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polvorones

POLVORONES, BASQUE SPICE COOKIES

A soft, crumbly, shortbread type cookie, enhanced with semolina and finely chopped walnuts. Cinnamon and grated orange zest add the life to these little treats
Course Baking
Cuisine Spanish
Prep Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings 20

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp semolina flour
  • 1/2 cup AP flour
  • 5 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup pus 1 tbsp unsalted butter , softened to room temperature
  • 3 egg yolks at room temperature
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp grated orange zest
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts (or 1/4 cup blanched almond flour)
  • confectioners sugar for dusting

Instructions

  1. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a bowl, combine the semolina flour, AP flour, granulated sugar, butter, egg yolks, cinnamon, orange zest and salt.
  3. Mix together with a wooden spoon, making sure butter is evenly distributed.
  4. Alternatively: Cream the butter and sugar in a mixer till just fluffy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, till incorporated. Add the flours,cinnamon, orange zest and salt. Finally fold in the chopped walnuts.
  5. Shape the dough into 1" balls and arrange on the prepared baking sheet, leaving 1" between each cookie. Press down lightly on them so that they don't roll around.
  6. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
  7. Preheat the oven to 325F. Using the palm of your hand, crush the cookies into disks, the edges will look slightly cracked.
  8. Bake for 30 minutes, until they are golden brown and have a crumbly, shortbread texture. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  9. Dust the tops with the icing (confectioners) sugar. Or alternatively, you can lightly coat the entire cookie.
  10. They will keep in an airtight container for one week.

Recipe Notes

I doubled the cinnamon, and added 1/4 tsp of cardamom. And I added 1 tbsp finely chopped candied ginger. Just 'cuz I can!

In order to chill mine, I placed the baking sheet in the freezer (I didn't have room in the fridge!) When they had warmed up slightly, I did press down on them with my palms, but not enough to create flatter disks. Just enough to crack the edges. So mine have a bit more of a domed shape. Which totally remind me of pfeffernusse cookies (German spice gingerbread cookies)