New Mexico Biscochos

Per the website that I got my recipe from (www.texasrollingpins.com), these Biscochos are the New Mexico version of the traditional Mexican cookie. Victor's mom makes Biscochos every year at Christmas and had sent me her recipe last year....but I did not have on hand all of the ingredients that her recipe called for, so I went on the internet to find one that had the ingredients I already had in house.    The below recipe is the one from the website referenced with my own tweaks.  For one thing, I cut the recipe in half as it initially called for 6 cups of flour and lard.  I do not feel comfortable making stuff with lard or shortening these days, so I substituted butter....I also messed up with my adaptation and forgot to cut the OJ in half...but it worked out.   Traditional Biscochos are in the shapes of small hearts, diamonds, or squares.  I could not find mini-cutters in those shapes so I ended with a snow themed mini-cutters which worked out well.   The reason you want to use small cookie cutters for these is that the cookie is tossed in a cinnamon sugar  mixture when you remove it from the oven.   Anyway, here is my version....

Biscochos

3 cups of flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp cinnamon

1 egg

1 cup butter 

1/4 cup orange juice (pineapple juice may also be used)

In large bowl mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, clove, baking powder and salt.  In a separate bowl, cream the butter, eggs and orange juice.

Add dry ingredients to wet.  Mix well.  Knead.  Dust flat surface with flour.  Roll out and cut out  desired shapes.  

Bake for 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees.  Toss with cinnamon-sugar mixture as you are removing the cookies from the baking sheet.