Biscochitos or bizcochitos (

diminutive A diminutive is a root word that has been modified to convey a slighter degree of its root meaning, either to convey the smallness of the object or quality named, or to convey a sense of intimacy or endearment. A (abbreviated ) is a word-formati ...

of the Spanish ''

bizcocho Bizcocho ( or ) is the name given in the Spanish-speaking world to a wide range of pastries, cakes or cookies. The exact product to which the word ''bizcocho'' is applied varies widely depending on the region and country. For instance, in Spain ...

'') are a

New Mexican cuisine New Mexican cuisine is the cuisine of the Southwestern US state of New Mexico. The region is primarily known for its fusion of Pueblo Native American cuisine with Hispano Spanish and Mexican cuisine originating in Nuevo México. This cuisi ...

crisp

butter cookie Butter cookies (or butter biscuits), also known as Danish biscuits, are cookies originating in Denmark consisting of butter, flour, and sugar. They are similar to shortbread cookies. The butter cookie is often categorized as a "crisp cookie" du ...

, flavored with

sugar Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called monosaccharides, include glucose, fructose, and galactose. Compound sugars, also called disaccharides or double ...

cinnamon Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several tree species from the genus ''Cinnamomum''. Cinnamon is used mainly as an aromatic condiment and flavouring additive in a wide variety of cuisines, sweet and savoury dishes, breakfa ...

, and

anise Anise (; '), also called aniseed or rarely anix is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae native to Eurasia. The flavor and aroma of its seeds have similarities with some other spices and herbs, such as star anise, fennel, licorice, and ta ...

. The dough is rolled thin and cut into the shape of

fleur-de-lis The fleur-de-lis, also spelled fleur-de-lys (plural ''fleurs-de-lis'' or ''fleurs-de-lys''), is a lily (in French, and mean 'flower' and 'lily' respectively) that is used as a decorative design or symbol. The fleur-de-lis has been used in the ...

, or sometimes crosses, stars, and moons. The cookie was developed by residents of

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...

over the centuries from the first

Spanish colonists Spaniards, or Spanish people, are a Romance ethnic group native to Spain. Within Spain, there are a number of national and regional ethnic identities that reflect the country's complex history, including a number of different languages, both ind ...

of what was then known as

Santa Fe de Nuevo México Santa Fe de Nuevo México ( en, Holy Faith of New Mexico; shortened as Nuevo México or Nuevo Méjico, and translated as New Mexico in English) was a Kingdom of the Spanish Empire and New Spain, and later a territory of independent Mexico. The ...

. The roots of this delicate pastry date back to Mexico's Battle of Puebla in 1862, when French Emperor Maximilian was overthrown by the Mexicans. This date is now famously recognized as Cinco de Mayo, or May 5th. The recipe for making the cookie has been greatly influenced not only by local and indigenous customs but also by recipes brought to New Mexico by

immigrants Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not natives or where they do not possess citizenship in order to settle as permanent residents or naturalized citizens. Commuters, tourists, and ...

from other Hispanic countries. Biscochitos are served during special celebrations, such as

wedding reception A wedding reception is a party usually held after the completion of a marriage ceremony as hospitality for those who have attended the wedding, hence the name reception: the couple ''receive'' society, in the form of family and friends, for t ...

baptisms Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christians, Christian sacrament of initiation and Adoption ...

, and religious holidays (especially during the

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...

season). It is commonly served along with coffee.

State cookie

In 1989, the

U.S. State In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...

made the biscochito its official state cookie. This act made New Mexico the first U.S. state to have an official state cookie. It was chosen to help maintain traditional home-baked cookery. Since then, bizcochitos are unlikely to be found across state lines making this cookie a New Mexico exclusive. Lupe Jackson, a New Mexican native won first prize in a New England cookie contest in 2008 for her Bizcochito recipe overcoming Mike Huckabee and his wife's snicker doodles and Mitt Romney's and his wife's Welsh skillet cakes. Flag of New Mexico

Award Winning Cookie Contest Tips

Here are some of award winning Lupe Jackson's tips on creating some delicious bizcochitos: # Use lard as shortening # Mix the dough with hands for a couple minutes past the time that the ingredients seems to mix together # Refrigerate the dough for several days before baking # Limit handling of dough to keep it from toughening # Pat dough down with hand; finish with a rolling pin # Make cookies thick to add flavor. 3/8 dough will back 1/2" cookie # Line cookie sheet with parchment. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. # If cinnamon and sugar topping is desired, sprinkle it on while the cookie is still warm.

References

{{reflist New Mexican cuisine Cookies Cuisine of the Southwestern United States Anise Christmas food Butter

State cookie

Award Winning Cookie Contest Tips

See also

References