MEXICAN FLEUR-DE-LIS COOKIES

“Confession time, I have previously made this recipe, but I have a very good reason for revisiting it…  I own a new cookie cutter.  Well, actually I own two new cookie cutters.  Let me explain.

Two years ago, I entered (and won) the County Fair with a cookie medley entitled ‘Cookies around the World.’  I used Russian Tea Cakes, which strangely enough are also referred to as Mexican Wedding Cookies, for my Russian entry, so I needed another Mexican cookie.  Perusing my cookie cookbook library, I ran across these cookies entitled ‘Mexican Aniseed Cookies.’  Everything worked fine, but I was haunted by a portion of the recipe which reads, ‘The traditional shape for biscochitos (another name for this cookie) is a fleur-de-lis but you might find this a bit too ambitious.’  It certainly sounded like a challenge, but the problem is trying to find a fleur-de-lis cookie cutter outside of France or Quebec.  By the way, what is up with a fleur-de-lis (that French flower shaped thingy) being the traditional shape for a Mexican cookie?  First Russia, now France.  It certainly looks like Mexico is the Cookie Melting Pot of the World.

So I have waited and looked for the elusive fleur-de-lis cookie cutter and to be somewhat of a pain, every time my wife would ask what I would like for a gift giving holiday, I would respond, ‘A fleur-de-lis cookie cutter.’  Well, this past Father’s Day, my beautiful, caring, talented, observant, and someday-reading-this-post wife ordered me a fleur-de-lis cookie cutter from some French sounding bakeware company online.  Plus, in order to get free shipping, she also ordered me some smiley face oven mitts (awesome), a doughnut baking pan (yum-o), and (drumroll, please) a really cool squirrel cookie cutter.

Now, that is why I have revisited this recipe.  An opportunity to utilize the elusive fleur-de-lis cookie cutter and I’ll tell you, if you thought that a fleur-de-lis cookie cutter is ‘ambitious,’ just wait ‘til you try ‘the squirrel.’

This cookie is light and very much resembles a thin sugar cookie in texture.  The taste however is a lovely surprise, as the brandy and aniseed complement each other creating a delightful cookie experience.  Enjoy!”

Cookie Ingredients

½ cup Butter

½ cup Sugar

1 Egg

1 teaspoon Whole Aniseed

1 Tablespoon Brandy

1½ cups Flour

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

Pinch of Salt

 

Topping Ingredients

¼ cup Sugar

½ teaspoon Cinnamon

 

Cream butter and sugar.

Mix in the egg, aniseed, and brandy.

Mix in the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

On a floured surface, roll the dough to a thickness of 1/8 inch.  The dough tends to be very soft, so don’t worry if you need to place it in the freezer for 10 minutes to make it easier to roll.

Use a fleur-de-lis cookie cutter and place cut dough onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly brown.

 

Makes about 30 cookies.

Revised Source:  “Mexican Aniseed Cookies” recipe from “The Great Big Cookie Book” by Hilaire Walden.