Unique Homemade Christmas Cookies
Concha Christmas cookies are Mexican inspired cookies that are soft with warm pumpkin spices on the inside and a crisp buttery masa harina shell on the outside.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ancho chili powder
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
Crack Frosting
- ½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup masa harina
- Sparkling sugar
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- For pumpkin spice cookie: in a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and spice until blended; set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the pumpkin, egg, and vanilla and beat until combined.
- Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until just fully combined.
- Using a cookie scoop, drop 1½-inch balls of dough onto prepared baking sheet, about 2-inches apart. Place baking sheet in refrigerator while preparing cookie frosting.
- In medium bowl, with an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add flour and masa harina; continue mixing for 2 minutes or until large clumps form and mixture can be formed into a ball with your hands.
- Divide dough into 36 (1-inch) balls. With your fingers flatten each ball into a 1 ½–inch round.
- Remove cookies from refrigerator and gently press 1 round over the top of each cookie.
- With the tip of a sharp knife score each cookie shell to make a decorative pattern.
- Sprinkle each with sparkling sugar.
- Bake for 15 to 16 minutes or until cookie edges are lightly brown.
- With a round cookie cutter, trim cookies for perfectly shaped rounds, if desired.
- Transfer cookies on parchment to cooling rack. Cool completely.
Nutrition
Calories: 126kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 1gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 47mgPotassium: 25mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 700IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 13mgIron: 1mg
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