Polvorones From Puerto Rico Food

POLVARONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Beat white sugar, butter, and shortening together in a bowl using an electric mixer until creamy. Mix in almond extract. Add flour in batches, kneading the dough to thoroughly combine.
• Roll dough into walnut-size balls and place 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Make a well in each cookie with a wooden spoon handle. Sprinkle colored sugar, sprinkles, and guava paste into the wells.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly golden, 16 to 20 minutes.

MANTECADITOS (PUERTO RICAN COOKIES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper, or use an ungreased cookie pan.
• In a large bowl, cream butter, shortening (or lard) and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in almond extract, salt and flour until well combined.
• Divide dough into small balls, about 1 ½ teaspoons each.
• Create an indent in each cookie with your thumb.
• Add sprinkles or a small cube of guava paste (about ½ inch cube).
• Bake for 15-20 minutes or until edges are golden.
• Cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

POLVORONES (MEXICAN WEDDING COOKIES)

Steps:

• Put 1/2 cup of the walnuts and the salt in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Roughly chop the remaining 1 cup walnuts.
• Position two oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
• Beat the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the granulated sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the flour, then the ground and chopped walnuts. Divide the dough in half, forming each half into a ball. Wrap separately in plastic and chill until cold, about 30 minutes.
• Put the confectioners' sugar in a large bowl.
• Working with half of the chilled dough at a time and keeping the rest in the fridge, roll the dough by 2 teaspoonfuls between your palms into balls. Arrange the balls on a large baking sheet, spacing them 1/2 inch apart.
• Bake the cookies until golden brown on the bottom and just pale golden on top, about 18 minutes. Cool the cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Toss the warm cookies in the powdered sugar. Transfer the sugar-coated cookies to a rack to cool completely. The cookies can be prepared up to 2 days ahead. Once cooled, store them in an airtight container. You need to make sure they are cooled before storing them, otherwise they will get soggy. Sift additional powdered sugar and cinnamon over the cookies if desired before serving.

POLVORONES DE PUERTO RICO (PUERTO RICAN CINNAMON COOKIES) RECIPE - (4.6/5)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 and grease a cookie sheet. Cream the butter and both sugars. Add the eggs one at a time mixing well after each. Add baking powder and salt, then one cup of the flour at a time beating well after each addition. Finally stir in the brandy. Roll out dough on a floured surface to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut dough with a small cutter and set on greased baking sheet. Bake 12 minutes until golden brown. After removing from oven and while still hot, sprinkle with the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Allow to sit on baking sheet until set then remove to wire rack to cool.