The Understated Undecorated Decorated Cookie

The decorated windows, Christmas lights strewn on houses, and blow-up turkeys in neighboring yards epitomizes the honest reality that the holiday season is here! This means it is time for me to decide what I want to cook and bake for entertaining, gift giving, and personal pleasure.

I am not ashamed to admit I have a sweet tooth so holiday sweets regularly catch my eye. Perhaps this reflects how my interest in baking came prior to my interest in cooking. Being able to easily freeze baked goods without sacrificing quality is a huge plus for me. I also agree “It is always a good time to make cookies.” For the holidays, I gravitate towards new things I am eager to try like a savory pumpkin pie as well as tried-and-true “winners” from the past. I found a winner this past Valentine’s Day when I wanted to make holiday cookies.

While creative and artistic describe me, and a holiday sweet table certainly catches my eye, decorating cookies really “isn’t my thing.” The mess and decision making involved leave me feeling overwhelmed. That is why, when I stumbled across this recipe for Mexican shortbread, Hojarascas (oh-ha-rascas ), it caught my eye. I was quite pleased with the result and have made them many times since, including for the sweet table at my summer wedding!

These cookies get their name from crunchy leaves that come off trees in the fall and crumble when stomped on. They are very popular in the states of Nuevo León and Caohuila in Mexico. Their simple coating of cinnamon sugar adds a touch of sweetness and makes them look decorated.  

Just like your typical decorated holiday cookie, these can be cut out into any shape. A simple switch to colored decorating sugar and you have a light and delicate, decorated cookie for any festivity. Another plus, these cookies don’t require chilling, resulting in a batch of cookies in just about an hour. They have a great cinnamon flavor from the cinnamon tea.  

Hojarascas (Mexican Shortbread)

Scroll down for a printable version of this recipe

Yields: about 45 cookies 

Prep time: 40 minutes 

Baking time: 15 minutes 

Inactive time: 5 minutes

Total time: 1 hour 

For the Cinnamon Tea: 

1 cup water 

1 stick whole cinnamon or 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

For the Dough: 

8 oz butter, room remperatur

3/4 cup sugar 

1 teaspoon salt 

2 Tablespoon vanilla 

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

3 cups flour 

For the Sugar Coating: 

1 cup sugar  

1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon 

 
Make the Cinnamon Tea: 

1. In a small pot, add 1 cup water and the cinnamon stick or 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Bring to a boil. Turn off heat and set aside. Let this cool completely. To hasten this process, put it in the freezer.  

For the Dough: 

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  

3. In a mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar. Mix well.  

4. Add salt, vanilla, cinnamon, and continue to mix.  

5. Add half of the flour. Mix only until combined. Add the remaining half of the flour. Mix only until combined.  

6. Add a little less than half of the cooled cinnamon tea and mix on low. Add more tea as necessary to bring the dough together (about 1/2 cup). 

Making the Cookies 

7. Dust a clean surface and a rolling pin with flour. Adding too much flour as you roll out cookies will make them tough. Place cookie dough on the surface and roll it out evenly. Cut out shapes using a cookie cutter. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.  

8. Let cool for 5 minutes, then roll in sugar coating.  

For the Sugar Coating: 

9. While cookies bake, mix the sugar and ground cinnamon in a small bowl.  

10. Dip the cookies into the cinnamon sugar until well coated.

Here are a few helpful things to know when making these cookies: 

• Make the tea as far in advance as desired
• Softened/room temperature butter will be easier to work with.
• Be sure to put the cinnamon sugar mixture in a nice wide vessel for easy dunking and coating of the cookies.
• These cookies freeze well. 

These shortbread cookies are one of the basic types of cookies which include no-bake, fried, butter, sandwich, drop, rolled, bar, icebox, and molded cookies. Their simplicity provides a great accompaniment to the delicious menu options offered in upcoming classes such as Hands-On ¡Feliz Navidad! and Hands-On Things to Bring: Delicious Side Dishes for Holiday Gatherings. 

Author: Jessica Amend

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Hojarascas (Mexican Shortbread)

Prep time: 40 MinCook time: 15 MinInactive time: 5 MinTotal time: 1 Hour

Ingredients

For the cinnamon tea

• 1 cup water
• 1 stick whole cinnamon or 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the dough

• 8 oz butter, room remperatur
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 cups flour

For the sugar coating

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. In a small pot, add 1 cup water and the cinnamon stick or 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Bring to a boil. Turn off heat and set aside. Let this cool completely.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar. Mix well.
4. Add salt, vanilla, cinnamon, and continue to mix.
5. Add half of the flour. Mix only until combined. Add the remaining half of the flour. Mix only until combined.
6. Add a little less than half of the cooled cinnamon tea and mix on low. Add more tea as necessary to bring the dough together (about 1/2 cup).
7. Dust a clean surface and a rolling pin with flour. Place cookie dough on the surface and roll it out evenly. Cut out shapes using a cookie cutter. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.
8. Let cool for 5 minutes, then roll in sugar coating.
9. While cookies bake, mix the sugar and ground cinnamon in a small bowl.
10. Dip the cookies into the cinnamon sugar until well coated.

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