Mexican cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Orange Polvorones

Crumbly orange shortbread cookies that melt on the tongue, rolled in powdered sugar while still warm.

Ingredients · for 8 servings

• 250 g flour
• 150 g soft butter
• 80 g powdered sugar
• 2 oranges (juice and zest)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 100 g powdered sugar for coating

Instructions

1. Finely zest both oranges and squeeze out 4 tbsp juice; take the butter out of the fridge 30 min before baking so it turns supple.
2. Beat the butter with 80 g powdered sugar, the orange zest and a pinch of salt for 3–4 min until pale and fluffy.
3. Mix the flour, baking powder and cinnamon, sift over the butter mixture, add the orange juice and knead everything only briefly into a crumbly dough that just holds together.
4. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 20 min, then shape into walnut-sized balls, flatten slightly and place with space between them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
5. Bake in a preheated oven at 170°C top/bottom heat for 15–18 min, until the edges are just light gold — the cookies stay pale on top and are still soft.
6. Let the polvorones firm up on the sheet for 5 min, roll them in powdered sugar while still warm and let cool completely.