Bizcochitos

Bizcochitos are not just any holiday cookie. They are the official state cookie of New Mexico, baked for weddings, Christmas, and quinceañeras across Hispanic households in the Southwest for centuries. The recipe traces back to the Spanish colonial era, and you can taste the lineage in every flake.

Lard is doing the work here. Substitute butter or shortening at your peril. The high melting point of lard creates layers of micro-flake that shatter on the bite, and its mild flavor lets the anise and cinnamon shine instead of fighting them. If you can’t find lard, use solid vegetable shortening, but the texture will be different.

Anise is the signature flavor. Use whole anise seeds rather than ground for those tiny pops of licorice on the tongue. Crush them lightly between your fingers before adding to release more of the oils.

The sweet wine is unusual but traditional. It tenderizes the dough chemically, much like buttermilk in biscuits, and adds a faint fruity backbone. Sweet sherry, port, or moscato all work.

Chef Tips

• Roll the dough cold. Lard-based dough handles like puff pastry: easier to work when chilled, sticky and impossible when warm.
• Cut into traditional fleur-de-lis shapes for authenticity, or stick to simple squares and circles.
• Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar topping immediately before baking. It catches and crystallizes on the tops as the cookies puff.

Variations

• Add 1 teaspoon orange zest along with the anise for a bright citrus lift.
• Use brandy or rum instead of sweet wine for a richer, deeper flavor.
• Dip baked cooled cookies in melted dark chocolate for a modern twist that still respects the original.