Discover the Delight of Mexican Cookies: Polvorones Rosas Recipe

Dive into the vibrant and delicious world of Mexican Cookies with this delightful recipe for Polvorones Rosas! These iconic pink sugar cookies are a beloved treat in Mexico, known for their delicate crunch on the outside and a soft, chewy center that melts in your mouth. If you’re looking to add a splash of color and authentic flavor to your baking repertoire, look no further than these charming Polvorones Rosas, often simply called Mexican pink cookies. Perfect for baking with family, enjoying as a sweet snack, or adding a festive touch to any occasion, this recipe will guide you through creating these irresistible mexican cookies at home. Get ready to experience the joy of baking and the magic of Polvorones Rosas!

Close-up of Polvorones Rosas cookies showcasing their pink color and cracked tops

What are Polvorones Rosas? Exploring Authentic Mexican Cookies

Polvorones, a name encompassing a variety of crumbly cookies in Mexico, take on a special charm as Polvorones Rosas, or Mexican pink cookies. Considered a delightful variation of the classic sugar cookie within Mexican cookie traditions, these treats are distinguished by their vibrant pink hue, achieved through food coloring. While pink is the most iconic color, you’ll often find mexican cookies in a rainbow of pastel shades, adding to their festive appeal. What truly sets Polvorones Rosas apart from ordinary sugar cookies, and makes them a quintessential mexican cookie, is their unique texture. They boast a satisfying crispness that gives way to a tender, almost melt-away interior. This delightful contrast, combined with their sweet, vanilla-kissed flavor, makes them a cherished mexican cookie for generations. The recipe we’re sharing focuses on achieving that perfect balance of textures and the signature crackly tops that are characteristic of well-made Polvorones Rosas.

A batch of colorful Polvorones (Mexican Pink Sugar Cookies) displaying various pastel colors

Essential Tips for Baking Perfect Mexican Pink Cookies (Polvorones Rosas)

Mastering Polvorones Rosas, like any great mexican cookie, comes down to a few key techniques. Here are some essential tips to ensure your mexican cookies turn out perfectly every time, mirroring the authentic texture and appearance:

The Right Fat is Key: For truly authentic mexican cookies like Polvorones Rosas, shortening is your secret weapon. While some recipes might use butter or margarine, using butter flavored shortening, or even lard, contributes to the signature light and crumbly texture that defines these mexican cookies. Shortening helps create those beautiful cracks on top and prevents the cookies from spreading too thin.
Creaming for Lightness: Don’t skimp on the creaming process. Beating the shortening and sugar together for a full two minutes until light and fluffy is crucial. This incorporates air into the dough, resulting in a tender crumb and that desirable melt-in-your-mouth quality of authentic mexican cookies.
Gentle Flour Incorporation: When adding the dry ingredients, do so gradually and mix on low speed. Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour, leading to tougher mexican cookies. Mix just until the flour is fully combined to maintain the delicate texture.
Chill Out for Shape: Chilling the dough is non-negotiable for Polvorones Rosas. Refrigerating the dough for at least an hour firms it up, making it easier to handle and roll into balls. Chilling also helps prevent excessive spreading during baking, ensuring your mexican cookies hold their shape and develop those signature cracks.
Baking Temperature Precision: Temperature is critical for achieving the ideal texture and crackle in these mexican cookies. Baking at 350°F (175°C) has been tested to be the sweet spot. Higher temperatures might lead to browning before the cookies have a chance to spread and crack properly, while lower temperatures might result in denser mexican cookies.
Don’t Overbake: Polvorones Rosas are meant to be pale and delicate, not golden brown. Bake them just until they spread out, crack on top, and are set to the touch. Overbaking will make them dry and crunchy throughout, losing that signature soft center of authentic mexican cookies.
Cane Sugar Coating: Rolling the dough balls in cane sugar before baking adds a touch of extra sweetness and enhances the crackly tops. The coarser texture of cane sugar also provides a pleasant textural contrast to the smooth cookie.

By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to creating truly delightful Polvorones Rosas, mexican cookies that will impress with their authentic flavor and texture.

Chicano Bakes Cookbook Cover – Find more Mexican baking recipes!

Polvorones Rosas Recipe: Bake Your Own Mexican Pink Cookies

Ready to bake a batch of these delightful mexican cookies? Here’s the recipe for Polvorones Rosas, adapted from traditional methods to ensure success in your home kitchen.

Yields: 18-20 cookies
Prep time: 1 hour 30 minutes (includes chilling)
Bake time: 12-14 minutes

Ingredients:

4 1/3 cups All-Purpose Flour (541 g)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 3/4 cups butter flavored vegetable shortening, or lard (336 g)
1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar (300 g)
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract or sub with vanilla bean paste
2 large eggs
Gel food coloring (pink, or your choice of pastel colors)
1/3 cup cane sugar (67 g), for rolling

Equipment:

Large bowl
Whisk
Stand mixer with paddle attachment (or hand mixer)
Measuring cups and spoons
Plastic wrap
Baking sheets
Parchment paper
Cooling rack

Instructions

Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt. Set aside.
Cream Wet Ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter flavored shortening, white granulated sugar, and vanilla extract on medium speed for 2 full minutes, until light and fluffy.
Incorporate Eggs and Flour: Add the eggs, one at a time, to the creamed mixture, mixing well after each addition. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Gradually add the flour mixture, one cup at a time, until just fully combined. Be careful not to overmix.
Color the Dough: Divide the dough into separate bowls if you want to make different colored mexican cookies. Add gel food coloring to each portion, using your hands or the mixer to thoroughly incorporate the color until you achieve your desired pastel shade.
Chill the Dough: Wrap each colored dough portion tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This chilling time is crucial for the right texture and handling of your mexican cookies.
Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350ºF (175ºC). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Shape and Sugar Coat: Once the dough is chilled, scoop out 1/4 cup sized balls of dough (an ice cream scoop works well for uniform sizes). Roll each portion into a smooth ball and then roll in cane sugar, ensuring it’s evenly coated.
Arrange and Flatten: Place 5 dough balls on each prepared baking sheet, leaving space for spreading. Slightly flatten each cookie with the back of a measuring cup. Sprinkle a little extra cane sugar on top of each cookie for added sparkle and crackle.
Bake to Perfection: Bake one sheet at a time for 12-14 minutes. The mexican cookies are ready when they have spread, cracked on top, and are set, but still pale and not browned.
Cool and Enjoy: Remove baking sheets from the oven and let the mexican cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Repeat and Share: Repeat the baking process with the remaining dough. Once cooled, these Polvorones Rosas are ready to be enjoyed! Share these delightful mexican cookies with friends and family, or savor them as a special treat for yourself.

Now that you have the recipe, gather your ingredients and start baking these wonderful mexican cookies. They are perfect for bringing a touch of Mexican sweetness to any day!