Polvorones are a Mexican cookie recipe with endless possibilities. Polvorones sometimes refers to what’s also known as Mexican Wedding Cookies, but here we are talking about those big, beautiful butter cookies found in most Mexican bakeries. The cool thing about this dough is you can add a few ingredients here and there to make FOUR different cookies! Make vanilla spice, thumbprints, sprinkle cookies, chocolate sugar and more! {Recipe First posted October 27, 2016. Last updated March 16, 2022}
If you’ve ever visited a Mexican Panaderia you already know the joy of the buttery Polvorones Mexicanos, those big, colorful cookies with the crumbly texture.
The dough is a delicious mix of all the good stuff—flour, sugar, butter, eggs—which means you can take one Polvorones recipe and turn it into several different types of cookies! Depending on the flavoring and toppings these easy-to-make cookies can satisfy almost any cookie craving.
Read on for how to make these Polvorones cookies and how to turn one simple cookie dough into four different types of cookies.
What Are Polvorones?
As with most things in the Mexican gastronomic realm, this name can mean many things so let me clarify what I’m talking about. Occasionally Polvorones refer to the snowy, powdered sugar-coated nut cookies we know as Mexican Wedding Cookies or Russian Tea Cakes but that’s not what I’m talking about here.
This Polvorones recipe is more like a crumbly sugar cookie; a vanilla-laced dough that stands up on its own and can be the base for any number of variations. The most common variation would be the Tri-Color Polvorones, the triangle-shaped cookies colored in pink, yellow, and brown.
More Cookie Recipes To Explore
Pumpkin Spice Mexican Wedding Cookies (Tea Cakes)
How To Make Polvorones Cookies
If you bake at all, this is a dough I’d like you to memorize—consider this very delicious homework. This ratio of flour to fat to baking soda to salt will work for any number of cookies and can be the base for just about anything.
The easiest variation on this dough would be to mix in ingredients: a bag of chocolate chips, some sugar and cinnamon, walnuts, toffee, lemon zest, poppy seeds… spraaankles. Or you can get slightly more complicated and follow the variation recipes below.
The basic dough recipe takes room temperature butter and beats it with sugar. Some Polvorones recipes call for 1 cup powdered sugar instead of the white sugar called for in this recipe. This will give the cookies a more crumbly texture. Add the wet and dry ingredients and bake at 325 degrees until golden brown.
Polvorones cookies keep in the freezer for up to 3 months sealed tightly in a freezer bag.
Now let’s look at how to make the other variations.
Variations
For specifics on each of these cookies, see the recipe box below.
Vanilla Spice Cookies
Up the vanilla amount and add ginger, cardamom, and nutmeg.
Sprinkle Cookies
Add sprinkles to the dough plus an extra layer to the top by dipping the flattened balls of cookie dough into a plate of sprinkles before baking them in the oven.
Chocolate Sugar Cookies
Add cocoa powder to the dough and a sparkle of sugar on top.
Whole Wheat Thumbprints
Swap some of the all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour then a “thumbprint” of your favorite jam (I used strawberry) or dulce de leche gets added after baking.
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What About The Clean-Up?
Baking is fun, cleaning up afterward is definitely not. Check out my 6 kitchen cleaning hacks that’ll make it a little bit easier.
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Polvorones Mexicanos are the multitasking cookie we just can’t get enough of. Give them a try and when you do snap a pic and tag me on Instagram @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno so I can see or leave me a comment below (don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating) ! Also, sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!
Polvorones: One Recipe, Four Cookies
A Mexican cookie recipe with endless possibilities. Make vanilla spice, thumbprints, sprinkle cookies, chocolate sugar and more!
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature (vegan butter, vegetable shortening, and extra virgin coconut oil also work)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare oven and pan. Heat oven to 325°F and arrange rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper.
- Mix dry ingredients. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk to mix and break up any lumps.
- Beat butter and sugar. Combine butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat until light and creamy, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add wet ingredients. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add eggs one at a time, letting the first one incorporate completely before adding the second. Add vanilla and beat another minute.
- Add dry ingredients. Add flour and mix on low until fully incorporated. Add any mix-ins like chocolate chips, dried fruit, nuts, and mix on low until combined.
