Mexican Sugar Cookies (Polvorones Mexicanos) are thick, crunchy cookies with vibrant colors and three different citrus flavors! A cookie fiesta in lemon yellow, green lime, and orange orange. Made with desert safe ingredients, these cookies are ideal to include in warm weather care packages or for filling cookie jars any time of year!
Why you'll love this recipe
Mexican Sugar Cookies are the kind of cookie that can multi-task. They are great for breakfast with a glass of milk or a cup of coffee, or any time of day for a sweet treat.
These citrus Polvorones Mexicanos are made with one dough that is split into three pieces. Each section of dough is flavored with citrus zest and a splash of color. Why choose one flavor when you can have all three!
Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the shortening until fluffy. Then mix in sugar, egg, and lemon zest.
- Stir in flour and just enough water to form a stiff dough.
- Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces and add color and flavor to each.
- Scoop 2 tablespoon balls, press into decorating sugar, and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
- Press each dough ball to ¼” thickness with the palm of your hand or the bottom of a measuring cup.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges just begin to turn golden brown.
Tips and variations
- This versatile dough can also be used for cutout cookies. Chill the dough for 1-2 hours, then roll out to ¼” thickness between two sheets of parchment paper. Use a cookie cutter to cut the dough into circles or other shapes.
- Make the color less intense by adding and mixing in the food coloring gel one drop at a time until the desired color is achieved or, leave out the coloring completely.
- Uniform thickness of each cookie is essential for even baking. This is easy to do when rolling out cookies, but not as easy when pressing cookies. Working slowly and attempting to use even pressure helps.
More sugar cookie recipes
Mexican Pink Cookies (Polvorones Rosas) are crunchy pink sugar cookies that sparkle with a sugar crystal coating.
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Frosted Flakes Sugar Cookies are thin and crisp with a crunchy cereal coating.
Lavender Lemon Sugar Cookies have a lovely flavor that pairs perfectly with a cup of tea.
Sprinkle Sugar Cookies, covered in nonpareil sprinkles, are the ideal cookie for any occasion.
4th of July Sugar Cookies celebrate patriotic holidays with a delicious crunchy texture and a whirl of red, white, and blue.
Watermelon Sugar Cookies are a colorful slice and bake cookie that looks just like the fruit!
These Orange Sugar Cookies are extra quick and easy because they start with packaged dough that gets upgraded with orange zest and chocolate.
My experience with this recipe
When my kids were in middle school and high school, our family spent 3 weeks each summer attending Spanish language immersion schools in central Mexico. We came away from the experience with improved Spanish, greater cultural understanding, and a fondness for Mexican bakeries.
Each day (often twice a day) we would stop into the bakeries that were on our walk to school, and pick up snacks for the day. When you walk in the door of a Mexican panaderia, the first thing you do is pick up a metal tray (that looks a lot like a pizza pan) and a pair of tongs.
Then you walk around the shop loading your tray from the bins and shelves filled with cookies, pastries, and rolls. The cashier unloads your tray into a bag and tallies up your bill.
We each had our favorites (conchas, gallinas, coyotas), and we worked hard to increase our repertoire by trying new items daily. However, our bag always contained some Mexican Sugar Cookies.
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Mexican Sugar Cookies: Plovorones
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter flavored vegetable shortening Crisco
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- zest of 1 lemon
- 3-4 tablespoons water
- ⅛ teaspoon lemon extract I use Loranne Oils lemon baking emulsion
- zest of 1 orange
- zest of 1 lime
- Yellow green, orange food coloring gel
- Yellow green, orange large crystal decorating sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line 3 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the shortening until fluffy.
- Mix in the sugar.
- Beat in the egg and lemon zest.
- Gradually, mix in the flour mixture.
- Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, just until a dough ball forms and the dough is no longer crumbly.
- Divide the cookie dough into 3 equal parts.
- Add 2-3 drops of yellow food coloring gel and lemon extract to the first piece of dough. Knead until evenly colored.
- Add 2-3 drops of green food coloring gel and lime zest to the second piece of dough. Knead until evenly colored.
- Add 2-3 drops of orange food coloring gel and orange zest to the third piece of dough. Knead until evenly colored.
- Use a medium scoop to make 2 tablespoon portions of dough. Roll the portions into 2-inch balls.
- Press the top of each dough ball into matching colored sugar.
- Place the balls of dough on the prepared cookie sheets, about 4" apart ( 9 dough balls on each cookie sheet).
- Place a square of wax paper (about 3" x 3") on top of one dough ball. Use the back of a measuring cup to press down evenly until the dough is ¼" thick. Repeat with all of the dough balls.
- Bake cookies, one cookie sheet at a time, for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are just beginning to turn golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days.
Notes
- This versatile dough can also be used for cutout cookies. Chill the dough for 1-2 hours, then roll out to ¼” thickness between two sheets of parchment paper. Cut into circles or other shapes.
- Make the color less intense by adding and mixing in the food coloring gel one drop at a time until the desired color is achieved or, leave out the coloring completely.
- Uniform thickness of each cookie is essential for even baking. This is easy to do when rolling out cookies, but not as easy when pressing cookies. Working slowly and attempting to use even pressure helps.
Nutrition
First Published: August 13, 2019. Last Updated: September 28, 2021. Updated for additional information, improved photographs, and better reader experience.
Alice
Using exact measurements I only ended up with 14 cookies. That are 4.5 inches and about 1/4 inch thick. I wish they didnt spread as much as they do and are quite greasy. Rolling in sugar is excessive. The last 8 I will not do that. They taste good and hoping as they cool they will firm up. If I were to make again would certainly have to double or triple the recepie.
Wendy Sondov
I'm sorry to hear that your polvorones didn't turn out. Though the dough may feel oily when working with it, the cookies shouldn't be greasy at all when cooled. They also should only spread minimally. It sounds like your ingredient proportions were off. My cookies were smaller than 4.5 inches and I definitely got the amount indicated on the recipe. Each of my cookies were made with 1 1/2 tablespoon of dough. Rolling in sugar is certainly optional, but I think it adds sparkle and a crunchy coating.
Cindy
Wendy, these cookies are so cheerful. You can't help but smile when you see them. Visisting bakeries is my favourite thing to do when I travel. You learn so much about a culture when you see what their comfort foods are!
Reeni
These are so colorful and fun Wendy! Perfect for summer! I love conchas! When I lived in Tucson I used to eat them for breakfast with butter. I miss them!
Wendy Sondov
Thanks, Reeni! I didn't know that you lived in Tucson! I imagined that you were a life-long Jersey girl 🙂 Isn't it interesting how foods can find their way to our heart! The custard filled gallinas are my favorite for breakfast. A good sugar cookie is welcome any time 🙂
Carlee
Now I want to visit a Mexican bakery. In the meantime I'll have to whip up a batch of these beauties!