Hojarascas
Cinnamon sugar crumble cookies
Northern Mexican cinnamon-sugar crumble cookies
At weddings, quinceañeras and Christmas gatherings in Nuevo León and Coahuila, someone always brings a platter of hojarascas, the name meaning 'fallen leaves' because they crumble as lightly as dry leaves underfoot. The cookies are short and sandy, spiced with cinnamon, and rolled while warm in more cinnamon sugar so they look frosted. Monterrey families serve them with café de olla or hot champurrado. They are traditionally made with lard; this version uses vegetable shortening, which gives the same tender crumb and makes them vegan, or you can use butter for a richer taste. Overworking the dough once the flour is in is the classic mistake, because it develops gluten and makes them tough. Chef's tip: steep a cinnamon stick in the water first and use that tea to bind the dough, which doubles the spice flavour without bitterness.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 15
Ingredients
For the dough
- ¼ cup water
- 8 oz vegetable shorteningat room temperature; or butter, softened (then not vegan)
- 3 ½ oz caster sugar
- 13 oz plain flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
For the coating
- 3 ½ oz caster sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Bring ¼ cup water and 1 cinnamon stick to the boil in a small pan, simmer for 3 minutes, then cool completely. Discard the stick; you need about 60 ml of cinnamon tea.
20 minStep 2: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan) and line two trays with baking paper.
Step 3: Beat 8 oz vegetable shortening and 3 ½ oz caster sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3 minStep 4: Sift in 13 oz plain flour, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp baking powder and ¼ tsp salt and mix briefly with your fingertips until crumbly.
Step 5: Add the cooled tea a tablespoon at a time, pressing the crumbs together just until they hold as a dough. Stop as soon as it comes together.
Step 6: Roll out between two sheets of baking paper to 6 mm thick and cut into 5 cm rounds or flowers. Reroll the scraps once and lay the cookies on the trays.
8 minStep 7: Bake for 12–15 minutes, until they are firm at the edges and only lightly golden underneath; the tops stay pale.
14 minStep 8: Mix 3 ½ oz caster sugar and 2 tsp ground cinnamon in a shallow bowl. While the cookies are still warm (after about 3 minutes), toss them gently in it a few at a time.
5 minStep 9: Cool completely on a rack, then sprinkle over any leftover cinnamon sugar. Store in a tin for up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 270 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 32 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does hojarascas take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 15 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of cinnamon stick?
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon per stick.
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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