**Pan de Polvo: A Taste of Mexican Tradition**
Pan de polvo, also known as polvorones, are traditional Mexican cookies that are a delight to the senses. These crumbly and melt-in-your-mouth cookies are often enjoyed during festive occasions and holidays like Christmas and Day of the Dead. Pan de polvo is characterized by its delicate texture and mild sweetness, making it a perfect accompaniment to a warm cup of coffee or hot chocolate.
This article presents three delightful variations of pan de polvo: the classic recipe, a chocolate-infused version, and a nutty twist with pecans. Each recipe is carefully explained with step-by-step instructions and includes additional tips for achieving the perfect texture and flavor.
1. **Classic Pan de Polvo:** This recipe is a timeless classic that embodies the essence of traditional Mexican cookies. Simple yet delicious, these cookies are made with a combination of flour, sugar, butter, and eggs. The result is a melt-in-your-mouth cookie that is both light and flavorful.
2. **Chocolate Pan de Polvo:** For chocolate lovers, this variation adds a rich and decadent twist to the classic recipe. By incorporating cocoa powder into the cookie dough, these cookies take on a deep chocolatey flavor that is sure to satisfy any sweet tooth. The combination of chocolate and the crumbly cookie texture creates a truly indulgent treat.
3. **Pecan Pan de Polvo:** This recipe adds a delightful crunch and nutty flavor to the classic pan de polvo. By incorporating chopped pecans into the cookie dough, these cookies gain a satisfying texture and a unique flavor profile. The pecans add a touch of rustic charm, making these cookies perfect for any occasion.
Whether you prefer the classic flavor of pan de polvo, the rich indulgence of chocolate, or the nutty crunch of pecans, this article provides you with the recipes and guidance to create these delicious Mexican cookies in the comfort of your own kitchen. So, gather your ingredients, preheat your oven, and embark on a culinary journey that will transport you to the heart of Mexican tradition.
PAN DE POLVO
Provided by Vianney Rodriguez
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Combine canela, anise and water in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.
- Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Place the canela sticks (cinnamon) on a baking sheet and warm in oven for 3 minutes. This helps to make the canela easier to grind. In a molcajete or food processor finely grind warmed canela sticks and sugar. Place in a bowl and set aside until ready to dust cookies.
- Combine all of the dough ingredients in a large bowl and knead for 15 minutes, add 1 cup of tea by ¼ cup at a time (with varying temperatures you might not need all the tea) and continue kneading until the dough come together.
- Combine well, then remove dough from the bowl, divide dough in fourths and roll out to ¼ inch thick on a floured board and use your favorite cookie cutter and bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 12- 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven, allow to cool a few minutes and dust with cinnamon sugar.
HOJARASCAS
Hojarascas are yummy Mexican shortbread cookies covered in a sweet cinnamon and sugar coating. Make a few dozen because one batch is just never enough.
Provided by Maggie Unzueta
Categories Dessert
Time 1h10m
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- In a small pot, add 1 cup water and the cinnamon stick.
- Bring to a boil. Turn off heat and set aside.
- Let this cool completely.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a mixing bowl, add the shortening and sugar.
- Mix well.
- Add salt, vanilla, cinnamon, and mix well.
- Turn mixer off.
- Add 1/2 of the flour. Mix only until combined.
- Turn mixer off again.
- Add the remaining 1/2 of the flour.
- Mix only until combined.
- Turn mixer off again.
- Add half of the cooled cinnamon tea.
- Turn mixer on low.
- Add only the amount of tea necessary to bring the dough together. About 1/2 cup.
- Turn mixer off and dust a clean surface and a rolling pin with flour.
- Place cookie dough on the surface and roll it out evenly.
- Cut out shapes using a cookies cutter.
- Place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Mix the sugar and ground cinnamon in a small bowl.
- Cool the cookies completely on a rack.
- Carefully and gently add each cookie to the bowl and cover with the sugar coating.
- Repeat until all the cookies have been coated.
