Biscochos (Mexican Wedding Cookies)
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Updated Jul 16, 2025, Published Dec 19, 2019
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There’s something magical about the smell of cinnamon sugar wafting through the kitchen—especially when it means a fresh batch of Biscochos is in the oven. These crumbly, buttery cookies are a cherished tradition in northern Mexico, El Paso, and New Mexico, especially during the holidays. In my family, they were a must every Christmas—no cookie platter was complete without them.
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This is one of our family’s traditional Christmas cookies. My mom has been making these since she was 15 years old. Every year at Christmas, my grandma would ask her to make some because she loved the aroma of cinnamon during the holidays.
She used to make these cookies with me, my brother, and sister when we were little. She would roll out the dough, and we’d carefully cut it into diamond shapes using a paring knife. Today she uses a cookie press, which makes for a lighter cookie. Either way, they are delicioso—just as beautiful to display as they are scrumptious. She still makes them at Christmas for gift giving. It’s a very popular cookie during the holidays, especially paired with a warm mug of Mexican hot chocolate, Champurrado, or café de olla.
Made with simple ingredients and cut into any shape you like, biscochos are perfect for cookie swaps, posadas, quinceañeras, baby showers, or just a cozy afternoon with café de olla.
What are Biscochos?
Biscochos (also spelled bizcochitos in New Mexico) are spiced shortbread cookies traditionally flavored with canela and sometimes anise. They’re especially popular in northern Mexico, El Paso, and New Mexico, where they’re served at holidays, weddings, quinceañeras, baby showers, and other special gatherings. These tender cookies are cut into festive shapes, baked until just golden, and then rolled in cinnamon sugar while still warm—making them as beautiful as they are delicious.
Fun fact: In 1989, the state of New Mexico adopted the biscochito (or bizcochito) as its official state cookie—the first state to declare an official cookie!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple ingredients – Just pantry staples like flour, sugar, and lard or butter.
- Make-ahead friendly – The dough can be made and chilled ahead of time.
- Perfect for gifting – These cookies store well and ship beautifully.
- Authentic & nostalgic – A true taste of Northern Mexico and El Paso.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here’s what you’ll need to make these traditional biscochos:
- All-purpose flour – Forms the base of the dough.
- Baking powder & salt – For structure and balance.
- Ground Mexican canela – Cinnamon is essential to this recipe. I highly recommend using freshly ground cinnamon for the best aroma and flavor. Just place cinnamon sticks in a coffee grinder—break them into smaller pieces if needed—then grind until finely pulverized.
- Ground ginger – Adds a subtle warmth.
- Anise seed – Adds a subtle licorice-like flavor that’s traditional in biscochos. You can use whole anise seeds or crush them using a mortar and pestle for a more even distribution without losing the rustic feel.
- Lard or shortening – Lard gives these cookies their flaky texture, but you can use vegetable shortening in a pinch.
- Egg – Helps bind the dough.
- Granulated sugar – Used in the dough and for rolling the cookies.
- White wine, orange juice, or water – I recommend a semi-sweet white wine such as Riesling, which adds subtle sweetness and depth of flavor without affecting the color. Red wine is sometimes used in other regional variations, but it will tint the dough slightly. Orange juice is a great substitute with a citrusy twist, and water works in a pinch.
- Vanilla extract – Adds depth and aroma.
Cinnamon Sugar Coating:
- Granulated sugar and ground cinnamon – For tossing the warm cookies after baking.
👉 The complete list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
Optional Variations
This recipe has not been tested with substitutions, but if you’re craving a citrus twist, be sure to try my Orange Biscochos! They’re lightly flavored with orange zest, orange juice, and orange liqueur, offering a fragrant and bright variation of this classic cookie.
How to Make Biscochos
Step 1: Sift the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, and ginger.
Step 2: Cream and mix the dough. In a separate bowl, cream the lard or shortening until smooth. Add the sugar, egg, vanilla, and your chosen liquid (white wine, orange juice, or water). Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Add the anise seeds and knead everything together until a dough forms. If the dough feels too sticky, add a little more flour.
