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You are here: Home » Recipes » Mexican Desserts

Hojarascas Recipe

Published: Feb 14, 2016 · Updated: Aug 15, 2019 by Mely Martínez

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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 recipe | Mexican Recipes

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.

Hojarascas recipe | Easier Than You Think

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

JUMP TO FULL INSTRUCTIONS

Hojarascas recipe | I hope you enjoy this delicious recipe

DIRECTIONS:

Hojarascas recipe | Learn how to do make it today.
  • 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.
Hojarascas recipe | View this full step by step authentic Mexican recipe today
  • 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 | Mexican Food Recipes

Buen Provecho!

Mely,

More recipes:
Mexican Wedding Cookies Recipe
How to Make Mexican Little Piggy Cookies / Marranitos

📖 Recipe

Hojarascas Recipe

Mely Martínez
Hojarascas is a Spanish word that refers to the dry leaves from the trees. You know how when you walk over dry leaves...
4.71 from 37 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 40 minutes mins
Course Desserts
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 16
Calories 162 kcal

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

If you want to prepare them the old fashion way, substitute the shortening of lard. Or you can also mix half shortening with half lard. The mix of these two is my favorite for these cookies.

Nutrition

Serving: 1CookieCalories: 162kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 1gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 3mgPotassium: 16mgSugar: 7gCalcium: 5mgIron: 0.7mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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  1. Mary

    May 05, 2023 at 8:23 pm

    Added a teaspoon of anise - deliciousness

    Reply
  2. Amy

    December 23, 2022 at 1:23 pm

    My hojarascas completely crumbled and fell apart after baking, what did I do wrong?

    Reply
    • Mely Martínez

      December 23, 2022 at 3:43 pm

      This can happen if you add more fat or liquid than the recipe indicates. Or if they are removed too soon from the baking tray after baking.

      Reply
  3. Rosa Maria Wallace

    December 20, 2021 at 11:06 am

    My mother put two three stick of cinnamon in water use the water to mix the dough.
    My dough did not come as her was. It needed something in the dough. Will try the above recipe see work for me. Rosa W

    Reply
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About me

Hi, I'm Mely Martinez, a former Mexican school teacher, home cook, and food blogger. I moved to the United States about ten years ago, after living in Mexico my whole life. Now I love to share home-style recipes for authentic Mexican food.
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