Hojarascas is a Spanish word that refers to the dry leaves from the trees. You know how when you walk over dry leaves, they make a crunchy crackling sound, and will crumble? Well, these cookies crumble easily and make a crunchy sound when you eat them. Other names for these cookies are pan de polvo, and Mexican wedding cookies.
Hojarascas Recipe
Hojarascas cookies are very popular in the States of Nuevo Leon and Coahuila, and are sold almost everywhere in the city of Monterrey, NL. If you go to the grocery store, they will have some already packaged in small plastic containers; even some butcher stores and restaurants have them for sale right there next to the cash register.
These cookies were traditionally made using lard, but throughout the years, many new versions of this recipe have appeared, using a mix of lard and shortening or just shortening and some even using butter. Some recipes also add eggs and even vanilla. Personally, I like to mix lard and shortening, but since not many cooks can find lard, I
adapted this recipe using only shortening, so you can have no excuse to make them at home!
How to make Hojarascas Recipe
DIRECTIONS:
- In a large bowl, beat the shortening until light and fluffy. (Please check the ingredients list below)
- Add the sugar, cinnamon and pinch or salt. Mix until well blended.
- Gently stir in ¼ of the flour and mix. Add another ¼ of the flour and mix. Continue the process until all the flour has been incorporated.
- Refrigerate the dough wrapped in plastic for at least 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 325F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease them with shortening.
- To shape the cookies, divide the dough and, using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to ⅓-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut out the cookies using a cookie-cutter, or just make small balls with the dough and then press them down with your hand or the bottom of a glass. Transfer to the already lined baking sheets, leaving about a one-inch space between each cookie.
- Bake for about 20 minutes until the edges are turning light gold. The cookies will be very fragile, so let them cool on the baking sheets before you move them. If you try to move them right away, they will crumble.
- Meanwhile, mix sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl or in a zip lock bag. Dust the cookies with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon and enjoy with a glass of milk.
Hojarascas Recipe
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup plus 1 Tablespoon shortening 125 grams
- ½ cup sugar 100 grams
- 2 teaspoons ground Mexican cinnamon
- 1 pinch of salt
- 2 cups of flour 250 grams
- COATING:
- ¼- cup sugar
- 1 to 1 ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat the shortening until light and fluffy.
- Add the sugar, cinnamon, and pinch of salt. Mix until well blended.
- Gently stir in ¼ of the flour and mix. Add another ¼ of the flour and mix. Continue the process until all the flour has been incorporated.
- Refrigerate the dough wrapped in plastic for at least 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 325F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease them with shortening.
- To shape the cookies, divide the dough and, using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to a ⅓-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. (I prefer to roll out the dough over parchment paper to easily remove the already shaped cookies) Cut out the cookies using a cookie cutter, or just make small balls with the dough and then press them down with your hand
- or the bottom of a glass. Transfer to the already lined baking sheets, leaving about a one-inch space between each cookie.
- Bake for about 20 minutes until the edges are turning light gold. The cookies will be very fragile, so let them cool on the baking sheets before you move them. If you try to move them right away, they will crumble.
- Meanwhile, mix sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl or in a ziplock bag. Dust the cookies with the mixture of sugar and cinnamon and enjoy with a glass of milk.
Notes
Nutrition
Hojarascas Recipe
Buen Provecho!
Mely,
More recipes:
Mexican Wedding Cookies Recipe
How to Make Mexican Little Piggy Cookies / Marranitos
Anne
I dust them with the cinnamon sugar while they're still hot from the oven. I can't wait to try these using lard!
mmartinez
Hello Anne, Dust them with the sugar and cinnamon when they are still warm. Just be careful the cookies are very fragile when warm.
Rose Prince
They sound yummy. I'll try them this week. Thanks!
Anonymous
Que ricas se antojan prepararlas
Tony Cano
Dear Mely: First of all, let me start by saying congratulations! You nailed the recipe for these cookies. My wife and I have searched high and low for this recipe. This recipe has to be the best we have found to date.
These cookies are legendary in Chicago thanks to a small bakery located on the south side of Chicago called El Nopal Bakery. Unfortunately, the owners retired after a 60 year run and closed it's business leaving a big void in the hearts of many. Many have tried to reproduce these cookies, but nobody has come close. My family loves these cookies so much that we gave these cookies away as a party favor for our wedding.
My wife made a batch or two of your recipe and they were just perfect. They need to sit a few hours and cool down so they do not crumble. My wife used the shortening. I can only imagine how much better they would be if they were made with lard. So yummy!
Keep up the great work with your blog. All your recipes take me back to my mother's cooking. Our family is originally from Tampico by way of Guanajuato and San Luis Potosi. Happy New Year!
mmartinez
Hello Tony,
Thank you for taking the time to comment about your experience with the recipe. It's so nice to know you were able to make them in your own kitchen and enjoy them. Thank you for adding about the waiting time to cool the cookies.
Jens C. Kruse
Thank you so much
Beatriz
I can't wait to try your recipe. They look just like the hojarascas from El Nopal in Chicago that someone commented on. They would sell them in a small white box and wrap six of them in white tissue paper. They'd just melt in your mouth. I plan on making these for our annual novena for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Thanks.
Mima Zavala
Yo haha estas galletas de adolescente y sin receta y la olvide, con manteca de puerco y según recuerdo no llevan ni huevos, ni vainilla. solo harina manteca de puerco, azúcar y canela. Voy a hacer tu receta es lo que yo recuerdo de las hojarascas tradicionales...gracias
Mima Zavala
Janice
I made them last night and wish I would have monitored my flour rather than dumping it in. It was much too dry and I was not able to roll them out as they were crumbly. I ended up adding some water and just squeezing the dough into a ball and flattening with a cup bottom. Still delicious but next time I will put less flour.
Mary lozano
Just made the cookies using your recipe. They were delicious. But it was a little to crumbling to make. I wonder if you put an egg will help them hold together better. But the taste were super good!
mmartinez
Hello Mary,
Thank you for trying the recipe. You are welcome to add the egg. I'm sure it will turn out ok.
Monica
I also had the problem of the dough being crumbly not able to extend. Do you add water at the end or do I put less flour or more shorting? Help.
mmartinez
Hello Monica,
Is your dough is to dry, add water, one tablespoon at a time. Until the dough comes together.
Angelica Herrera
I just made them super super yummy but the dough came out a bit crumbly and the tops are a little powdery? The rest of the cookie is firm and super delicious though. 😊😋😋
Isabel
Fresh lard and ground Canela are key for these delicate sweet treats! Just like I remember making them at home. Thank you!
Araceli Horvath
This recipe was super easy and delicious! Thank you so much! The cookies were a hit! I was trying to make my aunt's recipe, but for that I needed lard and I couldn't find any. I like the way these came out better, much lighter and just as tasty. Got to introduce these cookies to friends and family that had never had them before. I used Christmas stamp cookie cutters and they came out BEAUTIFUL!
Marti
Hi,
Do you have a recipe using butter instead of lard or shortening? We used to buy these at a restaurant in Sunnyside, Washington many years ago which has since gone out of business.
Thank you
Mely Martínez
Hello Marti,
The reason we do not use butter in this hojarascas recipe is that butter will not render the same texture.
Norma
My mom’s cookies had anise?!?
Mely Martínez
Hello Norma,
That is so nice. I bet they must taste amazing with anise.