Portuguese Spice Cookies Recipes

PORTUGUESE SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• Position rack in center of the oven, preheat oven to 350 degrees; line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Starting with the pastry dough: mix together the flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl; cut the butter into small bits and work into the flour, along with the eggs, until a smooth dough is formed.
• Cover with a clean kitchen towel and set aside for 10 minutes before rolling dough out on a floured board.
• For the filling: combine the water, sugar and lemon zest in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, boil until the mixture reaches 220 degrees on a candy thermometer, takes about 10 minutes.
• Remove pot from the heat and let cool slightly.
• Crush the anise seeds in a mortar or a spice mill, add to the sugar mixture, along with the cinnamon, butter and breadcrumbs, mix well.
• The mixture should resemble bread stuffing.
• Roll out a third of the pastry as thinly as possible.
• Using a pastry cutter or knife, cut 3-inch-wide strips of pastry.
• With the same cutter make 1/2 inch horizontal slits just off one long edge of the pastry, about 3/4 inch apart.
• Spread some cooled filling down the center of the strip, then fold the side with the slits over the solid side, enclosing the filling and sealing the edges.
• Cut into 3-inch long cookies.
• Place on a lined baking sheet.
• Repeat with the remaining pastry.
• Bake until the cookies are golden brown, about 15 minutes, be careful not to let them burn.
• Let cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes, then remove the cookies to a rack to cool completely.
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

EASY PORTUGUESE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, stir together the cornstarch and white sugar. Add the butter and cream well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Combine the flour and baking powder; stir into the sugar mixture until a dough forms. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness and cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 inch apart onto an unprepared cookie sheet.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until cookies are golden brown at the edges. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

AVô'S BISCOITOS (PORTUGUESE BISCOTTI/COOKIES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Cream together butter and sugar until light in color and fluffy in texture.
• Do not undercream or overcream. (Undercreamed butter/sugar looks yellow and dense. Overcreamed butter/sugar looks white and greasy.).
• Add eggs, mixing until blended.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder.
• Add flour mixture to creamed mixture, stirring until combined.
• If dough seems dry or flakey, knead slightly.
• Scoop up ping-pong ball sized dollops of dough.
• Roll between your hands to form a 5-inch long "snake", even throughout the length.
• (if dough is too sticky to handle at this point, you will need to add a small amount of flour to the dough to make it workable).
• Brings ends of the "snake" together, slightly folding one end over the other, to form a donut-shape with a small hole in the middle.
• Place cookies 1-2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
• Bake 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Let rest on baking sheet 2 minutes before transferring to rack to cool.
• Enjoy!

PORTUGESE SPIKES OF CORN COOKIES (ESPIGAS DE MILHO)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Beat all of the ingredients together except for the two flours. When well beaten, add all of the flour and mix well until blended. Dough should be firm enough to hold its shape when pressed. (Adjust firmness by adding either milk or flour, a little at a time).
• Using a cookie press with a star tip, pipe a rope of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Cut the rope into 5 to 6" lengths, and then shape into an S. (Alternatively, you can make simple drop cookies).
• Bake at 350 F until done, about 15 - 17 minutes and cookies have light colour. Once all of the cookies are baked, pile the cookies on one cookie sheet and return to a 200 F oven for 30-45 minutes to add crispiness and colour.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before storing them in an air tight container.