Muy Bueno: Fiestas 
Orange Biscochos (a.k.a. Biscochitos de Naranja)
Searching for an exciting addition to your Christmas cookie repertoire? Discover the delight of my Orange Biscochos. Envision a crumbly cookie that perfectly marries the zesty punch of fresh orange juice, the fragrant depth of orange liqueur, and the refreshing zing of orange zest, all rolled in a sparkly cinnamon sugar coating.
With each batch yielding dozens of zesty New Mexican biscochitos cookies, they’re an ideal choice for spreading holiday cheer far and wide! These sweet orange Mexican biscuits are tender and crumbly, yet they hold together well, making them incredibly addictive. Their delightful taste has secured them a place in my newest cookbook, Fiestas!
What are Biscochos?
Classic biscochos are delicious Mexican anise cookies, often prepared in large quantities for celebrations like weddings, and are a cherished part of El Paso’s Christmas traditions. Known as biscochitos or “bizcochos cookies” in New Mexico and hojarascas in Mexico, these cookies also play a role in Native American Pueblo Feast Day celebrations.
The name hojarascas translates to “fallen leaves” in Spanish, capturing the essence of these New Mexican cookies, as they mimic the satisfying crunch of stepping on dry leaves when you take a bite. Traditionally made in large batches for weddings and special occasions, biscochos are renowned for their delicate, shortbread-like texture.
This citrusy version deviates from my mother’s traditional biscocho recipe by omitting aniseeds and using butter-flavored shortening instead of lard. The dough gets its distinctive flavor from orange juice, orange liqueur, and orange zest, with additional orange zest infused into the cinnamon sugar coating.
Why You’ll Love This Orange Biscochitos Recipe
- An Orange-Infused Twist: This recipe offers a delightful deviation from tradition by infusing the dough with the bright and citrusy flavors of orange juice, orange liqueur, and orange zest. The citrusy notes add a refreshing and modern twist to the classic biscocho.
- Butter-Infused Goodness: This biscochito recipe incorporates butter-flavored shortening in place of lard, providing a rich and buttery taste that complements the orange essence perfectly.
- Enhanced Coating with Orange Zest: Elevating the sensory experience, orange zest is added not only to the dough but also to the coating of cinnamon sugar. This extra layer of citrusy goodness enhances the overall flavor profile and adds a fragrant touch to each bite.
- Delicate Yet Addicting: While these cookies boast a delicate and crumbly texture, they hold together exceptionally well, ensuring a delightful eating experience without the risk of falling apart too easily. Prepare to be addicted to the irresistible combination of flavors and textures.
Ingredients & Substitutions
The detailed recipe with measurements is below in the recipe card.
- All-purpose flour: Plain flour is all you need.
- Baking powder: Leavening contributes to the light and airy texture of the biscochos.
- Salt: Enhances the overall flavor by balancing sweetness and highlighting other spices.
- Ground cinnamon: Adds warm and aromatic notes, contributing to the distinctive flavor profile of the biscochos.
- Ground ginger: Infuses a subtle spiciness, complementing the citrusy and sweet elements of the cookies.
- Fresh orange: The juice provides a bright and tangy citrus flavor, enhancing the overall freshness of the biscochos, while the zest adds intense orange flavor and fragrance.
- Orange liqueur: Adds a layer of sophistication and depth to the citrus flavor, providing a nuanced taste.
- Pure vanilla extract: I recommend Mexican vanilla extract for the special sweetness and aroma, contributing to the well-rounded flavor of the biscochos.
- Butter-flavored solid vegetable shortening: Regular shortening will also work, but I like the butter-flavored for a buttery taste of the biscochos, ensuring a tender texture.
- Sugar: Sweetens the cookie dough, creating a delightful balance with the citrus and spice elements.
- Egg: Provides structure and moisture to the dough, contributing to the overall texture of the biscochos.
- Cinnamon-sugar coating: This sweet and spiced coating adds a delightful crunch and enhances the flavor of the baked cookies.
How to Make Biscochitos with Orange
This Mexican biscocho recipe comes together in just a few simple steps:
Prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Have 2 sheet pans ready.
Step 1: Dry Ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and ginger, mixing well.
Step 2: Wet Ingredients. In a small bowl, stir together the orange juice, orange liqueur, vanilla, and orange zest, mixing well.
Step 3: Cream Shortening. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the shortening on medium speed until creamy. Add the sugar and egg and beat until smooth.
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Step 4: Add Dry & Wet Ingredients. On low speed, add the flour mixture in three batches alternately with the orange juice mixture in two batches, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and beating after each addition just until incorporated. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and lightly knead the dough with your hands to bring it together.
