Every Christmas my Grandma Lela would make a cookie called biscochito. Biscochitos are the traditional cookie of New Mexico and have has Spanish roots (bizcocho). These are a shortbreadlike sugar cookie that are spiced with cinnamon and anise. They’re usually made with lard or shortening, but I am using unsalted butter for the recipe today.

These cookies are tossed in cinnamon sugar before baking, but after baking and while still warm, I like to “double dip” them, coating them in a mixture of cinnamon sugar a second time. This makes for an extra crunchy exterior that gives way to the soft and melt in your mouth buttery shortbread.

Using all butter creates a slightly different texture, a sandy, shortbread feel that I prefer. It may not be as traditional, but I rarely have leaf lard around and don’t like using shortening, except for in one chocolate chip cookie recipe that I developed about 20 years ago.

I’ve seen versions of this recipe include orange zest or even Grand Mariner, which could be a nice addition; however, my grandmother, who was born and raised in New Mexico, never made them with that addition, so I tend to not put it in. I’ve also seen some recipes include a bit of brandy or wine to moisten the dough, but I find that this recipe has enough moisture for the dough to come together nicely on its own.

My grandmother would make some cookies without the anise seed, as some of us kids didn’t like the licorice taste. I now toast the fresh anise seed and then use a mortar and pestle to crush them. Toasting the anise creates a different, mellower flavor and gives the cookies and extra level of warmth that compliments the cinnamon.

I hope this cookie finds its way into your holiday traditions. Merry Christmas to you and yours.

Biscochitos

2 teaspoons anise seeds

1 cup granulated sugar (I prefer pure cane)

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter (you can also use leaf lard, shortening, or a combination of the three)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 large egg yolk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

In a small pan, over medium heat, toast your anise seed until it starts to brown and become fragrant.

Remove from the heat and place into a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. Crush the toasted seeds until they become powdery. Set aside.

Combine sugar and cinnamon in small bowl.

Reserve and set aside 1/2 cup of the cinnamon sugar in shallow dish.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the remaining cinnamon sugar, butter, salt and ground anise on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Make sure to scrape down your mixing bowl often.

Add the egg yolk and vanilla and mix until combined.

Reduce speed to low, add flour, and combine just until dough comes together.

Equally divide the dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper.

Form the dough into evenly sized logs and roll them in parchment, twisting at the ends to help secure the log shape.

Refrigerate the cookie logs until firm, about 30 minutes.

When ready to bake, adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions, heat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment.

Remove the dough log from the fridge and slice each into roughly 20 cookies, about ½ thick.

Toss each cookie in the reserved cinnamon sugar and transfer to parchment-lined sheets, spacing evenly apart.

20 cookies (one log) will fit on one sheet.

Place into the oven and bake until they just start to brown on edges, about 18 minutes.

To ensure an even bake, make sure to rotate sheets halfway through baking.

Let cookies cool on sheets for about 5 minutes and then when you can handle them, toss the warm cookies in the cinnamon sugar again.

Place on a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Yield: About 40 cookies.