Polvorones are buttery and crumbly cookies often featuring an undertone of cinnamon that have long been served at Mexican weddings. Their popularity led them to be known by this moniker.
Similar to sugar cookies or Russian tea cakes, snowball cookies are popular with children as a treat. As their name implies, these confections look like little snowballs covered with powdered sugar – making them irresistibly cute!
Polvorones
Polvorones are irresistibly tasty cookies that melt in your mouth! Simple to make at home and widely found in bakeries and panderias alike. Their name derives from Spanish for powder, which accurately describes their crumbly texture. Polvorones can also be customized by adding different spices or ingredients for additional flavors; and come in various colors and shapes that fit any theme!
Originating in Spain, polvorones have quickly become a hit in Mexico. Their dough can be tinted pink, yellow or left natural before rolling it in granulated sugar for rolling. Once baked, these cookies can be used as decorations on cakes and desserts alike! For an added glossy touch before baking they can also be coated with egg yolk and baked before being brushed with egg white to achieve a shiny surface finish.
Anise cookies can be made without anise if desired; cinnamon, readily available in Mexico, will lend them their unique taste and aroma. Furthermore, using different types of sugar may create additional variations – for instance using grated piloncillo instead of granulated for an even sweeter experience!
These cookies are a classic dish at Mexican parties and holidays, particularly Christmas time. Simple to prepare and sure to delight guests at any gathering or holiday celebration, polvorones can be customized using any number of ingredients such as cocoa powder and vanilla extract, while you could add ground cloves for an additional festive twist.
One of the most beloved variations on this classic treat is marranitos – an adorable little pig-shaped cookie covered in sugar that’s quite similar to polvorones but made with different ingredients depending on where you live in Mexico – such as pecans or walnuts depending on which region it hails from.
Cochinos or puerquitos, another delicious treat, are gingerbread-like cookies decorated with colorful sprinkles that resemble gingerbread pigs. While not the same as traditional polvorones made with lard and boasting spicy flavors, cochinos or puerquitos make a festive addition to any holiday spread and can even include special ingredients such as guava paste for an enhanced flavor profile.
Galletas de Boda
Classic crumbly cookies coated in powdered sugar are often made with almonds; however, pecans or walnuts may also work. Easy to make, these treats can be enjoyed anytime of the day with milk or coffee as an afternoon treat – or at a wedding as part of an impressive buffet spread!
Galletas de Boda are a type of Mexican cookie named after the town of Boda in Coahuila. Once used as wedding centerpieces, these delicious snacks have since become a favorite snack in both Latin America and North America. Their texture is similar to sugar cookies or Russian tea cakes but much smaller. Furthermore, their softness makes them easier for eating!
These cookies feature a subtle yet delicious sweet-and-savoury flavor, making them popular with both kids and adults. Perfect as an energy boost on-the-go, they’re simple to make and can be enjoyed by all who eat them!
Mexican cookies often feature butter as one of their key ingredients, creating a creamy and moist texture ideal for those craving sweets without an abundance of cake. Plus, Mexican cookies add an element of spice for extra zest!
Mexican cookies that have become synonymous with Mexican culture include polvorones, marranitos and cochinitos. Polvorones are popularly served at parties and other special events throughout Mexico; their recipe likely originated in medieval Arab baking but then popularized through Spanish nuns and missionaries who spread it throughout North and South America.
Cochinitos, or cochinitas in Spanish, are traditional Mexican cookies in the shape of a pig filled with piloncillo (Mexican brown sugar). Although traditionally found only in western Veracruz and eastern Puebla, they’ve now become available throughout Mexico – La Estrella in particular specializes in this style of cookie and can now be found all across Arizona, California, and Nevada.
Galletas de Nuez
Mexican cookies are delicious treats perfect for any special event and easy to make at home, making them the perfect addition to any dinner table or party. Popularly served at weddings and parties throughout Mexico, homemade versions make great homemade gifts for friends and family, and are great additions for tea parties with girlfriends! This recipe uses just six ingredients that will leave your guests wondering where such deliciousness came from.
Galletas de Nuez are delightful white cookies made from an abundance of white flour and colored with powdered sugar, in the shape of pecans. Popular throughout northern Mexico and sold as snacks in boxes; also referred to in Spanish as Besitos de Angel or Snowballs in America, these delectable treats make an appearance on holidays such as Christmas.
Pan dulce is an integral part of San Antonio culture, yet its wide array of doughy treats may be confusing to those unfamiliar with Spanish language or not familiar with some sweet treats’ names. We’ve put together this list of commonly available Mexican bakery cookies so you can better identify what’s being ordered from your panaderia next time!
Polvorones de Naranja: Crumbly orange-flavored cookies that have become immensely popular throughout Coahuila state and can often be found at country wedding receptions as favors to guests. Polvorones may not technically qualify as bread, but many Mexicans still consider them an example of pan dulce and can often be found at bakeries. Rehilete, a cinnamon roll; alamar (a sugar-crusted bread baked into the shape of an inverted bow or knot); and bunuelo de viento, an irresistibly crunchy fritter beloved across Mexico come Christmastime. These treats are created using various doughs, such as puff pastry and shortbread. Many are filled with jam or jelly before being covered in powdered sugar; others, like the calvo, feature chocolate glaze topped with toasted coconut.
Rosca de Reyes
Rosca de Reyes is a sweet bread in the shape of a wreath and decorated with colorful stripes and candy to commemorate Epiphany or Three Kings Day, or Epiphany for short. According to legend, on this date three wise men visited baby Jesus with gifts they brought on Epiphany Day. It’s traditionally eaten every January 6th as part of this traditional meal to mark this Christian holiday.
This bread dough is similar to other types of Mexican yeast breads, such as pan de polvo. It features soft, spongy dough that’s very easy to work with; plus its citrus flavors add depth. Simply combine flour, yeast and sugar in a large mixing bowl before gradually mixing in some warm milk and covering it with a kitchen towel while it rests for 30 minutes before continuing the recipe.
Once the dough has rested, it is ready to be formed into a wreath shape. When shaping it, make sure that there is an opening in the center large enough for one of the plastic baby dolls representing Baby Jesus to insert itself through. Make sure the hole does not puncture all the way through but avoid puncturing all through!
Once the rosca is formed, it should be baked until its top turns golden brown. Following baking, plastic baby dolls should be added from below before placing it back into its container at room temperature for several days of storage – either wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or airtight containers.
These cookies are popularly served at weddings and Quinceaneras throughout Coahuila and Nuevo Leon states. Similar to other Mexican shortbread cookies, but featuring anise seeds for added flavor. Furthermore, their simple instructions make these recipes accessible for anyone!
This delicious dessert is perfect for any special event or holiday celebration, thanks to its light, refreshing taste. Plus, making traditional Mexican fare can bring families together as everyone pitches in and learns the ropes together!
