Festive Mexican Christmas Cookies Recipe

Jolly Mexican Christmas Cookies Recipe: Festive Baking Joy

Sweet aromas of cinnamon and vanilla waft through kitchens during festive mexican christmas cookies season, promising delightful moments of joy.

These traditional treats carry generations of cherished memories and cultural warmth.

Families gather around baking sheets, carefully crafting delicate rounds of sugary goodness.

Each cookie tells a story of love, celebration, and shared heritage.

The crisp texture and subtle spices invite you to savor a bite of Mexican holiday cheer.

Rich with butter and dusted with powdered sugar, these cookies transform simple ingredients into magical bites of Christmas spirit.

Bake a batch and watch smiles bloom around your holiday table.

Steps To Make Mexican Christmas Cookies Shine

Steps To Make Mexican Christmas Cookies Shine
  • Warm Up the Oven

Crank your oven to a toasty 350F. Grab two baking sheets and line them with parchment paper for a smooth cookie adventure.

  • Create Magical Dough

Grab your mixing bowl and whip butter and powdered sugar into a fluffy cloud. Splash in vanilla for extra flavor magic. Slowly blend flour and salt until a soft dough emerges. Gently fold in chopped nuts for a delightful crunch.

  • Shape Your Cookie Dreams

Roll small handfuls of dough into perfect little balls. Place them on your prepared baking sheets, giving each cookie some breathing room.

  • Bake to Golden Perfection

Slide your cookies into the warm oven. Let them dance and transform for 12-15 minutes until edges turn a beautiful golden color.

  • Sugar Shower Finale

Once out of the oven, let cookies rest for a quick 5 minutes. While still warm, give them a luxurious powdered sugar bath. After they cool completely, hit them with another sugar snowstorm for that classic Mexican Christmas cookie look.

Holiday Tips For Mexican Christmas Cookies

  • Baking Brilliance: Tips to Make These Mexican Christmas Cookies Shine
  • Nut Selection Magic: Choose pecans or almonds for traditional flavor, but walnuts work wonderfully too. Toasting nuts beforehand intensifies their rich, nutty essence and adds depth to your cookies.
  • Powdered Sugar Perfection: Sift the powdered sugar before coating to prevent clumping and ensure a smooth, even finish. For an extra touch, use vanilla-infused powdered sugar to enhance the cookie's delicate flavor.
  • Make-Ahead Masterpiece: Prepare the dough up to 3 days in advance and store in the refrigerator. This allows flavors to meld and makes holiday baking less stressful.
  • Gluten-Free Goodness: Swap wheat flour with a gluten-free all-purpose blend for those with dietary restrictions. Add a pinch of xanthan gum to help maintain the cookie's delicate texture.
  • Storage Secret: Keep cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Place a piece of bread in the container to maintain moisture and softness.

Serving Up Mexican Christmas Cookies The Festive Way

  • Festive Gifting Glory: Package these delicate cookies in clear cellophane bags tied with red and green ribbons for stunning holiday presents that sparkle with Mexican tradition.
  • Cookie Companions: Serve alongside rich hot chocolate or spiced café de olla to complement the nutty, sweet flavors and create a warm, inviting dessert experience.
  • Elegant Display Technique: Arrange the powdered sugar-coated cookies on a rustic wooden platter or vintage holiday plate, creating a stunning visual that highlights their delicate white coating and homemade charm.
  • Holiday Party Hero: Include these cookies on a dessert table with other Mexican sweets like alfajores or polvorones to showcase a delightful cultural celebration of Christmas treats.

Storage Tricks For Mexican Christmas Cookies

  • Cool Cookie Conservation Tactics: Store these delightful Mexican Christmas Cookies in an airtight container to maintain their melt-in-your-mouth texture.
  • Freezing Friendly Strategy: Wrap cookies individually in plastic wrap, then place inside a freezer-safe container. These treats stay delicious for up to 3 months when frozen properly.
  • Temperature Sweet Spot: Keep cookies at room temperature in a sealed container for maximum freshness. They'll remain scrumptious for 5-7 days without losing their delicate crumb.
  • Moisture Management Magic: Add a small piece of bread to the storage container to help cookies retain their soft, tender consistency and prevent them from becoming dry or crumbly.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Calories: 143 kcal

Servings: 25

Sweet Ingredients For Mexican Christmas Cookies

For Dough Base:
  • Butter: Provides rich, creamy flavor and tender texture, choose high-quality unsalted butter for best results.
  • Powdered Sugar: Creates smooth, delicate sweetness and helps achieve signature Mexican wedding cookie melt-in-your-mouth consistency.
  • Vanilla Extract: Adds warm, aromatic depth and enhances overall cookie flavor, use pure vanilla for best taste.
For Dry Ingredients:
  • All-Purpose Flour: Creates cookie structure and provides soft, crumbly texture, sift to prevent lumps.
  • Salt: Balances sweetness and amplifies other flavors, use fine table salt for even distribution.
For Nutty Element:
  • Pecans or Walnuts: Brings crunchy texture and rich, earthy undertones, toast nuts beforehand for deeper flavor and chop finely for smooth cookie consistency.
For Finishing Touch:
  • Additional Powdered Sugar: Creates classic snowy appearance and adds extra layer of sweetness, sift for smooth coating.