- Bake. Scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet and space about 1-inch apart. Bake 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned on the edges but still soft in the middle. Let cool on the baking sheet about 5 minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
For Spiced Vanilla Cookies:
- Increase vanilla extract amount to 1 tablespoon
- Add 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
For Whole Wheat Thumbprints with Jam or Dulce de Leche:
- Change flour amount to 1 cup all-purpose and 1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour. Chill dough for at least 1 hour then roll dough into balls and bake as directed above. When they come out of the oven, immediately press a indentation in the middle with a round wooden spoon handle. Fill each hole with a heaping 1/4 teaspoon of your favorite jam (I used strawberry) or dulce de leche.
For Sprinkle Cookies:
- Add 1/2 cup sprinkles (I like nonpareils but jimmys also work) to the dough with the flour. Pour another 1/2 cup of sprinkles in a shallow dish. Chill dough for at least 1 hour. Roll into balls and then flatten slightly. Dip the top of each cookie into the sprinkles pressing gently to adhere. Bake as directed, adding more sprinkles right after they come out of the oven if you want them completely covered.
For Chocolate Sugar Cookies:
- Add 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder to the flour mixture. Roll dough into balls as directed then roll each ball in granulated sugar before baking. Bake as directed.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 29Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 27mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 1g
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Definitely chocolate turtle cookies from Haydel’s Bakery in Metairie, LA! I wish I had their recipe. No other bakery’s version comes close.
I’m all over that recipe Rebecca!!
I also follow you on Twitter.
i make a chocolate chip cookie dough, but instead of adding chocolate chips, i add peanut butter chips (nearly twice as many as called for…). SO good.
Um, yum Grace!!
Pink sugar cookies from Swig in Utah. Following on twitter and Facebook. -Desi
Looking those up immediately Desi!
Ahhhh I love cookies! It’s a toss up between fresh baked chocolate chip, and cream cheese cookies. I love chocolate chip but only the day I bake them! I don’t know why, but they lose their appeal after the first day (I know I sound cuckoo). Cream cheese cookies are a cake mix cookie. It’s a recipe from my mom’s old Betty Crocker cookbook. Those things are super addicting!
I’ve heard of sour cream cookies, but not cream cheese, that sounds too good to be true Vanessa!!
My favorite cookie is a Peanut Butter Nut Cookie (with a variety of different broken pieces of nuts) I would post a recipe, only I have only named it and not quite invented it… yet. I find that a lot of peanut butter cookies just don’t have a genuine peanut butter taste or mouth-feel to them. I am feeling drooling nostalgia now as I regress back to my junior high lunchroom days. Help me out here Kate! 😉
PS: I follow you everywhere! 😀
im simple sugar cookies with peppermint on top
Chocolate chip cookies all the way.
Molasses cookies with frosting!
Mine would be Peanut Butter S’mores cookies. You make a peanut butter cookie recipe, and shape small cookies and bake. When cooled, you put marshmallow fluff between 2 of the cookies and make it a sandwich cookie. Then you melt chocolate chips with a little butter or coconut oil and dip half of each cookie, then set on rack that has something under it to catch the drips. They taste so amazing!
I have to go with a monster cookie. Made with oats and peanut butter and chocolate chips or chocolate candies. They’re chewy and delicious.
I liked/followed you on FB
I followed on twitter @KeriEjustice
A chewy, crisp, chocolate chip cookie filled with big chunks of dark chocolate chips and loads of walnuts and/or Pecans would be a dream come true cookie for the rest of my life.
Followed on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
One cookie until the end of time — my version of Marranitos, the tender and adorable ginger pigs! https://buff.ly/2fhqvwK (from long-ago blogging past)
Also follow on Twitter and FB!
I wish I can make polvorones with Truvia…they look so yummy!
You can! Just substitute the same amount of Truvia for the sugar.
Amé esos polvorones con confeti! Voy a tratar de hacerlos.
Please do! Y dime como van!
Wow, so many variations. Lots of different ways to make a family favorite.
Yes! You should make them with your kiddos Danay!
Yummy!
Congratulations Kate those polvorones seem delicious. In total, how long does it take to make them? They seem laborious after reading the receipt. Warm regards
Hi Maria Jose! They are super easy, just 40 minutes start to finish. 🙂
Oh wow, these polvorones look so good, my kids would love them!!! Pinned the recipe so I can try make them over the weekend:). My favorite is the dulce de leche one but I bet my kids would love the sprinkles ones.
My favorites are the dulce de Leche thumbprints too….no the chocolate ones. I don’t know, they’re all good! 🙂