Regañadas

If you’re looking for a sweet, spiced cookie that will serve a crowd, look no further than regañadas. This recipe yields a whopping 12 dozen (albeit small) cookies perfect for serving at large family gatherings or tucking into holiday cookie boxes. Flavored with cinnamon inside and out, this cookie is ideal for anyone who loves the sweet spice. Enjoy them with a steaming mug of Mexican hot chocolate or a festive gingerbread latte and you’ll be surprised how quickly these little cookies can disappear.

What are regañadas?

Regañadas are a type of traditional Mexican cookie especially popular during holidays such as the Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos). Typically made with lard, they have a crisp, crumbly shortbread-like texture and are classically flavored with cinnamon. Additionally, regañadas are coated in a final dusting of cinnamon sugar or confectioners’ sugar after baking.

Not to be confused with Mexican wedding cookies (polvorones), which have a similar texture and are coated in confectioners’ sugar, regañadas do not contain nuts. Polvorones, on the other hand, often contain finely chopped pecans, almonds or walnuts in the dough.

Ingredients for Regañadas

• Lard: Lard is a popular fat used in Mexican cooking and baking, and it gives regañadas their distinctive taste and texture. That said, you may substitute shortening for lard to achieve a similar flaky texture, or use butter if you prefer richer-tasting regañadas.
• Flour: Unlike many cookie recipes, regañadas use a method known as reverse creaming, where the fat is mixed first with the flour and other dry ingredients rather than with the sugar. This process coats the flour with fat, which inhibits gluten development, resulting in tender cookies with a melt-in-your-mouth crumb.
• Baking powder: Baking powder helps give the regañadas just enough lift, making them light and flaky rather than dense.
• Cinnamon: A must-have ingredient in authentic regañadas, cinnamon flavors the dough and is combined with sugar to create a sweet coating for the baked cookies.
• Salt: A bit of salt enhances the simple flavors in these old-fashioned Mexican cookies.
• Egg: To keep the cookies light, airy and tender, the egg in the recipe is separated. The white part is first beaten to stiff peaks before being mixed with the yolk, sugar and other ingredients.
• Sugar: Like shortbread, regañadas are not an overly sweet dough. Instead, they are beloved for their rich, buttery taste and texture.
• Sweet coating: Choose between a mixture of cinnamon sugar or a dusting of confectioners’ sugar. Both are the perfect way to finish off these delightful Mexican cinnamon cookies.

Directions

Step 1: Begin the dough

Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, beat the lard until creamy.

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Gradually beat the flour mixture into the lard. Set aside.

Step 2: Prepare the egg mixture, then combine

In a small bowl, beat the egg white until stiff peaks form.

Gently whisk in the sugar and egg yolk.

Next, gradually beat the egg mixture into the lard mixture.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead it gently 8 to 10 times.

Step 3: Divide, roll, cut

Divide the dough into six equal portions. Then, on a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a 24-inch-long rope. Cut the ropes diagonally into 1-inch pieces. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Editor’s Tip: Once cut, the cookies should have a soft, diamond-like shape and appearance.

Step 4: Bake

Bake the regañadas for 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Cool on the pans for two minutes.

Step 5: Add a sweet coating

In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon to create a simple coating. Gently roll the warm cookies in the cinnamon-sugar mixture or in confectioners’ sugar. Cool on wire racks.

Regañada Variations

• Combine the coatings: For the best of both worlds, add cinnamon to confectioners’ sugar when coating the regañadas.
• Vary the shape: Regañadas are often sold as small circular cookies. For simpler preparation, roll the dough into small 1/2-inch balls and arrange 1 inch apart on baking sheets. Bake as directed.
• Add chocolate: For a chocolate twist, drizzle each cookie with melted Mexican-style chocolate.
• Try different flavors: While cinnamon is the traditional flavor for regañadas, you can experiment with other flavors and spices. Add a pinch or two of nutmeg, clove, allspice, ginger or aniseed to the cookies. Orange zest or extract is another nice addition to regañadas to consider.
• Sandwich the regañadas: Get inspired by South American alfajores and try sandwiching two regañadas with a dollop of dulce de leche.

How to Store Regañadas

Regañadas are a light, crisp and slightly crumbly cookie. Therefore, it is best to store the cookies at room temperature in a breathable container away from direct heat or humidity. Storing regañadas in an airtight container or in the refrigerator can cause moisture to accumulate with the cookies, resulting in a loss of their crunchy texture.

How long do regañadas last?

Cinnamon Mexican cookies will have the best taste and texture if enjoyed within two or three days. However, they may last longer, up to one week, if properly stored.

Can you freeze regañadas?

Yes! While we don’t recommend refrigerating regañadas, you can freeze the cookies once they are baked and rolled in their desired coatings. For the best results, cool the cinnamon Mexican cookies completely and then freeze them on a sheet pan until firm, one to two hours. Then, transfer them to freezer zip-top bags or a freezer-safe food storage container. Thaw at room temperature on a plate before serving.

Regañada Tips

What if my dough is too sticky to roll out?

If your regañadas dough is too sticky to handle, resist the urge to add more flour (unless you are sure you measured the flour incorrectly initially). Instead, try wetting your hands with water; this will help prevent the dough from sticking to them. Then shape as directed.

Alternatively, the dough may require additional kneading to further develop the gluten. Use a bench scraper to lift, stretch and fold the dough a few extra times until the texture of the dough improves. Finally, it’s also possible that the dough is too warm. Try refrigerating it for 15 to 20 minutes. This rest period will solidify the fat in the dough and allow the flour to hydrate.

Why did my cookies spread too much in the oven?

A few factors can cause regañadas to fall flat in the oven. First, measure your ingredients accurately. Second, be mindful of the temperature of your dough. While chilling the dough before baking should not be necessary, if your kitchen runs warm or if you’ve handled the dough too much during shaping, it may need a quick chill to firm up the lard. Using these tips should prevent flat cookies.