History

Biscochitos descend from Spanish colonial bunuelos and southern European butter cookies, adapted in Northern New Mexico with lard (instead of butter) and anise seed. The cookie became the official state cookie of New Mexico in 1989, the first state cookie in the United States, and is a Christmas, baptism and wedding fixture across Hispano families.

Common allergens: Gluten, Anise

Make it at home

Yield Makes 36Hands-on 30 minTotal 1 hr 30 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 1 cup lard (room temperature)
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons anise seed
  • 2 tablespoons sweet wine or brandy
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup sugar mixed with 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon for dusting

Method

  1. Cream lard and sugar in a stand mixer 5 minutes until pale and fluffy.
  2. Beat in egg, anise seed and brandy until combined.
  3. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt; add to wet mixture and mix until dough comes together.
  4. Wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.
  5. Roll to 1/4-inch thickness on a floured board; cut into stars or fleur-de-lis shapes.
  6. Bake at 350 F for 10 to 12 minutes until bottoms are lightly golden; while warm, dust generously in the cinnamon sugar.

Tip from the editors. Lard, not butter; the texture and flavor of a real biscochito depend on it. Manteca brand or rendered leaf lard works best.

This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.

Where to eat biscochitos

Biscochitos in Santa Fe

Dolina Bakery & Cafe ★ 4.5

Eastern European brunch with pastry$14-22downtownMon, Wed-Sat 07:00-14:30, Sun 08:00-14:30; closed TueWalk-in

Annamaria O'Brien's Dolina mixes Slovak strudels, butter croissants and a savory Eastern European brunch; a queue of regulars forms most mornings.

Order: Apple walnut strudel and a sour-cream coffee cake

402 North Guadalupe Street, Santa Fe, NM 87501

Sage Bakehouse ★ 4.6

cerrillosMon-Sat 07:30-14:00; closed SunWalk-in onlyLevain-leavened country breads and pastry

Sage Bakehouse, a Cerrillos Road artisan since 1996, bakes long-fermented country loaves, sandwich service and a chile sourdough Santa Fe households order.

Worth the queue: Roasted green chile sourdough loaf

535 Cerrillos Road, Santa Fe, NM 87501

Clafoutis French Bakery ★ 4.7

southsideMon-Sat 07:00-15:00; closed SunWalk-in onlyLaminated French pastries and viennoiseries

Philippe and Anne Laure Ligier bake 800 to 1,000 hand-rolled pastries daily at Clafoutis on Cordova Road, a hard-French operation in a southwestern adobe.

Worth the queue: Almond croissant and the namesake clafoutis

333 West Cordova Road, Santa Fe, NM 87505

More cities are in research. Want biscochitos covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.

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