These Mexican Shortbread Cookies (also called Ojarascas) are light, buttery, crumbly shortbread cookies rolled in cinnamon sugar and they literally melt in your mouth. The perfect treat for Cinco de Mayo or your next Fiesta!
I’m SO excited for Cinco de Mayo this weekend!! Not only is it Cinco de Mayo, but I’ll be soaking up the sun on 30-A and celebrating one of my best friends before she becomes a Mrs. See you soon, B! 🙂
Cinco de Mayo is one of my favorite “holidays” to celebrate because we take our Tex Mex seriously here and live for guacamole and tacos. Also, my husband’s jalapeno margaritas have been my drink of choice lately. I strongly suggest you giving them a try!
I also LOVE these Mexican shortbread cookies called Ojarascas! They are light, buttery, crumbly shortbread cookies rolled in cinnamon sugar and they literally melt in your mouth. I was introduced to these cookies by my mother-in-law and sister-in-law. The three of us share the same affinity for these delicious little cookies, and I’m warning you now: they are highly addictive. To make them more dangerous, they are small so it’s easy to pop three or four in your mouth without even thinking. Okay, don’t say I didn’t warn you!
Traditional Ojarascas are made with lard and shortening, but my mother-in-law’s recipe uses a combination of butter and shortening (just like my favorite buttercream frosting!). They are super easy and quick to make, and clean-up is minimal. I know y’all love that!!
These cookies are great on their own, but you can also crumble them up and enjoy them with vanilla ice cream… SO, SO DELICIOUS! Also, they are not super sweet, so I wouldn’t judge you for having them with your coffee in the morning. 🙂
I hope you try these for Cinco de Mayo this weekend! If you’re looking for another dessert to make, check out my Double Chocolate Mexican Brownies as well as my Fiesta Pinterest Board for more Cinco de Mayo recipes and inspiration.
So tell me- do y’all celebrate Cinco de Mayo?! If so, let me know your traditions or the recipes you love to make!
Mexican Shortbread Cookies (Ojarascas)
These Mexican Shortbread Cookies (also called Ojarascas) are light, buttery, crumbly shortbread cookies rolled in cinnamon sugar and they literally melt in your mouth. The perfect treat for Cinco de Mayo or your next Fiesta!
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, room temperature
- ½ cup vegetable shortening
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 cups of flour plus more, if needed
- ¼ cup water
- ½ teaspoon anise extract
- Cinnamon sugar mixture 1 cup sugar + 3 teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
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Measure ¼ cup of water in a measuring glass. Add anise extract. Stir to combine and set aside.
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Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, shortening, sugar, and cinnamon together on medium speed for about 2 minutes.
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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.
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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.
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Bake for 12 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies turn slightly brown on the edges.
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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.
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Store in an airtight container for up to one week.
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