Biscochitos are New Mexicos State Cookies! And for good reason, they are buttery, sweet, and spiced just right. This is our favorite Biscochitos Recipe!
(I originally published this recipe in 2014. It is the most popular recipe here on Some the Wiser this time of year! Ive updated the pictures and the wording of the recipe for clarity.)
Biscochitos (sometimes spelled Bizcochitos) are a beloved New Mexican treat. Although I wasnt born here, Ive lived in New Mexico for more than half my life, so my roots here feel pretty sturdy at this point. These days, I definitely consider myself a New Mexican through and through.
One of the best parts of living in New Mexico is the unique food tradition here. I love that you can order “Christmas” chile (red and green chiles mixed together) on just about anything. I cant pass up a hot Sopapilla with honey drizzled inside, and I eat Green Chile Stew and Carne Adovada year round. But what I really love are Biscochitos during the holiday season!
Biscochitos are New Mexicos State Cookies. Its true! New Mexicans love Biscochitos so much that they made it official in 1989. Its not Christmas here without them!
Biscochitos are similar to shortbread, or butter cookies, but with their own unique flavor twist. The biscochito dough is made with a generous amount of crushed anise seeds, as well as a hint of orange and cinnamon. Theyre packed with flavor, covered in cinnamon sugar, and practically melt in your mouth. Delicious is only the tip of that flavor iceberg.
Making Biscochitos during the holidays is one of our most favorite holiday traditions! Really, Christmas wouldnt be Christmas without Biscochitos in the cookie jar at my house in December.
In Costa Rica, bizcochos are made with masa, spices, and/or cheese. They are eaten as a snack, especially during coffee breaks.
A Few Tips and Tricks
These are easy cookies to make, but there are few tricks to ensure they turn out just right every time. Here are all my secrets for biscochito success.
First, be aware that this dough is not like other cookie dough. Its more like working with pie crust dough. After you have mixed all the ingredients together, as instructed in the recipe below, you will have a crumbly mixture like this:
Go ahead and dig in with your hands and work the dough into a ball, like below. Keep working until you have all the loose dough and flour pieces incorporated.
After the dough has been refrigerated for 30 minutes, I like to separate it into three balls before I roll it out. Then I work each dough ball in my hands, kind of kneading it, until it really comes together into a smooth soft dough before I roll it out on a lightly floured surface.
If you try to roll it out and it still feels crumbly, just work it a little more. The lard really needs some kneading to make a smooth, workable dough.
How to Make Biscochitos
If you live in the Southwest, you can probably find Biscochitos to buy, but they are easy to make and so much more delicious! This particular biscochito recipe is my best family secret but since the world will only be a better place with more delicious cookies, Im happy to share it with you!
To get started you only a need a few simple ingredients:
Most of the ingredients are normal pantry staples that Im sure youre familiar with. If you havent ever used anise seeds before, theyre easy to find at just about any grocery store in the spice section. This is a crucial ingredient that gives the biscochitos the unique flavor they are known for!
This recipe calls for crushed anise seeds. You can do this by crushing them with a mortar and pestle, or run them through a spice grinder. I use this little coffee grinder (this is an affiliate link) as a spice grinder and it works like a charm!
There is also Lard on the ingredient list, but dont let that deter you! You can sub in butter or vegetable shortening, but they wont be the same. For an authentic New Mexican biscochito, you need to use lard. Ill make my case:
- First, its the holidays and who said the treats need to be healthy.
- Second, call it historical research and then study every bite because these cookies are famous around here and have been since the first Spanish colonists rode into the state way back when.
- Finally, these cookies were the first cookies ever to be given the title of “official state cookie” which, as far as Im concerned, is a pretty solid endorsement.
I buy my lard in the grocery store – its normally down the baking aisle, near the cooking oils and shortening.
How to Make Biscochos (traditional Mexican cookies from chihuahua)
FAQ
What is the official cookie of New Mexico?
Why is my Biscochito dough crumbly?
What is another name for biscochitos?
What is a bizcocho biscuit made of?
Bizcocho is a buttery biscuit made of a mix of wheat flour, yeast, sugar, margarine, and salt. How are bizcochos made? After the bakers make the dough with the ingredients described before, they let it rise for an hour, and then they start kneading the dough. Then they would stretch it into small sticks and place them in the oven.
Is biscocho the same as Bizcocho?
The term biscocho is derived from Spanish bizcocho. However, they are not the same pastries. The original Spanish bizcocho refers to a type of sponge cake known as broas in the Philippines. The crunchy twice-baked and sugar-coated Philippine biscocho (more properly biscocho duro ), does not exist in Spanish cuisine.
What are bizcochos?
Bizcochos can best be described as a pastry, available in different shapes and sizes, made with a variety of sweet or savory ingredients. They are most commonly consumed for breakfast, but are also often eaten as a snack or accompanying the traditional Uruguayan tea-like beverage known as mate.
What is biscocho bread?
Biscocho, also spelled biskotso (from Spanish: bizcocho ), refers to various types of Filipino twice-baked breads, usually coated with butter and sugar, or garlic in some cases. Biscocho is most strongly associated with the versions from the province of Iloilo, although it actually exists nationwide in various forms.