Biscochos + Video
Biscochos melt in your mouth – they are popular Christmas cookies in El Paso and New Mexico. Biscochos (or biscochitos) are delicate, anise flavored, dusted in cinnamon sugar, and totally addicting.
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 my mom to make some because she loved the aroma of cinnamon during the holidays.
These fragile cookies melt in your mouth and contain the exotic addition of anise with a hint of cinnamon.
My mom also made these delicious cookies for many memorable occasions since then. They are a Mexican tradition for weddings, quinceñeras, and Navidad.
She used to make these cookies with me, my brother, and sister when we were little. She would roll out the dough and then we’d carefully cut the dough into diamond shapes using a paring knife.
Today she uses a cookie press which makes for a lighter cookie. Either way they are delicioso and just as beautiful to display as they are scrumptious.
She still makes them at Christmas for gift giving. It is a very popular cookie at Christmas time with Mexican Hot Chocolate or Champurrado.
The New Mexican state cookie
Did you know in 1989, the state of New Mexico adopted the biscochito (or bizcochito) as its official state cookie?
Lard
Lard is what really gives these anise-flavored Mexican sugar cookies their flaky texture, but you can use vegetable shortening in a pinch.
How to Grind Cinnamon Sticks
I highly recommend using freshly ground cinnamon for this recipe.
Place cinnamon sticks into a coffee grinder. If the sticks are too long, break them into smaller pieces by hand so the lid of the grinder can close. Start the grinder and run until the cinnamon has been completely pulverized.
What type of wine?
I recommend a semi-sweet white wine such as a Riesling, but orange juice can be substituted.
Cookie cutters
If you’ll be using cookie cutters, roll out dough in batches about 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick and cut with cookie cutters.
Cookie press
If you’ll be using a cookie press, add dough to press and shape cookies on prepared baking sheet.
How to store Biscochos?
These cookies can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for two weeks or frozen for up to three months.
Biscochos
Ingredients
- 6 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, freshly ground when possible
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- 1 pound lard or shortening
- 1 egg
- 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup white wine, orange juice or water
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 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 biscochos with the sugar and cinnamon mixture.
Video
Notes
Originally published: December 2010. This recipe is also published in the Muy Bueno cookbook.
77 Comments on “Biscochos + Video”
Will the recipe change if I reduce the sugar? Has anyone tried this recipe with less sugar?
I don’t think I’ll change. I’ve made them before with less and turned out great still.
I can’t wait to try this recipe for biscochos. I’m originally from El Paso and I have had trouble finding a dupe for my abuelas recipe. This is my favorite cookie.
On the bischoco recipe which liquid do you put in.
I’ve been making biscochitos for years! Ironically I am baking some up as I write this. They are one of my favorites. I make mine from bacon lard (fat) and use dark rum. Sometimes I put a little cayenne in the cinnamon sugar for just a tiny little kick. I’ve even made these into sticks and served with some Dulce de Leche to dip them in. It’s amazing how everyone makes a recipe their own!
6 cups flour is a lot, it’s only the two of us. I know….we’re talking Mexican family size.
I dont recall ginger. Interesting. I love a melt in your mouth cookie. But have not been successful. I will give this recipe a try 🙂
Never heard of bizcochitos referred to as “biscochos”. I am from Northern NM and biscocho was a bread with extra lard added at time of rising. Being that your family has roots in Mexico, is this a Mexican term for bizcochitos? Many northern NM families have roots from Spain.
I have made them both with Lard and Crisco shortening. I took them to my place of work and had them voted on them. Both with the traditional lard and Crisco are very good. I have used frozen concentrated pineapple juice instead of orange juice. I am from West Texas by Midland/Odessa area. Thank you for sharing your awesome recipe.
Hi. I am wondering if you have ever tried using Anise tea instead of the Wine/OJ?
I use anise tea as my liquid. 🙂
Want to make these this weekend, so yummy!
Can anise extract be used instead of the seeds? Are the seeds tiny like poppy seeds? If I don’t want to use wine will water change the taste significantly. I’ve never used a cookie press but don’t want to use cookie cutters either, do you think rolling them in balls and flattening with a fork would be OK?
I have never tested with anise extract, so I am not sure what to recommend. Yes, seeds look similar to cumin seeds, but DO NOT confuse the two. Water will work just fine. You need to roll thin about 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick and cut with cookie cutters, or a pairing knife to make diamond shapes.
If using wine in this recipe what wine would you use? White or red?
White wine or your dough with have a pink/red tint. Details are above in the recipe.
I am going to try this recipe for Christmas. Thank you.
I am so excited to have found your website and this recipe! I am from Las Cruces and remember always having biscochos around Christmas. I can’t wait to make them and share them with friends in Denver. Thank you so much!! Merry Christmas!
Hi! You video is not attached to this page. Where can I find it.
This is not a “Mexican” recipe or dish… it’s from Spain and brought to the states to New Mexico. Most Mexican Americans don’t even know what these are. It’s New Mexico’s state cookie.
Hi! Fellow EP’oan here!! (Chuco Town!) Glad I stumbled on to your page! I love these cookies. Is it possible to omit the egg? My sister is vegan due to health issues and she really loves these cookies and I wanted to make them vegan friendly so she too can enjoy them. I will use vegetable shortening but not sure about no egg. Please advice.
Nancy, some stores sell a powdered or ground product that is labeled “egg substitute.” I’ve never bought it but see it in the grocery store section that has flour alternatives like almond flour, smelt flour, etc.
I have been asking but people gave me a very long list of ingredients. Yours is delicious,easy and am glad I found this recipe. They remind me of my beloved Grandma….Thank you
I am from Colorado! Thanks for posting this recipe I have been on the search for it. There are different types and recipes and this one looks and sounds like the ones I like. Thanks!!!
Hi, which do you prefer, the lard or shortening?
Love your book btw. I am also an El Pasoan still living in this wonderful city 🙂
Sorry for the late reply. I actually prefer lard. The shortening is delicous as well, just not as fragile/melt in your mouth texture.
yumm. They’re delicious, and pretty close to my mom’s (though, I’m sure she did not use wine!). The recipe says yield 300 — maybe mine were bigger cuz I didn’t get 300. Still, flaky melt in your mouth texture I remember. I too am from EP, living in Santa Barbara CA.
What kind of flour ? All purpose or self rising? Do you ground anise seeds? Can you use pure anise extract and how much?
Thanks so much for the recipe! My Grandma has made these my whole life! It’s my turn to try them out! So many childhood memories wrapped up in the little miracles….
ok sorry to ask but wat kind of anise seed or do we have to use it ?
Hi Miranda, Sorry for the late reply. We use whole anise seeds, but it is not needed, but gives the cookies an exotic addition. Hope that helps. Happy baking!
Omg por fin encontre una buena receta!!! Im from El Paso as well and we would go to juarez for 15 and weddings and they would have them…i know live in Kansas and I have a family member who makes them pero no suelta la receta!! Made them today y salieron delicious!!!
Your comment made me laugh Beatriz! Too funny. So happy you loved them. Buen provecho.
Is freshly-ground cinnamon made by putting cinnamon sticks in a coffee grinder? Also, I’ve never bought anise seed. Is it ground or whole?
I bought your cookbook solely for the purpose of your menudo recipe. I plan to make it soon.
Thanks!
Mary,
Yes, ground cinnamon sticks in a coffee grinder. Anise seeds are whole and are small seeds.
Thank you so much for purchasing our cookbook. Enjoy the menudo and biscochos.