Hojarascas (Mexican Christmas Cookies)

These hojarascas cookies are bursting with cinnamon flavor, crumbly, and perfect to enjoy and share during the holidays. You can make the at home with this easy step-by-step recipe!

this recipe

Christmas season is coming up and I know you’re as excited as I am. In Mexico, Christmas brings a lot of delicious food, including today’s cookie recipe.

Hojarascas are Mexican cookies made of wheat flour, lard, sugar, and cinnamon. After baked they are coated with a mixture of fresh ground cinnamon and sugar which gives them their particular look.

The word “hojarascas” means dry leaves in English and refers to the crunching, and crackling sound the leaves make when you step on them, which is similar to the sound these cookies make when you bite into them.

These cookies are a must during Christmas for Las Posadas where they are offered along with hot beverages like Ponche Navideño or champurrado.

Ingredients

• Flour: I used all-purpose flour, you can swap it with your favorite gluten-free flour mixture if you want.
• Lard: The traditional recipe uses only pork lard. I decided to use a mix of lard and butter because it makes the cookies a lot more flavorful and gives them the perfect crumbly texture.
• Sugar: Use regular granulated sugar or substitute it with brown sugar if you want.
• Cinnamon: You will need 2 small sticks of cinnamon, one to make the infused water and the other for the mixture to coat the cookies, you can replace the sticks with 2 teaspoons of cinnamon powder.
• Whole cloves: For the infusion, this is an optional ingredient, you can leave it out or substitute it with vanilla extract.
• Salt: A pinch of salt always brings out the flavors when you’re baking and this recipe is no exception.

How To Make Hojarascas

Step 1. Make the cinnamon tea

Place a cup of water in a small saucepan and add 1 cinnamon stick and 1-2 whole cloves. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes or until water has been reduced in half.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the tea to reach room temperature.

Step 2. Make the dough

Place lard, butter, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl.

Use a hand mixer and mix at high speed until you’ll have a fluffy and light mixture (about 5 minutes).

Add flour and ground cinnamon to the bowl then mix at low speed until lightly combined.

Now, change to the flat beater and while running the mixer at low speed, add cinnamon tea one tablespoon at a time until everything is combined into a dough.

Tip: You won’t need all the tea, so make sure to not add all at once!

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and form a ball. Wrap with cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Step 3. Make the mixture for coating

1. Place the cinnamon stick in a blender or a spice grinder. Pulse a few times until the cinnamon breaks into small pieces.
2. Run the blender at high speed for 15-20 seconds at a time until most of it is powdered but there are still some large pieces.
3. Place the ground cinnamon in a small bowl, add 3/4 cup of sugar, and mix to combine. Set aside.

Step 4. Make the Christmas cookies

Preheat the oven to 360°F/180°C and prepare a cookie baking sheet with parchment paper or butter.

Remove the dough from the fridge and place it on a floured surface. Lightly flour a rolling pin and roll the dough into a thick sheet.

Cut the cookies with the shapes you prefer. I am using a star cookie cutter but you can use any shape you prefer, like hearts, flowers, etc.

Gather the scraps, roll them, and cut out more cookies until all dough is used. Then transfer the raw cookies to the prepared cookie sheet.

Step 5. Bake

Bake for 15-17 minutes or until you see the edges get a bit browned. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes.

Carefully transfer small batches of cookies to the bowl with the cinnamon sugar mixture and coat on both sides until nicely covered.

Place the cookies on a wire rack and allow them to cool down completely before serving. Enjoy with café de olla or your favorite hot beverage.

Recipe Notes & Tips

• Make sure lard and butter are nicely softened before mixing with sugar so it will be easier to combine.
• Right after baking, the cookies are fragile, so be careful when you handle them.
• Hojarascas cookies are the perfect holiday treat for family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors. They make for a delightful and thoughtful present, especially during festive seasons or special occasions.

Traditional Variations

As you can imagine, the hojarascas recipe has different variations that depend on the region in Mexico where they’re prepared:

• Michoacan: In Patzcuaro, the dough is made with flour, egg yolks, lard, butter, and piloncillo syrup made with cinnamon, cloves, and anise.
• Nuevo Leon: In this state, the dough for hojarascas cookies is made with corn flour, wheat, sugar, shortening, egg, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon.
• Durango: They are known as Pan de Polvo and are made with an infusion of water, anise star, and cinnamon. They are usually shaped rounded and have a “dusty” texture, hence the name.

How To Store

Hojarascas cookies can be stored in a dry airtight container for up to 1 week. Or you can freeze them for up to 2 months in resealable bags.

You can also roll the dough, cut the cookies, and place them in the freezer for 1-2 hours, then transfer them to a bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

You don’t need to thaw them, just place them on the baking tray and bake for 1-2 minutes more than the recipe calls.

More Cookies Recipes

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