Step 5: Press Cookies. Remove some dough from the bowl (the amount will vary depending on the size of your cookie press) and cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel to prevent the remaining dough from drying out. Shape the dough into a log that fits your cookie press, then slip the log into your press. Holding the press upright and resting it on a sheet pan, apply even pressure to the handle to release a cookie. Move the press and repeat, spacing the cookies about 1 inch apart, until the sheet pan is full.
Step 6: Bake the cookies until they are lightly browned around the edges, 8–10 minutes.
Step 7: Make Coating. While the New Mexico biscochitos are baking, make the cinnamon sugar. On a plate, mix together the sugar, cinnamon, and orange zest. Then, ready another batch of cookies for the oven.
Step 8: Roll Cookies. When the cookies are ready, remove from the oven and slide the second batch into the oven. Transfer the just-baked cookies to a wire rack to cool slightly, then roll them in the cinnamon sugar, coating on all sides, and return them to the rack to cool completely. Shape, bake, and coat the remaining cookies the same way, always making sure the sheet pan has cooled before adding a new batch.
Step 9: Store. The cookies will keep in resealable plastic bags in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Optional Variations & Dietary Adaptations
While I love this recipe for biscochitos just the way it is written, I want you to love it just as much! Here are some optional variations to consider:
- Swap the flavors! Try making Classic Anise Biscochos.
- Go gluten-free. While I haven’t tried it, I think this New Mexico biscochito recipe should work with a cup-for-cup all-purpose gluten-free flour blend. Make sure to opt for a brand that includes xanthan gum and allow the dough to rest under a damp towel for 30 minutes for the best texture.
Expert Tips
- I like to use a cookie press because I can make smaller cookies and shape them more quickly. You can also roll out this dough about 1/4 inch thick and cut out the cookies with a cookie cutter.
- If the dough is dry or feels too “thick” to pass through your cookie press, add a little more orange juice to it as needed to ease it through the press.
- This easy biscochitos recipe makes lots of cookies, and they freeze beautifully. Pull out a few from the freezer when you have company and serve with a hot cup of Cafe de Olla, Mexican Hot Chocolate, Champurrado, or give them as melt- in-your-mouth Christmas gifts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! While orange liqueur adds an extra layer of flavor, you can still enjoy the citrusy goodness by using additional orange juice and zest in the recipe.
Yes, you can refrigerate or freeze the cookie dough for future batches. Ensure it’s well-wrapped to prevent freezer burn, and thaw it in the refrigerator before forming cookies and baking.
Certainly! Feel free to include 1 tablespoon of anise seeds if you want to capture the classic biscocho taste. Adjust the quantity to your liking for that distinct anise flavor.
These cookies will keep well in the fridge for up to a week, or can be frozen for up to 6 months.
More Mexican Favorite Recipes
Orange Biscochos (a.k.a. Biscochitos de Naranja)
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
- 2 tablespoons orange liqueur
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
- 1 cup butter-flavored solid vegetable shortening
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
Cinnamon-Sugar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Have ready 2 sheet pans.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and ginger, mixing well. In a small bowl, stir together the orange juice, orange liqueur, vanilla, and orange zest, mixing well.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the shortening on medium speed until creamy. Add the sugar and egg and beat until smooth. On low speed, add the flour mixture in three batches alternately with the orange juice mixture in two batches, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and beating after each addition just until incorporated. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and lightly knead the dough with your hands to bring it together.
- Remove some dough from the bowl (the amount will vary depending on the size of your cookie press) and cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel to prevent the remaining dough from drying out. Shape the dough into a log that fits your cookie press, then slip the log into your press. Holding the press upright and resting it on a sheet pan, apply even pressure to the handle to release a cookie. Move the press and repeat, spacing the cookies about 1 inch apart, until the sheet pan is full.
- Bake the cookies until they are lightly browned around the edges, 8–10 minutes.
- While the cookies are baking, make the cinnamon sugar. On a plate, mix together the sugar, cinnamon, and orange zest. Then ready another batch of cookies for the oven.
- When the cookies are ready, remove from the oven and slide the second batch into the oven. Transfer the just-baked cookies to a wire rack to cool slightly, then roll them in the cinnamon sugar, coating on all sides, and return them to the rack to cool completely. Shape, bake, and coat the remaining cookies the same way, always making sure the sheet pan has cooled before adding a new batch.
- The cookies will keep in resealable plastic bags in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Notes
- I like to use a cookie press because I can make smaller cookies and shape them more quickly. You can also roll out this dough about 1/4 inch thick and cut out the cookies with a cookie cutter.
- If the dough is dry or feels too “thick” to pass through your cookie press, add a little more orange juice to it as needed to ease it through the press.
- This easy biscochitos recipe makes lots of cookies, and they freeze beautifully. Pull out a few from the freezer when you have company or give them as melt- in-your-mouth Christmas gifts.
This recipe is also published in Muy Bueno Fiestas.
Photography: Jenna Sparks
