly floured surface and with the bottom of a thick glass gently press down one at a time to a 1/3" inch thick. Dust tip of the glass bottle with flour and then gently press the center of the cookie. Some bakeries add 1/4 teaspoon of strawberry preserves in the center circle.
• Make sure to space cookies 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets and bake for about 18-20 minutes, until edges are golden.
• Form a log with the dough and refrigerate about 30 minutes, wrapped with plastic film.
• When ready to bake, cut in 1/3-IN slices, place on baking sheet, sprinkle with sugar, and bake 18-20 minutes.
• To form these cookies divide the dough into 65 grams balls, roll them with your hands in a long shape resembling a banana. Gently press your finger into the dough slightly flattening the top.
• Mix one egg yolk with few drops of water. Brush the top part of the dough with egg yolk. With a fork scratch the top surface of the dough. Brush egg yolk once again over the top of the cookie dough.
• Bake as instructed above.
• As mentioned before, this dough is very versatile, you can just brush the tops with egg yolk before baking to get a glossy cookie, or brush with egg yolk and cover with multicolor sprinkles, or once the cookies are baked and cool down dust them with confectioners sugar.

POLVORONES (MEXICAN PINK SUGAR COOKIES)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat together the shortening, white granulated sugar, and vanilla extract for 2 full minutes on medium speed, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, then turn the mixer to low and gradually add the flour mixture, one cup at a time, until it's all fully combined.
• At this point divide the dough into as many colors as you want, then add food coloring and mix with your hands or the stand mixer. Once the dough is dyed, wrap it in plastic and set it in the fridge to rest for an hour.
• While the dough is resting, preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a couple baking sheets with parchment paper.
• When the dough has rested scoop out 1/4 cup size balls of dough (I just use a standard ice cream scoop) and roll them into a smooth ball before rolling in the cane sugar. Place 5 balls of dough on a baking sheet and flatten slightly with the back of a measuring cup, sprinkle a bit more sugar on each cookie then bake for 12-14 minutes one sheet at a time until the cookies have spread out and cracked but haven't browned at all.
• Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the cookies cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat the process with the rest of the dough until all the cookies are baked.

POLVORONES: GROUND WALNUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Using an electric mixer, beat the butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat until well blended. Beat in the flour, and 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.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Working with half of the chilled dough at a time while 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 2 days ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature). Sift additional powdered sugar over the cookies, if desired, before serving.

POLVORONES - MEXICAN COOKIES

Steps:

• In a bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together the butter and shortening until creamy. Add 1 1/2 cups of the confectioners' sugar, the orange zest, and the orange juice and beat until blended.
• In another bowl, stir together the flour, nuts, and sea salt. Add the flour mixture 1 tablespoon at a time to the butter mixture, beating until thoroughly incorporated. The dough will be crumbly. Transfer the dough to a large sheet of plastic wrap and press the dough into a ball. Wrap and then refrigerate for 1 - 2 hours.
• Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F Line a baking sheet with parchment (baking) paper or with a silicone baking mat.
• Using your hands, roll or squeeze small pieces of the dough into 3/4-inch (2cm) balls. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart and gently pressing them to flatten slightly.
• Bake the cookies until the eges turn pale gold, 10-15 minutes (my oven takes slightly longer).
• Meanwhile, place the remaining 1 cup confectioners' sugar in a shallow bowl. When the cookies are ready, remove the baking sheet from the oven. While they are still hot, using a spatula, remove the cookies one at a time and carefully roll them in the sugar. Set aside on a rack and let cool completely, then roll them again in the sugar, shaking off any excess.
• Serve the cookies at once, or layer between sheets of parchment paper in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.

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.

POLVORONES SEVILLANOS (MEXICAN COOKIES)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.
• Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping bowl occasionally.
• Beat in eggs, vanilla paste, and coconut extract until combined.
• Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer, using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour.
• Stir in the 1 cup coconut, candied pineapple, and the citrus peels.
• Divide dough into thirds and shape each portion of dough into a 12-inch-long roll.
• Wrap rolls in plastic wrap or waxed paper and chill for 4 hours or until firm enough to slice.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cut rolls into 1/2-inch-thick-slices.
• Place slices 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet, bake in the preheated oven for 9 to 10 minutes or just until centers are set.
• Transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool.
• Drizzle tops of cookies with Lemon Glaze and sprinkle with additional toasted coconut.
• Let stand until glaze is set. Makes about 60 cookies.
• LEMON GLAZE:.
• In a medium bowl, stir together powdered sugar and enough lemon juice to make an icing of drizzling consistency.
• STORAGE:.
• Layer cookies between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

MEXICAN WEDDING COOKIES (POLVORONES)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine shortening, 1 cup powdered sugar and vanilla in bowl of electric mixer; beat on medium speed until well blended.
• Combine flour, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Add to creamed mixture; mix well. Stir in walnuts; mix well. Roll dough into walnut-size balls; place on ungreased baking sheets about 1 12 inches apart.
• Bake 15 minutes or until edges begin to brown slightly. Cool on baking sheets until cool enough to handle, but still warm. While still warm, roll in remaining 1 cup powdered sugar; place on cooling racks to cool completely.