Pink Mexican Sugar Cookies Recipes

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.

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.

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 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 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 SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400*. Cream the sugar, egg, butter, vanilla, and milk. Set aside.
• Mix the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well until a nice, firm dough is formed.
• Separate the dough into 3 even balls. Add the color of food coloring you would like and mix by hand wearing gloves so your hands don't get stained.
• Using the large end of a melon scoop, scoop out balls of each individual color. Take one ball of each color and roll it in your hands until one nice ball is formed. Roll it in the sugar and place it on a cookie sheet sprayed with Pam 2 inches apart.
• Flatten down each cookie with the bottom of a cup or bowl. Place the cookie sheet in the oven and allow to bake for 9-11 minutes depending on your oven. Remove from heat and allow to remain on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes before you put it on the cooling rack. Enjoy!

MEXICAN SUGAR COOKIES (POLVERONES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325.
• Spray cookie sheets with non stick cooking spray.
• Cream butter, powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and half of cinnamon (1/2 tsp.) Add 1 1/2 cups flour and baking powder.
• Mix until well blended.
• At this point you may add additional flour if dough is too sticky.
• Roll dough into 1 1/4 inch balls.
• Place on cookie sheet.
• Flatten each ball with a glass coated with granulated sugar.
• Bake 20-25 minutes until edges are golden brown.
• Let stand 3-4 minutes before coating with following mixture.
• Combine granulated sugar, grated chocolate, and remaining cinnamon in a small bowl.
• Stir to combine.
• Coat cookies with sugar, chocolate and cinnamon mixture on both sides.
• Allow cookies to cool.

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.