I am very excited because this is my first holiday cookie recipe of the year. Bizcochitos are very popular in New Mexico during Christmas time. They were originally created by the first Spanish colonists of New Mexico as a way of expressing the local culture. These crispy cookies consist of butter or lard, sugar, orange, flour, baking powder, and spices such as cinnamon and anise.

These are the perfect cookies to start a cheerful holiday baking plus your house will smell amazzzing!!

If you want to watch the videos of how I made these cookies, visit me on Instagram. Click HERE.

Let’s start with the recipe.

Note: My preference for this recipe is to use BUTTER, but you are welcome to use lard.

Yield about 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

For the cookies

1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 tablespoon anise seeds (ground)

1/2 tablespoon cinnamon (ground)

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

1/2 cup white granulated sugar

1 egg at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-2 tablespoon orange liqueur or Brandy or Tequila (optional) but I recommend using some because it gives an extra nice taste to the cookies.

For the cinnamon sugar coating

1/4 cup white granulated sugar

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon (ground)

Directions

1.- In a small bowl mix: flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and anise seeds. Mix and set aside.

2.- In another bowl and using an electric mixer beat butter for 2 minutes. Then, add granulated sugar and cream both ingredients in medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add in egg and mix for 30 seconds. Add in vanilla extract and orange liqueur (if using), mix for another 30 seconds.

3.- Add in dry ingredients and mix in low speed until everything is well combined.

4.- Dough will be sticky so you need to refrigerate/freeze it for a couple of hours or overnight. With the help of a spatula, make a disc and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate.

5.- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 F and line your cookie sheets with parchment paper. Also, in a small bowl mix the cinnamon sugar.

6.- Roll out your dough between 2 big pieces of parchment paper. Place this dough on top of a cookie sheet and refrigerate/freeze for 15-20 minutes. Then, using a star shaped cookie cutter make your cookies but before placing them on the cookie sheet, coat them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture, both sides. Then, place them on cookie sheet. Leave a good space between each cookie. Bake for 12-13 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.

7.- When cookies are done baking, take them out of the oven, let them cool for a couple of minutes and then sprinkle more cinnamon-sugar on top. This step is very important while the cookies are still hot.

8.- Let them cool completely and enjoy.