Chef Marcus Cordova with ABC 4 Utah

Executive Director of Culinary Arts Marcus Cordova cooked up the perfect holiday treat on ABC 4 Utah. Try out the recipe below and follow along. Then let us know what you think!
Community Care and Cookies

Recipe

Biscochitos
These anise-flavored sugar cookies from New Mexico are rich, crisp and very easy to make. Biscochitos are a holiday cookie staple in New Mexico. The Biscochito is New Mexico’s official state cookie, as declared by the New Mexico Legislature in 1989. Biscochitos were first introduced to Mexico by Spanish settlers who brought the recipe from Spain.

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable shortening
2/3 cup plus 1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 to 4 tablespoons red wine, brandy, sherry or milk
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed anise seeds
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.

2. Beat the lard or shortening in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to low; beat in 2/3 cup sugar, then the egg. Add 2 tablespoons wine or brandy or milk and the anise seeds and beat until combined.

3. Gradually beat in the flour mixture. Mix into a dough; it should be the consistency of pie crust dough. Cover and refrigerate 15 minutes.

4. Mix the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and the cinnamon in a shallow bowl.

5. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thick. Cut out cookies with a 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter any shape.

6. Press the top of each cookie in the cinnamon sugar to coat, then arrange on the prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart.

7. Bake until the edges are golden, 10 to 15 minutes.

8. Let cool about 3 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer the cookies to racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.