Easy Portuguese Cookies Recipes

PORTUGUESE BISCOITOS RECIPE ( BISCUIT COOKIES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F).
• Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a bowl, add the flour, salt and baking powder and mix together using a whisk or spoon.
• Cream the butter and the sugar either with a mixing machine or hand mixer until the butter mixture is smooth and light.
• Add to the butter mixture, the eggs, vanilla extract, lemon zest and juice, and water or milk and mix until well combined.
• Add the flour mixture and mix until the dough comes together. If the dough is dry, and a bit more water or milk.
• Place the cookie dough onto a lightly floured working surface.
• Use an ice cream scoop and scoop pieces of cookie dough about the size of large gum balls.
• Shape the biscoitos by rolling out each piece into a long strip about 4-5 inches in length and 1/2 inch thick, and connect both ends together resembling a ring.
• Place biscuits onto baking pan and keep them about 1/2 inch apart.
• Repeat until all the biscuit cookie dough is used up.
• Baking one tray at a time, place the cookie tray into the oven and bake for 16-18 minutes or until light golden brown.
• Once baked, take out from the oven and let the biscuits cool down for a few minutes before transferring them to a plate or wire rack.
• Repeat with the second tray.
• Keep biscuits stored in an airtight container, they will keep well for about 2-3 weeks.

PORTUGUESE BISCOITOS RECIPE (TRADITIONAL BISCUIT COOKIES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, and lightly flour a clean cutting board or work surface.
• In the bowl of a standmixer, add the butter, and sugar. Cream until light and fluffy.
• Whisk the flour, salt, and baking powder; set aside. Add the eggs, extracts, and milk and mix until combined.
• Turn down the mixer speed and slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. The dough should form a ball on the paddle. If it is too dry add 1 tablespoon of additional milk. If it is overly stick add one tablespoon of flour until it is workable.
• Remove the dough from the stand mixer and knead on the floured workspace. The dough should be the consistency of play dough.
• I used a tablespoon-sized cookie scoop to scoop out tablespoon-sized balls.
• On the floured work space, roll on dough with the palms of your hand to create a 5 inch "snake". Bring together the ends to form a ring. Place cookies 1 inch apart of the baking sheet.
• These cookies bake for 18-20 minutes to get toasty deep golden-brown bottoms and tan golden-brown top surfaces. *See images
• Cool cookies for ten minutes before removing and baking the next batch. Repeat the process until all cookies are done.
• Cooled cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks time.

PORTUGUESE SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• Position rack in center of the oven, preheat oven to 350 degrees; line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Starting with the pastry dough: mix together the flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl; cut the butter into small bits and work into the flour, along with the eggs, until a smooth dough is formed.
• Cover with a clean kitchen towel and set aside for 10 minutes before rolling dough out on a floured board.
• For the filling: combine the water, sugar and lemon zest in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, boil until the mixture reaches 220 degrees on a candy thermometer, takes about 10 minutes.
• Remove pot from the heat and let cool slightly.
• Crush the anise seeds in a mortar or a spice mill, add to the sugar mixture, along with the cinnamon, butter and breadcrumbs, mix well.
• The mixture should resemble bread stuffing.
• Roll out a third of the pastry as thinly as possible.
• Using a pastry cutter or knife, cut 3-inch-wide strips of pastry.
• With the same cutter make 1/2 inch horizontal slits just off one long edge of the pastry, about 3/4 inch apart.
• Spread some cooled filling down the center of the strip, then fold the side with the slits over the solid side, enclosing the filling and sealing the edges.
• Cut into 3-inch long cookies.
• Place on a lined baking sheet.
• Repeat with the remaining pastry.
• Bake until the cookies are golden brown, about 15 minutes, be careful not to let them burn.
• Let cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes, then remove the cookies to a rack to cool completely.
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

AVô'S BISCOITOS (PORTUGUESE BISCOTTI/COOKIES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Cream together butter and sugar until light in color and fluffy in texture.
• Do not undercream or overcream. (Undercreamed butter/sugar looks yellow and dense. Overcreamed butter/sugar looks white and greasy.).
• Add eggs, mixing until blended.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder.
• Add flour mixture to creamed mixture, stirring until combined.
• If dough seems dry or flakey, knead slightly.
• Scoop up ping-pong ball sized dollops of dough.
• Roll between your hands to form a 5-inch long "snake", even throughout the length.
• (if dough is too sticky to handle at this point, you will need to add a small amount of flour to the dough to make it workable).
• Brings ends of the "snake" together, slightly folding one end over the other, to form a donut-shape with a small hole in the middle.
• Place cookies 1-2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
• Bake 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Let rest on baking sheet 2 minutes before transferring to rack to cool.
• Enjoy!