Bake Tools For Mexican Christmas Cookies Fun

  • Stand mixer or hand mixer: Perfect for creaming butter and sugar smoothly.
  • Large mixing bowl: Essential for combining all cookie ingredients.
  • Measuring cups and spoons: Precise measurements ensure delicious results.
  • Baking sheets: Two lined with parchment paper for even baking.
  • Tablespoon: Helps create uniform cookie sizes.
  • Spatula: Great for folding nuts and scraping bowl sides.
  • Cooling rack: Optional for letting cookies cool completely.
Print
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Festive Mexican Christmas Cookies Recipe

Festive Mexican Christmas Cookies Recipe


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.7 from 16 reviews

  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 25 1x

Description

Polvorones de Navidad bring delightful Mexican holiday cheer to cookie lovers everywhere. Delicate almond-dusted shortbread melts in your mouth, offering a sweet connection to traditional Christmas celebrations.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups (250 g / 8.8 oz) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (225 g / 8 oz) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (120 g / 4.2 oz) finely chopped pecans or walnuts
  • ½ cup (60 g / 2.1 oz) powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp salt

Instructions

  1. Thermal Preparation: Activate oven to 350F (175C) and strategically line baking sheets with parchment paper to optimize cookie development.
  2. Dough Foundation: Whip softened butter and powdered sugar into a silky, ethereal mixture, blending until achieving a luxurious, airy consistency.
  3. Flavor Infusion: Integrate vanilla extract thoroughly into the butter mixture, ensuring comprehensive aromatic enhancement and seamless incorporation.
  4. Structural Integration: Merge flour and salt into the creamy base, gently combining until a tender, cohesive dough materializes with smooth precision.
  5. Textural Enrichment: Disperse finely chopped nuts throughout the dough, guaranteeing uniform distribution for consistent flavor and delightful crunch.
  6. Shaping Protocol: Mold dough into uniform tablespoon-sized spheres, arranging them methodically on prepared baking surfaces with strategic spacing to facilitate even baking.
  7. Surface Refinement: Gently compress cookie tops using fingertips, creating an elegant, sophisticated profile that promises delicate texture.
  8. Thermal Transformation: Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, watching for subtle golden edges that signal perfect doneness and culinary success.
  9. Cooling Sequence: Rest cookies momentarily on baking sheets, allowing structural stabilization before initiating the powdered sugar coating ritual.
  10. Final Embellishment: While cookies retain residual warmth, completely enrobe them in a pristine powdered sugar layer, ensuring comprehensive, elegant coverage that celebrates traditional Mexican Christmas cookie artistry.

Notes

  • Butter Temperature Control: Ensure butter is genuinely softened, not melted, to achieve the perfect cloud-like texture essential for authentic Mexican Christmas cookies.
  • Nut Distribution Technique: Chop nuts finely and fold gently to prevent overwhelming the delicate cookie structure, creating balanced flavor in every bite.
  • Sugar Coating Strategy: Apply first powdered sugar layer while cookies are still warm for maximum sugar absorption, then add second layer after complete cooling for a pristine, festive appearance.
  • Precise Baking Watch: Monitor oven closely during 12-15 minute baking window, as golden edges indicate optimal doneness without risking over-browning or dryness.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Desserts, Snacks
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Mexican

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 25
  • Calories: 143
  • Sugar: 2 g
  • Sodium: 10 mg
  • Fat: 13 g
  • Saturated Fat: 8 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 9 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 2 g
  • Cholesterol: 30 mg
John Nicholson

John Nicholson

Lead Writer & Recipe Developer

Expertise

Recipe Testing and Development, Kitchen Hacks and Time-Saving Tips, Flavor Pairing and Ingredient Selection, Engaging Food Writing and Storytelling

Education

Johnson & Wales University

  • Program: Bachelor of Science in Culinary Arts
  • Focus: A hands-on curriculum emphasizing farm-to-table cooking, local ingredient sourcing, and creative menu development. Students gained real-world restaurant experience, learning both classic techniques and modern approaches to sustainable cooking.

John Nicholson honed his skills at Johnson & Wales University, learning how to use fresh, local ingredients and down-to-earth techniques to make cooking simple and satisfying.

His recipes blend Southern comfort flavors with a modern touch, inviting everyone to cook with ease and confidence.

Living in Charleston, John takes cues from the city’s lively food scene, local markets, and seasonal produce. He’s all about making meals stress-free through easy tips, flavor pairings, and fun experiments in the kitchen

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