These crumbly almond cookies are absolutely the best Venezuelan cookie recipe you will every try. These sweets feature almond flour, almond extract and a touch of cinnamon and are finished with a whole almond and a sprinkling of powdered sugar.
Polvorosas are a melt-in-your-mouth cookie famously made for special occasions all over Venezuela. For almond-lovers (like me) they are a real treat and a must-have on the Christmas cookie check list when December rolls around.
I’m going to admit, I took some liberties with the almonds in these cookies. While it’s true that some Polvorosas are made with almond flour, traditional ones don’t have almond extract or the almond decoration on top. If you want to make a more traditional version use vanilla extract and decorate the tops with only powdered sugar.
Much like Mexican wedding cookies (another holiday classic) these are a delicate, crunchy cookies with an irresistible sandy texture that melt in your mouth with one bite. There are no eggs or leavening like baking soda, making these a simple cookie with just a few ingredients.
Add them to your cookie platter this year along with some of my other favorites like Mexican Wedding Cookies, molasses cookies, strawberry hibiscus cookies, and my grandma’s orange cookies.
6 Venezuelan Desserts You Should Know About
Venezuelan food hasn’t caught on here in the United States as much as some other cuisines but it is worth checking out. This may be the best Venezuelan cookie recipe (in my opinion) but there are some other Venezuelan desserts worth exploring.
Marquesa de Chocolate is a no bake chocolate dessert that is French in origin but loved throughout South America. It is made from layers of rich chocolate pudding and Maria cookies. Venezuelan Chocolate Marquesa is an absolute treat.
Besitos de Coco (Coconut Kisses) are similar to coconut macaroons. These are popular in many Latin American countries.
Alfajores are popular all over Latin America. They are delicate shortbread cookies most often filled with dulce de leche (a thick caramel) but sometimes can be found filled with jam and rolled in coconut flakes.
Catalinas cookies are a soft molasses cookie made with a raw brown sugar (unrefined cane sugar) called papelón. In Mexico it is commonly known as panela or piloncillo.
Bien Me Sabe has been well-loved in Venezuela since colonial times. Typical ingredients include a sponge cake bathed in liquor and layered with coconut milk filling and topped with meringue.
Huevos Chimbos or egg yolk cakes are soft cakes in the shape of egg yolks that are soaked in a brandy syrup steeped with cinnamon sticks.
Here’s Why You’ll Love This Venezuelan Cookie Recipe
- Melt-in-your-mouth texture
- Warm, sweet almond flavor
- Incredibly easy to make
- Quick prep time and cook time
- Incredibly fragrant
- Not too sweet
- Only 30 minutes of dough-chilling time
- Something unique for the Christmas cookie plate!
Ingredients
- Almond flour adds flavor and crunchy texture.
- All purpose flour gives the cookies structure.
- Cinnamon for warm spice notes.
- Kosher salt to balance out the sweet
- Vegetable shortening. It is traditional to use shortening for this recipe but you can substitute room temperature butter if you’d like.
- White sugar for sweetness and crunch.
- Almond extract really amplifies the almond flavor.
- Whole, raw almonds for decorating the top.
- Powdered sugar to give them a final, perfect finish.
How To Make This Recipe (Step-by-Step Instructions with Photos)
step one
Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl combine the almond flour, all purpose flour, cinnamon, and salt. Use a whisk (or your hands) to break up any lumps.
step two
Beat the remaining ingredients. Beat the shortening in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and cream another minute. Add the almond extract and beat until all is smooth and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
step three
Combine and chill. Mix in the dry ingredients on low speed until a cohesive dough forms. It might be a little crumbly but it will come together. Gather the soft dough into a ball and wrap with plastic wrap. Press down on the ball to create a disc. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or up to 3 days.
step four
Roll. On a lightly-floured surface roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thickness and cut into circles with a 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter. Using an offset spatula for help, place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper about an inch apart. Press an almond into the middle of each cookie.
step five
Bake. Transfer cookies to the oven and bake at 350°F for 15 minutes or until the edges have a light brown color and they are very fragrant.
step six
Cool and decorate. Set the baking sheet on a wire rack and let cookies cool completely on the baking sheet. Dust lightly with powdered sugar and serve.
