These Mexican Cinnamon Cookies are a shortbread cookie both filled with cinnamon and coated in cinnamon sugar. You won't be able to stop at just one cookie.
If you have a jar of these cookies in your house, they will call your name. Fair warning. They are super crumbly, sweet, and just small enough for an excuse to have "just one more."
These cookies are a form of shortbread, but traditionally made with lard rather than butter. I substituted vegetable shortening for the lard but I do want to try making them with lard when I can get my hands on good quality lard.
Regardless, the shortening did make a definite difference in the texture of these cookies. Since shortening has fallen out of favor now that butter is back (I'm old enough to remember margarine), I haven't used it very much, but, I must say, it really did make a difference.
I took a big box of these cookies to a potluck, and everyone wanted to know what the secret ingredient was! The magic word was "shortening." Let's just say, these cookies disappeared and everyone wanted the recipe.
These cookies are both soft and crumbly, loaded with cinnamon, and totally wonderful.
I've read that they can be shaped in various ways, rolled out and cut, formed into balls, or shaped into long logs and then cut into cookies, which is how these cookies are shaped.
I first tried these cookies at an event at Melissa's Produce featuring cookbook author Alex Peña, author of the amazing cookbook, The Mexican Bakery. You can read more about Alex on his website, Baking Evolution. He is both a student and master of all things baking. He is truly a bread scientist. He also happened to grow up in his family's Mexican bakery in Los Angeles.
Besides his demanding day job, he also teaches baking classes on the weekends, both online and in person.
In addition, he had written and self-published a book, The Mexican Bakery. It includes access to five of his online masterclass tutorials. You can also find it on Amazon.
The book also includes a chocolate version of these cookies.
Ingredients in These Cookies:
Flour - Ubleached all purpose
Lard or Shortening.
Granulated Sugar.
Eggs.
Baking Powder.
Salt.
Vanilla.
Cinnamon - The original recipe calls for coarse cinnamon. I used finely ground cinnamon.
To Make these Polverones:
First, whisk together the baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and flour in a bowl.
Next, in a stand mixer, mix the sugar, shortening or lard, and eggs on low. Add the flour mixture and mix on low for a minute and then on medium for two minutes. Divide the dough into 125 portions and then roll each out into 15 inch logs.
After that, using a small knife or offset spatula, score the logs with slashes at a slight angle. Then cut the dough into 1 1/2 inch to 2 inch pieces. Place the cut pieces on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake the cookies for 15 to 20 minutes.
Finally, lightly spray the cookies with spray oil and toss them in cinnamon sugar.
Storing These Cookies:
These cookies will keep in an air tight container for up to a week.
Recipes with Cinnamon:
The Sunday Funday group, hosted by Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm, is sharing recipes with cinnamon!
- A Day in the Life on the Farm: Apple Cinnamon Bread
- Culinary Cam: Cinnamon Beef Tagine
- Food Lust People Love: Cinnamon Shortbread Squares
- Our Good Life: Easy Cinnamon Rolls with Fireball Glaze
- Amy's Cooking Adventures: Mario Under Water World Cake (Apple Cinnamon Cake)
- Karen's Kitchen Stories: Mexican Cinnamon Cookies
- Sneha's Recipe: Soft & Chewy Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Mayuri's Jikoni: Tilslørte Bondepiker
Mexican Cinnamon Cookies (Polvorones de Canela)
Mexican Cinnamon Cookies - a shortbread cookie filled with cinnamon and coated in cinnamon sugar. You won't be able to stop at just one cookie.
Ingredients
- 250 grams (1 3/4 cups) unbleached all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 60 grams (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
- 158 grams (3/4 cup) shortening or lard, cold
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 25 grams (1/2) large egg, whisked
- Spray oil
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 380 degrees F. Line two to three baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sugar, lard or shortening, vanilla, and egg. Mix with the paddle attachment on low until well combined.
- Add the flour mixture to the bowl and mix on low for one minute. Then, mix on speed 4 for two minutes, until smooth.
- Divide the dough into 5 equal portions, about 125 grams each. Form each piece into a 15 inch log.
- With an offset spatula or small knife, score the top of each log with a slightly slanted cut crosswise about 1/2 inch apart. Press slightly to one side to open the cut. Divide the log into 12 equal pieces. Arrange them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the dough logs.
- Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, for 15 to 20 minutes. Let the cookies cool on a wire rack.
- Whisk together the cinnamon sugar mixture. Spray the cookies lightly with the spray oil and toss them with the cinnamon sugar.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
60Fat (grams)
3 gSat. Fat (grams)
1 gCarbs (grams)
7 gFiber (grams)
0 gNet carbs
7 gSugar (grams)
3 gProtein (grams)
1 gCholesterol (grams)
2 mgIf you're intrigued with Mexican pan dulce and bakery goods, be sure to try pineapple nidos, conchas, polvorones de naranja, and funfetti conchas.
