Polvorones are some of the standard Spanish Christmas cookies! Their crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth texture is certain to be successful with your loved ones and buddies. This 5-ingredient Spanish almond cookie recipe is ideal to do that Christmas season.
If you happen to’re searching for different Spanish Christmas recipes, make sure you attempt my recipes for mantecados and the favored Epiphany bread, roscón de reyes.
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Introduction
Right here in Spain, we love sugar–especially in our espresso! Not surprisingly, there’s an abundance of pleasant Christmas treats in Spain, and a favourite is polvorones.
These crumbly, shortbread-like almond cookies are made with almonds and lard (manteca). They’re a part of the mantecado household of lard-based cookies. Consuming these cookies and different pork merchandise was traditionally related to demonstrating one’s Catholic religion.
These days, the lard is commonly swapped with butter, making polvorones appropriate for vegetarians.
Substances
Interested by what substances you want to make your first batch of Spanish polvorones? Like most Spanish recipes, it solely takes a handful of easy, but flavorful substances. Let’s discuss what you may want!
- Flour: All-purpose flour is all you want right here. Make sure to measure it precisely (ideally with a kitchen scale) to forestall the dough from being too dry.
- Almonds: Begin with blanched almonds. You may toast them briefly within the oven, then grind them into almond flour. If you happen to’re in a rush, you can begin with 83g of ready-made, blanched almond flour.
- Lard: That is the normal fats in polvorones, however you may simply substitute it with unsalted butter or vegetable shortening.
- Sugar: You may want granulated or caster sugar to make the dough, and a few powdered sugar for adorning the cookies earlier than serving.
- Cinnamon: This provides a pleasant taste and aroma to the cookies. Select a superb high quality cinnamon, akin to Saigon, for the very best taste.
See recipe card for full data on substances and portions.
Variations
- Vegan: Use vegetable shortening instead of the lard.
- Vegetarian: Use unsalted butter as an alternative of the lard.
The best way to Make
If you happen to’d wish to see the total substances and directions, scroll to the underside of the publish for the printable recipe card.
- Toast the almonds at 350°F (180°C) till they’re flippantly browned, about 8-10 minutes. (picture 1)
- Grind the almonds with a meals processor till they’ve a flour-like consistency. (picture 2)
- Beat the lard, sugar, and cinnamon till clean and creamy. (picture 3)
- Add the flour and floor almonds and blend till a crumbly dough types. (picture 4)
- Work the dough right into a ball and place it on a sheet of wax paper or parchment. (picture 5)
- Roll it out with a floured rolling pin till it is ½ inch (12 mm) thick. Lower into cookies with a cutter. (picture 6)
- Bake at 250°F (120°C) till flippantly browned across the edges, about 25-Half-hour. (picture 7)
- Let the cookies cool on the tray, as they’re fragile and would possibly crumble when you transfer them whereas they’re sizzling. Get pleasure from at room temperature! (picture 8)
Recipe FAQs
Polvorones originated in Spain, and had been delivered to Mexico and the Philippines by the Spaniards. They’re now standard in all of those international locations!
Mantecados are a kind of Spanish cookie made with lard (manteca), and so they have a deliciously crumbly, melt-in-the-mouth texture. Polvorones are a kind of mantecados usually served at Christmas in Spain.
Polvorones are named after polvo, the Spanish phrase for “powder.” These cookies will crumble to mud in your mouth whenever you eat them! Extra strictly talking, they’re named after the beneficiant dusting of powdered sugar on prime.
Leftover polvorones will preserve at room temperature for 3-5 days. You possibly can freeze the cookies earlier than or after baking for as much as 3 months.
Serve
Polvorones are often loved on their very own, or maybe with a cup of espresso (like this Spanish café con leche) or eggnog. Though it is not a conventional mixture, the fragile texture of the polvorones would distinction properly with the richness of Spanish sizzling chocolate.
If you would like to serve polvorones together with different Spanish desserts, you’d take pleasure in attempting tarta de Santiago (Spanish almond cake), gateau Basque, buñuelos, or ensaimadas.
Professional Ideas
- Toasting the almonds earlier than grinding them into flour will add a number of taste to the cookies.
- If you happen to’re in a rush, change the toasted, blanched almonds with ¾ cup (83g) of blanched almond flour. You may as well toast the flour briefly in a skillet or within the oven earlier than utilizing.
- Make certain the lard or butter is at room temperature earlier than utilizing.
- Let the polvorones cool fully on the tray earlier than shifting them, or they might break.
Different Spanish Christmas Recipes
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Polvorones: Spanish Christmas Cookies
Polvorones are a conventional Christmas cookie from the south of Spain. Constituted of almonds, they crumble into a fragile powder in your mouth, excellent for absorbing eggnog!
Print (photographs elective) Pin PriceServings: 16 cookies
Energy: 178.26kcal
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
Place the almonds on a baking tray and toast within the oven till they’re flippantly browned, about 8-10 minutes. Cut back the oven temperature to 250°F (120°C).
Take the almonds out of the oven and grind right into a flour-like texture in a meals processor.
Beat the lard, sugar, and cinnamon with an electrical hand mixer till clean and creamy.
Add the flour and floor almonds to the lard combination and incorporate right into a crumbly dough. Work the dough into the form of a ball.
Place a sheet of waxed paper or parchment onto a clear countertop or slicing board, then place the ball of dough on prime. Fastidiously flatten it with a floured rolling pin to a rectangle that is about ½ inch (12mm) thick.
Lower the dough into spherical cookies with a cutter, then gently transfer the cookies to a greased baking tray with a spatula.
Bake the cookies for 25-Half-hour, till you see the sides begin to flip a golden brown. Permit the cookies to chill on the tray, as shifting them whereas they’re sizzling will seemingly trigger them to crumble.
As soon as the cookies have cooled fully, mud them with powdered sugar and serve at room temperature. Get pleasure from!
Notes
- Toasting the almonds earlier than grinding them into flour will add a number of taste to the cookies.
- If you happen to’re in a rush, change the toasted, blanched almonds with ¾ cup (83g) of blanched almond flour. You may as well toast the flour briefly in a skillet or within the oven earlier than utilizing.
- Make certain the lard or butter is at room temperature earlier than utilizing.
- Let the polvorones cool fully on the tray earlier than shifting them, or they might break.
Diet
Serving: 1cookie | Energy: 178.26kcal | Carbohydrates: 31.46g | Protein: 1.32g | Fats: 5.87g | Saturated Fats: 3.66g | Ldl cholesterol: 15.25mg | Sodium: 1.75mg | Potassium: 20.8mg | Fiber: 0.38g | Sugar: 22.44g | Vitamin A: 177.27IU | Vitamin C: 0.08mg | Calcium: 4.41mg | Iron: 0.61mg
