Day 4 of 12 Days of Christmas Cookies: Biscochitos

I lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico for nearly five years and every Christmas season I looked forward to these cookies. I was absolutely thrilled when a family friend visited a couple of weeks ago from New Mexico and brought me Biscochitos! I normally don’t like licorice or licorice flavoring, but the anise seed in these cookies give them a mild licorice flavor that’s irresistible. These cookies are so well-know in New Mexico that the state legislator made them the official cookie of New Mexico in 1989, making New Mexico the only state with a state cookie!

Please note that below is the original recipe. I made two modifications when I made these cookies:

1. I did not use lard, I used vegetable shortening.
2. I did not use brandy, I used milk instead.

Biscochitos

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups lard, chilled*
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 eggs
2 teaspoons anise seeds
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
About 3 tablespoons brandy, apple juice, or milk*
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat lard and 1 cup sugar in a bowl until fluffy. Add eggs and anise seeds, and beat until very light and fluffy. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Add to creamed mixture along with the brandy. Mix thoroughly to make a stiff dough. Place dough on a long piece, about three feet of waxed paper at one end. Bring the long end over the top and press to about one inch or slightly less in thickness and refrigerate until chilled.)

Roll out dough between waxed paper to just under ½ inch thickness. Cut with flour dusted cutters into the traditional fleur de lis shape or into 3-inch rounds. Combine the 3 remaining tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon in a shallow bowl; dip unbaked cookies into the sugar-cinnamon mixture on one side. Place cookies on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until tops of cookies are just firm. Cool cookies on wire racks.

*Notes: Butter or margarine can be substituted for the lard, however the cookies will not be as crisp and moist. Apple juice or milk can be substituted for the brandy, however they are not quite as good. Makes 4 dozen cookies and stored in a tightly sealed container, they can be frozen up to six months.

Source: Albuquerque Convention & Visitors Bureau