Biscochitos: New Mexico's State Cookie
Servings: 4 dozen cookies
Biscochitos are New Mexico's official state cookie and a familiar part of celebrations across the state. Crisp, anise-scented cookies coated in cinnamon sugar; they're served at weddings, graduations, anniversaries, and holiday gatherings. With hundreds of years of New Mexican culture baked into a small cookie, they’re one of New Mexico's best-known culinary traditions. Try some locally crafted biscochitos from one of our New Mexico True Certified creators!
What Are Biscochitos?
Biscochitos are delicate shortbread cookies flavored with anise and finished with a coating of cinnamon sugar. Traditional recipes often use lard, creating the tender texture that has made them a favorite for centuries. The dough is commonly cut into shapes such as fleur-de-lis, stars, Zias, or crosses before baking.
The cookie traces its roots to Spanish colonial baking traditions introduced to New Mexico centuries ago. Over time, biscochitos became closely associated with the state's food culture and remain a staple in bakeries and home kitchens across New Mexico.
Why Biscochitos Matter in New Mexico
In 1989, New Mexico became the first state to designate an official state cookie. The designation recognized a cookie that had long been baked for holidays, weddings, and other celebrations throughout the state.
No two biscochito recipes are exactly alike. Some families use egg yolks instead of whole eggs. Others have their own preferred recipe, from the ingredients they use to the way they shape the cookies. Those small differences are passed down through generations, making each family's biscochitos instantly recognizable around the holiday table.
When Biscochitos Are Traditionally Enjoyed
Biscochitos appear throughout the year at weddings, baptisms, graduations, anniversaries, and other celebrations. Their strongest association is with the holiday season, when many New Mexican families gather to bake large batches together and share them with friends and neighbors. They're often served alongside coffee or rich hot chocolate, especially during holiday gatherings.
Visitors can experience this tradition in local bakeries or by baking a batch at home using a traditional New Mexico recipe. Continue exploring New Mexican cuisine to discover the regional dishes, recipes, and food traditions that have shaped the state's table for centuries.
Ingredients
- 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 to 1½ teaspoons ground anise
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ pound lard, softened
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons sweet white wine, brandy, rum, apple or pineapple juice
- ¼ cup sugar and ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon for the topping
Directions
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, anise, and salt and set aside.
- Beat the lard in an electric mixer, gradually adding the sugar, and beat until extremely fluffy and light, about 8 minutes. Don’t shortcut this step. Stop the mixer every couple of minutes and scrape the sides of the mixing bowl.
- Add the egg, followed by the wine, and continue beating.
- Mix in the dry ingredients, adding about one-third of the mixture at a time. Stop the mixer as you make each addition, and beat no longer than necessary to incorporate the dry ingredients. A stiff pie-crust type of dough is what you’re seeking.
- Chill the dough for about 15 minutes for easy handling.
- Preheat the oven to 350.
- Roll out the dough ¼-inch thick on a floured work surface and cut with a paring knife into a fleur-de-lis, or cut with a small cookie cutter. Avoid handling the dough any more than necessary, one of the keys to the melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Transfer the cookies to ungreased cookie sheets.
- Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until just set and pale golden.
- While the cookies bake, stir together the topping.
- When the cookies are done, cool for just a minute or two on the baking sheets, then gently dunk the top of each in the cinnamon sugar.
- Transfer to absorbent paper to finish cooling.