These delicious cookies are from Mexico. They’re called pastelitos or little cakes. I think they look like Easter eggs. Hence, they’re a perfect dessert for Easter Sunday.
Everyone will love the flaky texture and buttery-cinnamon flavors of these melt-in-your-mouth Easter cookies!
Prep time: 25 to 30 minutes
Bake time: 25 minutes
Makes: 36 o 38 cookies
Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour
1 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup sifted, powdered sugar (for garnish)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Sift flour, cornstarch and cinnamon into a 3-cup bowl; set aside.
3. Line two 18X12-inch baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
4. In a 4-cup bowl or a stand mixer bowl, combine the butter and sugar; beat until light and fluffy.
5. Gradually add the flour mixture into the butter-sugar mixture.
6. Mix well and knead until a smooth dough forms.
7. With your hands, take a small piece of dough and shape it into a 3/4-inch ball.
8. Place it on one of the parchment-lined baking sheets.
9. Continue forming 3/4-inch balls of dough, placing them 2 inches apart on baking sheets.
10. Set baking sheets in oven and bake the cookies for 12 minutes.
11. After 12 minutes, invert upper baking sheet with bottom baking sheet; bake for an additional 12 to 13 minutes.
12. After 12 or 13 minutes, check underside of one cookie. It should look light golden brown. If it is not light golden brown, bake the cookies for an additional 5 minutes.
13. Remove the baking sheets with cookies from oven and set them on a counter to cool.
Serve the Easter Cookies:
1. When cookies have cooled, set them on a serving platter, garnished with sifted, powdered sugar.
2. FOR MAKING AHEAD: When cookies have cooled completely, sore them in double Ziploc® freezer bags up to 3 weeks ahead.
3. FOR THAWING & SERVING: Remove cookies from freezer and Ziploc® freezer bags. Place cookies on a platter to thaw for 4 hours (covered with aluminum foil). When ready to serve cookies, garnish them with sifted, powdered sugar.
Text & Photograph ©2016 Nancy DeLucia Real
Nancy DeLucia Real is an art historian and chef. She has led culinary courses at the Italian Cultural Institute, The Getty Center and The Getty Villa and is a former member of the Culinary Historians of Southern California. Nancy's gastronomy training took place in the heart of Italy under the tutelage of her grandmother. She has taught international cuisine at Williams Sonoma and Sur la Table Stores. Nancy's art history & culinary courses are ongoing at various institutions. She also teaches private cooking classes. 
