Hope’s Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free Biscochito Recipe – New Mexican Christmas Cookies

OMG! I did it! I made Gluten Free, Egg Free and Dairy Free – Vegan – New Mexico Biscochitos! A traditional Christmas cookie my mum made for the holidays! Awe good memories!

INGREDIENTS

1.5 cups of chilled Lard (or Spectrum Vegetable Shortening for Vegan)
1 Cup of Sugar plus 3 TBS – set aside
2 Eggs (Vegan sub: 2 TBS Flax meal + 5 TBS of water – mix together and let sit)
2 tsp of anise seeds
4 cups Gluten Free 1:1 flour substitute (eg. Namaste GF flour)
2 tsp of baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 TBS brandy, or apple juice, or Milk (almond, coconut or soy if vegan) nb…. brandy is traditional.
2 tsp ground cinnamon

• Beat Lard/Shortening and 1 cup sugar in a bowl until fluffy.
• Add egg substitute and anise seeds, and beat until light and fluffy.
• Sift together – gluten free flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Add to creamed/fluffy mixture along with brandy (apple juice or milk, almond, coconut, etc….).
• Mix thoroughly until a stiff dough forms.
• Shape dough into a log about a foot in length and wrap in parchment or wax paper.
• Place in fridge for about 1 hour to chill.
• Combine 3 TBS of sugar you set aside and the 2 tsp of cinnamon to make a cinnysugar mix. You will dust cookies with this before baking.
• Remove chilled dough from refrigerator and cut in half
• Put the other half in refrigerator until ready to use. Best to keep dough chilled as it’s easier to work with.
• Roll dough out to just under 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutter or use a knife and make into diamond shapes (see photo).
• Place cookies on a parchment paper lined or silpat lined cookie sheet.
• Dust with cinnysugar mix.
• Place in oven and bake for 14 minutes until tops are firm.
• At 5280 ft altitude – 14 minutes is perfect. Test at 12 and see if this works too as ovens are different.
• Remove from oven and cool on wire racks.

You can keep the other half of dough in fridge for up to 2 days until ready to bake or take out of refrigerator and repeat the rolling out and baking process until all the dough has been used completely.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies – depends on how big or small you make them.