Step 3: Roll and shape. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to about ¼-inch thickness. Cut into shapes using a floured cookie cutter, or use a cookie press. Re-roll scraps as needed until all dough is used.
Step 4: Bake the cookies. Place cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 8–10 minutes, or until just set and lightly golden.
Step 5: Coat in cinnamon sugar. While the cookies are baking, mix the sugar and cinnamon for the coating. Roll the cookies in the mixture while they’re still warm so the sugar sticks beautifully.
Serving & Topping Suggestions
- Pack in gift boxes or wrap in cellophane bags with ribbon—these biscochos make beautiful and delicious holiday gifts.
- Serve with hot Mexican hot chocolate, Champurrado, or café de olla.
- Add to a holiday cookie platter with Mexican wedding cookies (polvorones de nuez), colorful Mexican polvorones, cuernitos de nuez, and cowboy cookies
Biscochos Expert Tips & Tricks
- Use lard for the most authentic texture. It gives the cookies their signature tenderness and flavor, but shortening works well too.
- Roll cookies in cinnamon sugar while they’re still warm. That’s the key to getting the coating to stick and sparkle.
- Use freshly ground cinnamon. Break cinnamon sticks into small pieces and grind in a coffee grinder until finely pulverized for maximum flavor.
- Try a cookie press for a lighter, more delicate texture. This is how my mom makes them now, though the hand-cut diamonds from my childhood are just as special.
- For the liquid, choose a semi-sweet white wine like Riesling for subtle sweetness. Orange juice adds brightness if you prefer to go non-alcoholic.
Storage Instructions
Store biscochos in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks or freeze for up to three months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Butter gives a slightly richer flavor, though lard offers a more traditional texture.
Stars and flowers are most traditional, but any cookie cutter works—especially during the holidays.
Up to a week at room temperature, or longer if frozen.
They’re very similar, but biscochos are typically rolled in cinnamon sugar and often include anise.
More Recipes You’ll Love
If you tried this Biscochos recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Biscochos (Mexican Wedding Cookies)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, (freshly ground, if possible)
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- 1 pound lard or shortening
- 1 egg
- 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup white wine, (Riesling recommended), orange juice, or water
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons anise seed
Sugar and Cinnamon Coating:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Sift flour with the next four (4) dry ingredients.
- Cream the lard or shortening until smooth. Add sugar, egg, vanilla, and liquid. Pour wet ingredients into flour mixture. Add anise seeds at this time and knead together. If mixture is too sticky add some flour.
- Roll out the dough onto a floured board or counter and cut out biscochos using a small-floured cookie cutter or you can put the dough into a cookie press using your favorite design. You will have to re-knead and roll out the dough several times until you have used all of the dough. Place the biscochos onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for about 8-10 minutes.
- While biscochos are baking, mix the sugar and cinnamon “coating” ingredients in a wide bowl. Set aside for coating baked biscochos. After baking, coat cookies in the sugar mixture while still warm for best results.
Video
Notes
- For the most flavorful results, use freshly ground cinnamon. Break cinnamon sticks into pieces and grind in a coffee grinder until finely ground.
- Anise seeds can be used whole or lightly crushed in a mortar and pestle. Crushing helps release their flavor and distributes them more evenly throughout the dough while preserving the traditional texture.
- A semi-sweet white wine like Riesling adds subtle sweetness and depth. Orange juice is a great alternative for a light citrus twist. Red wine can also be used, but it will tint the dough slightly.
- Lard is traditional and gives these cookies their signature tender texture.
- The dough can be cut by hand into diamonds or shaped with a cookie press for a lighter, more delicate cookie.
- These cookies pair perfectly with Mexican hot chocolate, Champurrado, or café de olla.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Curious why you use set white wine? Have mostly heard people using red wine.
Red wine tints the dough, but you are more welcome to use red wine if you prefer.
You say you can freeze these cookies. Would you freeze them as made,or roll in sugar before serving ?
I recently made these but I do have a question? The anise seeds were big and left the cookies have a crunchy texture. What would you suggest to avoid that?
I would recommend you grind the anise seeds in a mortar pestle if you want less of a texture.
Reminds of Christmas back home in El Paso. Now I can bring the same memories to my family. Easy to follow and delicious.