Growing up in New Mexico - Biscochitos don't last long at any Christmas party! You can't eat just one! They remind me of my childhood and are one of the reasons I fell in love with baking. I hope to pass this love on to my daughter Theresa!!!
For any of you who have never lived in a "High Altitude" climate - you don't know how hard it was to find a recipe for Biscochitos that wasn't in "High Altitude" measurements! Albuquerque is actually a mile above sea level so I had to search the internet and experiment until I found one that was as close as possible. No one was able to help me convert the recipe from "High Altitude" to "Sea Level"! Personally...I think that's what makes these cookies so special when eating them back home - they taste even better! :)
In 1989, the U.S. State of New Mexico adopted the Biscochito as its official state cookie. This act made New Mexico the FIRST STATE to have an official cookie.
It was developed by residents of New Mexico over the centuries from the first Spanish colonists of New Mexico.
These spicy, anise-flavored cookies from are rich, crisp, and very easy to make. Biscochitos are the holiday cookie staple in New Mexico.
Don't freak out - they're made from LARD - and do not substitute or they won't be as flaky and delicious!!!
Biscochitos
Ingredients:
6 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound lard (a must, no substitutes)
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons anise seed (I like to crush them in a cup to help release their flavor!)
2 eggs
1/2 cup sweet table wine (I used a white Moscato)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
Directions
Sift flour, baking powder, and salt. Cream the lard with sugar and anise seed on medium speed. In a separate bowl beat eggs until light and fluffy. Add beaten eggs to creamed mixture and mix. Add to the flour, baking powder and salt mixture. Mix together well, adding wine to form a stiff-like dough, add more wine, if necessary.
Refrigerate dough overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix together the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.
Remove dough from refrigerator and let stand for a while, until dough is soft enough to roll. Divide dough in quarters and roll to about 1/16 to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutter and place on cookie sheet.
OR to make them into rounds like in my picture - make small ball sized pieces of dough by hand and flatten.
Sprinkle or dip the cookies into sugar and cinnamon mixture - place on cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until bottom of cookie is golden brown. Set aside to cool.
Yield: 5 dozen
Stored in a tightly sealed container, they can be frozen up to six months.
Feliz Navidad!
Jacque G.