*Chef’s Tip: These are delicious enough to be the perfect gift but unfortunately are too delicate to ship. Keep them for the Christmas cookie plate instead.
3 Success Tips
- Let the dough chill before rolling. Like when making my coconut Christmas cookies or sugar cookies, it’s important to let the dough chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes so it is firm enough to roll.
- Use an offset spatula to help transfer to cookies. You won’t be able to pick them up with your hands to place on the baking sheet. Use a spatula or if you don’t have one, a butter knife.
- Let cool completely. They are really fragile when they’re warm. Let them cool to room temperature on the baking sheet. Dust them with powdered sugar on the baking sheet then use a spatula to transfer to the serving dish.
Venezuelan Cookie Recipe FAQ’s
Do I have to use almond flour? No, you can use entirely all-purpose flour or half whole wheat flour, half all purpose.
Can I make this without a mixer? Yes, you can use a food processor or a bowl and a wooden spoon.
How do I make these ahead and store? Cookies stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. To freeze the baked cookies place in a tightly-sealed container and freeze for up to 3 months. Unbaked cookie dough freezes well up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then allow to come to room temperature, then roll and bake.
Top 5 Most Popular Cookie Recipes
- Chocolate Chip Coffee Cookies
- Polvorones {Mexican Bakery Cookies}
- Pumpkin Spice Mexican Wedding Cookies
- Avocado Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Cranberry-Lime Cookies
A Cookie Worth Making This Holiday Season
The first time you make this sweet treat you’ll fall in love. When you make them, 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, make sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!
Venezuelan Cookies
These crumbly almond cookies are absolutely the best Venezuelan cookie recipe you will every try. These sweets feature almond flour, almond extract and a touch of cinnamon and are finished with a whole almond and a sprinkling of powdered sugar.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups almond flour
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup vegetable shortening
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 30 whole raw almonds, to decorate
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar, to decorate
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients. Combine almond flour, all purpose flour, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk to break up any lumps.
- Cream shortening and sugar. In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the shortening for 1 minute on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy. Add the sugar and beat on medium high speed until combined and creamy.
- Add almond extract. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Next, beat in the almond extract on medium-high speed until combined. Switch to low speed and slowly add the dry ingredients.
- Chill. Gather dough into a ball. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and press into a disc. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days.
- Prep for baking. Preheat oven to 350°F. A large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Roll dough. Place dough on a lightly-floured surface and roll to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into circles with a 2 1/2-inch cutter. Using a offset spatula, carefully transfer the cookies to the baking sheet, about an inch apart. Gather up remaining dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill another 30 minutes before re-rolling.
- Bake. Press an almond in the middle of each circle. Bake the cookies until light brown on the bottom edges and fragrant, about 15 minutes.
- Cool and decorate. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet. Once the cookies have completely cooled, dust with powdered sugar.
- Store. Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Cookies stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. To freeze the baked cookies place in a tightly-sealed container and freeze for up to 3 months. Unbaked cookie dough freezes well up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then allow to come to room temperature, then roll and bake.
- Let the dough chill before rolling. Like when making my coconut Christmas cookies or sugar cookies, it's important to let the dough chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes so it is firm enough to roll.
- The dough is very delicate. Use an offset spatula to help transfer the cookie dough from the counter to the baking sheet. You won't be able to pick them up with your hands to place on the baking sheet. Use a spatula or if you don't have one, a butter knife.
- Let cool completely. They are really fragile when they're warm. Let them cool to room temperature on the baking sheet. Dust them with powdered sugar on the baking sheet then use a spatula to transfer to the serving dish.
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Miriam Garron says
HI- I just made these and they are so fragile they just fall apart. And my dough seemed much wetter than the dough in the video. I used 190 grams of shortening – the correct weight according to the Spectrum package (a few grams more than King Arthur lists for vegetable shortening). Is it possible the shortening should be 1/2 cup?
Kate Ramos says
Hi Miriam, thanks so much for trying this recipe. These are indeed very crumbly, delicate cookies that require a bit of finesse to get from cutting to baking sheet. If you wish to try again, you can roll them out on a piece of parchment paper then remove excess dough after cutting. Transfer the parchment directly to the baking sheet.
Miriam Garron says
Or maybe too much sugar?