Polvorones (Mexican Sugar Cookies)

My mom makes these all the time now that she has gotten into baking but these cookies were one of my favorites things when I would go into a panaderia. This recipe I stole from my mom who uses Esteban Castillos recipe from his cook book Chicano Bakes.

Ingredients:

• 4 1/3 cups All-Purpose Flour 
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 3/4 cups butter flavored vegetable shortening, or lard
• 1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar 
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract or sub with vanilla bean paste
• 2 large eggs
• gel food coloring
• 1/3 cup cane sugar, to roll cookies in

Instructions:

1. Instructions
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat together the shortening, white granulated sugar, and vanilla extract for 2 full minutes on medium speed, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, then turn the mixer to low and gradually add the flour mixture, one cup at a time, until it’s all fully combined.
4. At this point divide the dough into as many colors as you want, then add food coloring and mix with your hands or the stand mixer. Once the dough is dyed, wrap it in plastic and set it in the fridge to rest for an hour.
5. While the dough is resting, preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a couple baking sheets with parchment paper.
6. When the dough has rested scoop out 1/4 cup size balls of dough (I just use a standard ice cream scoop) and roll them into a smooth ball before rolling in the cane sugar. Place 5 balls of dough on a baking sheet and flatten slightly with the back of a measuring cup, sprinkle a bit more sugar on each cookie then bake for 12-14 minutes one sheet at a time until the cookies have spread out and cracked but haven’t browned at all.
7. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the cookies cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat the process with the rest of the dough until all the cookies are baked.

These are such a hit everywhere we go and super simple to make. Plus I love how nostalgic these cookies are for me going into the panaderia with my grandma and now new memories as my mom and I bake them together.

-Dezi