Mexican Ojarascas Cookies Recipes

HOJARASCAS RECIPE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the shortening until light and fluffy.
• Add the sugar, cinnamon, and pinch of salt. Mix until well blended.
• Gently stir in ¼ of the flour and mix. Add another ¼ of the flour and mix. Continue the process until all the flour has been incorporated.
• Refrigerate the dough wrapped in plastic for at least 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 325F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease them with shortening.
• To shape the cookies, divide the dough and, using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to a 1/3-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. (I prefer to roll out the dough over parchment paper to easily remove the already shaped cookies) Cut out the cookies using a cookie cutter, or just make small balls with the dough and then press them down with your hand
• or the bottom of a glass. Transfer to the already lined baking sheets, leaving about a one-inch space between each cookie.
• Bake for about 20 minutes until the edges are turning light gold. The cookies will be very fragile, so let them cool on the baking sheets before you move them. If you try to move them right away, they will crumble.
• Meanwhile, mix sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl or in a ziplock bag. Dust the cookies with the mixture of sugar and cinnamon and enjoy with a glass of milk.

HOJARASCAS

Steps:

• In a small pot, add 1 cup water and the cinnamon stick.
• Bring to a boil. Turn off heat and set aside.
• Let this cool completely.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a mixing bowl, add the shortening and sugar.
• Mix well.
• Add salt, vanilla, cinnamon, and mix well.
• Turn mixer off.
• Add 1/2 of the flour. Mix only until combined.
• Turn mixer off again.
• Add the remaining 1/2 of the flour.
• Mix only until combined.
• Turn mixer off again.
• Add half of the cooled cinnamon tea.
• Turn mixer on low.
• Add only the amount of tea necessary to bring the dough together. About 1/2 cup.
• Turn mixer off and dust a clean surface and a rolling pin with flour.
• Place cookie dough on the surface and roll it out evenly.
• Cut out shapes using a cookies cutter.
• Place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake for 15 minutes.
• Mix the sugar and ground cinnamon in a small bowl.
• Cool the cookies completely on a rack.
• Carefully and gently add each cookie to the bowl and cover with the sugar coating.
• Repeat until all the cookies have been coated.
• Makes about 45 cookies. Enjoy!

MEXICAN SHORTBREAD COOKIES (OJARASCAS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Measure ¼ cup of water in a measuring glass. Add anise extract. Stir to combine and set aside.
• Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, shortening, sugar, and cinnamon together on medium speed for about 2 minutes.
• Turn your mixer to low speed, then starting and ending with the flour, alternately add 1 cup of flour, half of the anise water, 1 cup of flour, and the remaining anise water. The dough will begin to pull away from the sides, but if the dough is still sticky, add more flour ½ cup at a time. Do not overmix or add too much flour or your dough will be tough and crumbly.
• Using your hands, shape 1 inch balls of dough and transfer to a baking sheet. Using the bottom of a cup or another flat surface, gently press on top of each ball to slightly flatten.
• Bake for 12 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies turn slightly brown on the edges.
• In a small bowl, add 3 teaspoons of cinnamon to 1 cup of sugar and stir to combine. Once you remove the cookies from the oven, let them cool slightly so you can pick them up (you want them to be warm though) and toss in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Transfer to parchment paper to cool completely.
• Store in an airtight container for up to one week.

MEXICAN OJARASCAS COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Sift together all dry ingredients into a bowl and set aside.
• In a large bowl, whip together the shortening and lard until nice and light.
• Add the dry mixture slowly, one cup at a time (6 cups only first).
• Place the mixture on the countertop or on a table.
• Add the remaining dry mixture with the water and continue to knead the dough by hand until you form a good nice dough ball.
• Sprinkle some flour on the countertop or on the table and spread out the dough with a rolling pin to a thickness of 1/2 inches and use a cookie cutter to make cookies.
• Place on a cookie sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes.
• While cookies are being baked, mix together the topping ingredients in a bowl.
• Once the cookies come out of the oven, place one by one in the sugar and cinnamon mixture one at a time and sprinkle them with this mixture.
• Place on a cooling rack to finish cooling.