Great Mexican Dessert for any Fiesta: Polvorones!

Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner, all of the party planners are looking for the greatest party recipes. Polvorones are soft, buttery, powdery cookies covered in cinnamon sugar. Some people would call them "Mexican Wedding Cookies" or "Mexican Sugar Cookies," however my recipe does not cover them in powdered sugar. You can find these cookies in several variations and shapes at any Mexican bakery known as a "Paneria." Like most Mexican recipes, every family has their own rendition. I've seen many Polvorones recipes with butter, nuts, and other miscellaneous ingredients, and many lack authenticity. My recipe is the perfect party food because it makes a ton of cookies, and the bite size makes them very handy and also very addictive! This recipe was given to me by my grandmother:

-Thanks to Angelnina's Cottage for the photo, her recipe is one of the VERY few out there that even resemble mine-

Marina's Polvorones:

- 4 cups All Purpose Flour
- 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 2/3 cups pure Lard (don't use shortening or butter, they don't taste the same!)
- 1 Egg + 2 Egg Yolks
- Cinnamon Sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, mix flour and sugar. Add lard to flours mixture and knead until combined (gotta use your hands for this one!). Add eggs to dough mixture and continue to knead until all ingredients create a smooth dough. Make dough into 3/4-1 inch balls, about bite size (this is the time consuming part because it makes A LOT of cookies). Place on a baking sheet with about 2 inches of space, and bake for about 10 minutes. The cookies might look under cooked, but you'll see the browning on the bottom. The best way to test for doneness is to take one cookie and crush it between your fingers. If it crumbles with some pressure, they are done. Roll baked cookies in cinnamon sugar.

Cara's Tips: You MUST use lard for these cookies. The natural fat works best with the high flour content and makes better texture and taste. When removing baked cookies from the cookie sheet, do so with just a few cookies at a time. The cookies are delicate and can crumble if slammed against each other. Line the cookie sheets with foil (shiny side down), to make cleanup a breeze.


Enjoy any Mexican holiday with these cookies. Chances are, however, that you'll get begged to make these cookies year round! Indulge and enjoy!


Also, if you're looking for some authentic Mexican cocktail recipes, visit my blog with some great cocktail recipes here.