- Makes about 45 cookies. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 107 kcal, Carbohydrate 14 g, Protein 1 g, Fat 5 g, SaturatedFat 1 g, Sodium 9 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 8 g, ServingSize 1 serving
PAN DE POLVO (MEXICAN COOKIES) RECIPE - (3.9/5)
Provided by cherichavez
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Make some tea out of the cinnamon sticks, anise, and water in a pan and boil. Boil till there is only about 1 cup left. Strain the spices out, so it is a clear liquid. You will only use 1/2 a cup, put that a side. Make the dough, cream the shortening and lard till it is light and creamy looking. Then add the tea and sugar and cream again. Start adding the flour a little at a time. Start with 2 cups. then add the powder cinnamon till the dough has a medium brown color. Now finish adding the rest of the flour. This is a sticky dough, so keep adding flour just until it is not sticky anymore and is workable. Flour the surface, your hands and the rolling pin. and then pull out a workable amount of dough. Roll the dough out till it is a little less the 1/4-inch thick. Cut with round cookie cutter. Bake for 15 minutes. Pull out of the oven to cool on the cooling racks. As soon as touchable, coat them in the sugar/cinnamon bath. The cookies must be warm, so the sugar will melt on them. Put them back on the cooling racks to finish cooling down. Repeat till all dough used and baked.
PAN DE POLVO (MEXICAN COOKIES)
These cookies are very delicate and crumble easy. I have been making these cookies for over 20 years. I start getting requests before Thanksgiving.
Provided by Tyra Sanders
Categories Other Desserts
Time 20m
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- 1. Combine flour and lard, (I use a pastry cutter) until I add Tablespoon of cinnamon tea one tablespoon at a time, I then use my hands to thoroughly combine the dough and cinnamon tea (see below)until dough becomes clay-dough like. Approx. 3 Tablespoons... refrigerate dough. In Food processor grind 8 cinnamon sticks with sugar until fine, cinnamon will be in bits. Place in a shallow, wide bowl or plate.
- 2. Roll out dough,between wax paper, cut with small round cookie cutter or medicine bottle cap, place on ungreased cookie sheet. Dough should be rolled out to about 1/4 of an inch. Bake 10-12 minutes at 375, (cookies should not brown). Remove from cookie sheet and put in sugar/cinnamon very gently. Lightly coat cookies and gently place in a container. Cookies will melt in your mouth.
- 3. Cinnamon tea----boil 2 or more ( the darker the tea, the better) cinnamon sticks in 1 cup of water, or microwave for 2minutes in microwavable cup. Let cool before adding to flour/lard mixture.
- 4. Update 12-1-18 I've made these using gluten free flour and almond flour both adaptations worked wonderfully
- 5. These cookies are fragile and good ideas to keep them small.
TRADITIONAL PAN DE POLVO (CINNAMON SUGAR COOKIES)
Steps:
- Make the tea by combining the stick of cinnamon with the water, and boiling for approximately 4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C) Combine the 5 cups of the flour, and the sugar, cinnamon, baking powder and shortening or lard in a large mixing bowl. Add 3/4 cup (180ml) of the cinnamon tea. Mix well using an electric mixer, until the dough is smooth. Use the extra cup of flour to hand knead into the dough if it is too sticky. The dough should have a smooth surface, but not be too firm. On a floured surface, roll the dough out to a ¼" thickness (64cm) and cut into 2" (5cm) wide shapes. Place the cookies on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden. While the cookies are baking, combine the sugar and ground cinnamon for the topping in a shallow bowl. Remove the cookies from the oven, allow to cool briefly, and roll the warm cookies through the sugar topping mixture. Set aside to cool completely. Roll again in the sugar mixture, if desired.
Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 2 cookie, Calories 264 calories, Sugar 14 g, Sodium 1.4 mg, Fat 16.2 g, SaturatedFat 6.4 g, TransFat 0 g, Carbohydrate 28.8 g, Fiber 2.4 g, Protein 2.7 g, Cholesterol 8.8 mg
PAN DE POLVO
This is a Mexican cookie recipe that is often made for wedding, sweet 15's and birthday parties. Not at all low-fat. It makes between 5 to 8 dozen depending on the size of the cookie. Lard is what gives it that original flavor!!
Provided by babygirl65
Categories Dessert
Time 40m
Yield 60 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- First make tea. Use 1 cup of water and 1 tbsp of Anise seed. Let it cool and set aside.
- Second get 1 tbsp of Anise seeds and crush in a mortar, set aside.
