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Desserts

Polvorones (Spanish Almond Shortbread Cookies)

Polvorones are crumbly Spanish Christmas cookies that melt in your mouth, made with lard or butter. Enjoy them as a snack or give them as a gift.
Recipe Polvorones (Spanish Almond Shortbread Cookies)
  • Difficulty Medium
  • Preparation 15 minutes
  • Cooking 40 minutes
  • Servings for 40 cookies

Have you ever wanted to taste homemade crumbly cookies that literally melt in your mouth, perfect with a steaming cup of tea? This polvorones recipe is for you. These iconic cookies with almonds and powdered sugar are at the heart of Christmas celebrations in Spain, but they win over anyone who tries them, at any time of year. Eating them is like a little trip into a fairy tale of delicate aromas, where the unmatched crumbly texture and the scent of toasted almonds instantly bring to mind the cozy atmosphere of the holidays.

The secret of Christmas polvorones lies in their texture: very crumbly and coated in a veil of sugar that melts at the first bite, these little treats are ideal for packing into small gift bags for friends, neighbors, and coworkers, or for serving with coffee as an afternoon treat. The traditional recipe called for lard, but today many people like to make them with butter too, which gives egg-free sweets with a delicate, versatile flavor, perfect for anyone who loves simple, wholesome baking.

If you’re wondering how to make polvorones, don’t worry: these are easy baked sweets that take very few steps and ingredients you’ll find in any kitchen. Once you’ve tried them, you won’t be able to do without them, and they’ll join your favorites for breakfast or an afternoon snack.

For anyone who loves experimenting with Spanish cookie recipes or wants to serve breakfast and snack cookies with a unique flavor, polvorones are the perfect choice. If you’re curious to explore other international sweets, we also recommend the Homemade Danish Butter Cookies, the fragrant Pão de Mel, Honey and Chocolate Cookies, or, if you love Carnival traditions, the Baked Chiacchiere (Carnival Pastry Ribbons). Now discover the polvorones recipe with us and let yourself be won over by how good they are.

Ingredients for 40 cookies

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Method

  1. To make the Polvorones, mix the 00 flour and the almond flour together in a medium bowl without forming lumps, then spread them evenly over a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake the flours in a convection oven preheated to 130 °C (265 °F) for about 20 minutes, then take them out and let them cool completely, for about 30 minutes.
    Polvorones, step 1: toasting the flours
  2. When the flours have cooled completely, pour them into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, salt, sambuca, and lard, then mix with the paddle attachment until the mixture is uniform. Transfer the mixture to the work surface and knead it with your hands until the dough is smooth and uniform, then shape it into the usual block, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rest for about 20 minutes.
    Polvorones, step 2: making the dough
  3. After the resting time, roll out the dough with a rolling pin to a sheet about 1 centimeter thick. Using a 4-centimeter cutter, cut out as many cookies as you can, then arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spaced apart from each other.
    Polvorones, step 3: cutting out the cookies
  4. Bake in a conventional oven preheated to 160 °C (325 °F) for about 20 minutes, placing the baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven. When the cookies are done, take them out of the oven and let them cool completely, then dust them with powdered sugar and serve the Polvorones. Finally, remember to download our App with exclusive content and fewer ads!

Variations and Alternatives

If you prefer not to use lard, you can replace it with 100 g of butter.

If you don’t want to use anise liqueur, you can replace it with grated lemon zest.

Tips

While you toast the flours, the fan of your oven may be so strong that it blows the flours around. If that happens, switch to conventional mode and continue toasting.

When you take the Polvorones out of the oven you will notice that they are still soft and a little sticky: don’t worry, they will firm up once they have cooled.

Storage

Polvorones keep for a few days in an airtight container, a cake tin, or a cookie jar.

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