Maybe you feel like sharing a sugary surprise with a friend or family member. Or maybe you can’t arrive to the party empty-handed. No matter the cause, the Christmas season is right around the corner and a quality batch of cookies makes a great pairing with all forms of merriment and good tidings.
For a town like Durango, about a half-hour drive from the New Mexico border, Biscochitos are a perfect candidate. They are a classic Mexican-style sugar cookie notable for their cinnamon-sugar dusting, crispy, crumbly texture followed up by a fruity and aromatic finish.
Biscochitos enjoy a long lasting popularity that has helped to cement their place in New Mexico history. The biscochito made its way into New Mexico with the Spanish settlers where it became a stalwart at all manners of celebrations including but not limited to weddings, baptisms and, of course, Christian holidays like Christmas.
In 1989, the state Legislature saw fit to christen the festive baked good with the official title of state cookie. It was the first time in the nation’s history that a cookie would receive such an honor from a state.
To this day, only one other state has joined New Mexico in claiming a cookie as their own. Massachusetts made the chocolate chip cookie its state cookie in 1997, to honor the Toll House restaurant in Whitman, Massachusetts, where the treat was invented in 1930.
When looking over the recipe for biscochitos, there are two ingredients that can jump right out: Anise and brandy.
The herbal influence provided by anise seeds hearkens back to perhaps an older flavor profile and gives the cookies a signature twist similar to black licorice.
The brandy leaving only a floral and fruity essence serving much the same purpose as vanilla. As a side effect, the brandy also serves to slightly dehydrate the batter during the cooking process giving the cookies their signature texture.
All of these elements combine into what is a historic as well as delicious treat for the holiday.
sjiron@durangoherald.com
Biscochitos
Ingredients
2 cups lard
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
6 cups flour
3 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon anise seed (optional)
¼ cup brandy
¼ cup sugar (for dusting)
2 tablespoons cinnamon (for dusting)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°.
Sift flour with baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture.
Cream lard and 1 cup sugar together until creamy. Add eggs and beat until fluffy.
Stir and mix in flour and brandy (and anise seed, if using) until it's a doughlike consistency (may need to knead). Refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
Roll dough out on floured board to ¼- to ½-inch thickness. Cut into desired shape (fleur de lis is traditional, as well as crosses, stars and circles); place on baking sheets ½ inch apart.
Combine ½ cup sugar and 2 tablespoons cinnamon; dust each cookie with mixture.
Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
Cookies can be dusted to taste with cinnamon sugar after baking.
