Polvorones Ground Walnut Cookies Food

WALNUT COOKIES (POLVORONES)

Steps:

• With an electric mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the granulated sugar and beat until well blended. Beat in the flour, and then the chopped and ground walnuts. Remove the dough from the bowl and form into a large disc. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator. Cut the dough into quarters, and then cut each quarter into sixths for a total of 24 equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough between your palms into 2-inch balls. Arrange the 24 balls onto the prepared baking sheets (12 cookies on each sheet), spacing them 1 inch apart. Bake the cookies until golden brown on the bottom and just pale golden on top, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Cool the cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Toss the warm cookies in the confectioners' sugar. Transfer the sugarcoated cookies to a rack to cool completely. (The cookies can be prepared 2 days ahead. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature.) Sift more confectioners' sugar over the cookies before serving or toss in sugar a second time.

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.

POLVORONES DE CANELE (CINNAMON COOKIES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
• In a medium bowl, cream together 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar and butter until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Combine flour, salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon; stir into the creamed mixture to form a stiff dough. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Mix together 1 cup confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon; roll balls in cinnamon mixture.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in preheated oven, or until nicely browned. Cool cookies on wire racks.

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 - MEXICAN COOKIES

Steps:

• In a bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together the butter and shortening until creamy. Add 1 1/2 cups of the confectioners' sugar, the orange zest, and the orange juice and beat until blended.
• In another bowl, stir together the flour, nuts, and sea salt. Add the flour mixture 1 tablespoon at a time to the butter mixture, beating until thoroughly incorporated. The dough will be crumbly. Transfer the dough to a large sheet of plastic wrap and press the dough into a ball. Wrap and then refrigerate for 1 - 2 hours.
• Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F Line a baking sheet with parchment (baking) paper or with a silicone baking mat.
• Using your hands, roll or squeeze small pieces of the dough into 3/4-inch (2cm) balls. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart and gently pressing them to flatten slightly.
• Bake the cookies until the eges turn pale gold, 10-15 minutes (my oven takes slightly longer).
• Meanwhile, place the remaining 1 cup confectioners' sugar in a shallow bowl. When the cookies are ready, remove the baking sheet from the oven. While they are still hot, using a spatula, remove the cookies one at a time and carefully roll them in the sugar. Set aside on a rack and let cool completely, then roll them again in the sugar, shaking off any excess.
• Serve the cookies at once, or layer between sheets of parchment paper in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.

POLVORONES FROM PUERTO RICO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a cookie sheet.
• Combine shortening and butter in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Mix in egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and almond extract.
• Add flour, 1 cup at a time, until completely mixed; the dough should be stiff and able to hold its shape when formed into a ball. If this consistency is not achieved, add a little more flour.
• Make 1-inch balls of dough and place 1 inch apart on the prepared cookie sheet. Use your finger to make small indentations in the middle of each cookie and fill it with a cube of guava paste.
• Bake in the preheated oven until light golden on the bottom, about 15 minutes; do not overcook. Cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining batter.