Biscochitos Traditional Cookies

Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Servings: 72
Yield: 72 servings

Description

Biscochitos are a classic New Mexican Christmas cookie. These delicious anise-flavored shortbread-like cookies are dusted with sugar and cinnamon.

Ingredients

6 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups lard, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons anise seed
2 eggs
1/4 cup brandy
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl; set aside.
2 Beat lard and 1 ½ cups sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add anise seed and beat until fluffy. Stir in eggs, one at a time. Add brandy; stir in flour mixture to form a dough.
3 Roll dough with a floured rolling pin to a thickness of 1/4 or 1/2 inch. Cut dough with a fleur-de-lis cookie cutter, or other simple shape. Place cookies onto ungreased baking sheets. Mix 1/4 cup of sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl; sprinkle over cookies.
4 Bake in the preheated oven until the edges are golden brown, about 10 minutes.