- Third make cinnamon sugar mix to dip hot cookies in, set aside.
- You are going to need 2 large bowls.
- In a large bowl, mix flour, salt and baking powder, set aside.
- In another large bowl, mix sugar, lard, crushed Anise seeds, and Anise tea until smooth. (may not need all of the tea, just eyeball it).
- Add flour mix, one cup at a time. Dough should be soft.
- SUGGESTION: Let dough rest for couple of hours or overnight. The Anise seeds will create a wonderful flavor!
- Lightly flour rolling surface. Roll out dough about 1/4 inch thickness. Use a heart shape cookie cutter or any small cookie cutter you like.
- Preheat oven to 400. Bake in an ungreased cookie sheet or stone for about 10 minutes or until edges are light brown.
- Remove from cookie sheet, let cookies cool about 2 minutes then roll warm cookie in cinnamon-sugar mix. (careful not to break cookie).
- *lard is recommended but you can use Mrs. Tucker's shortening, it works just as well. DO NOT USE OIL.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 131, Fat 5.3, SaturatedFat 2, Cholesterol 4.9, Sodium 21, Carbohydrate 19.7, Fiber 0.4, Sugar 10, Protein 1.3
PAN DE POLVO
One year when I was very young I wanted to give pan de polvo, also called Mexican wedding cookies, as Christmas presents to my teachers at school. My mom taught me "her" recipe. In fact, it was this one-Aunt Elsa's! I went to the flea market and spent my allowance on a collection of cookie cutters. I returned home and set out to make about 15 dozen in different shapes. Unfortunately, many of them broke because, as I discovered to my great frustration, pan de polvo is a very delicate cookie that doesn't hold shapes well-especially intricate ones like snowflakes. Those cookie cutters were probably my first purchase of kitchen equipment-but far from my last. They were so cheap that when I washed them for the first time, they rusted the next day! Polvo means "powder," an apt description of a delicate cookie, generously rolled in sugar, that shatters on your tongue. I roll these very thin, just like Aunt Elsa used to, so they practically melt in your mouth. They are often rolled a little thicker, to about 3/8 inch-if you do so, just bake them a little longer.
Yield makes about 8 dozen
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- In a medium mixing bowl, place the flour and cinnamon. Whisk together until thoroughly blended. Set aside.
- In the work bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the shortening and sugar on medium-high speed until well blended and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of water and beat until thoroughly combined.
- Add the flour mixture and blend on medium-low just until completely blended. Press the dough into 2 equal disks. Place each disk between 2 sheets of wax paper. Use a rolling pin to roll out each disk to 1/8 inch thick, lifting and smoothing the top sheet of wax paper if necessary. Slide the two sheets of rolled dough onto a baking sheet. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes in the refrigerator or 10 minutes in the freezer.
- Preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Place one rolled dough on the work surface. Lift off and replace the top sheet of wax paper. Flip the dough over and lift off and set aside the sheet of wax paper. Use a 1 1/2-inch or smaller cookie cutter to cut into desired shapes. Transfer the cookies to an ungreased baking sheet, placing about 1 inch apart. Gather the scraps, reroll them between the sheets of wax paper, and refrigerate until firm. Repeat with the other sheet of dough.
- Bake until firm when gently touched, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool 3 minutes on the cookie sheet. Use a thin spatula to transfer them to cooling racks to cool completely.
- To prepare the sugar coating, place the sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish. Stir with a fork until completely combined. Roll the cooled cookies in the sugar and serve.
- Store in a tightly covered container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.
Tips:
- Use room temperature ingredients: This will help the ingredients blend together more easily and result in a smoother batter.
- Don't overmix the batter: Overmixing can make the cookies tough.
- Chill the dough before baking: This will help the cookies hold their shape and prevent them from spreading too much.
- Bake the cookies until the edges are just starting to brown: Overbaking will make the cookies dry and crumbly.
- Let the cookies cool completely before storing them: This will help them keep their shape and prevent them from becoming soggy.
Conclusion:
Pan de polvo are a delicious and easy-to-make Mexican cookie. They are perfect for any occasion, from casual gatherings to formal parties. With their light and airy texture, delicate flavor, and festive appearance, these cookies are sure to be a hit with everyone who tries them.
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