OK X-mas weary shoppers, how about some real seasonal fun:

https://www.thespruce.com/bizcochito...ookies-2216161

Bizcochitos are delicate anise-flavored sugar cookies dipped in cinnamon
sugar. The sweet anise-cinnamon combination is unusual, haunting, and
makes me grab for another bizcochito the minute I've swallowed the one
before it. These unique cookies are made and served throughout New
Mexico. Like so many traditional dishes, there are countless versions of
bizcochitos€”some claim lard is essential, others turn to butter to make
these cookies crisp and flavorful. See options in the recipe below and
make bizcochitos of your own.

I found one old recipe that mentioned home-ground flour as a key
ingredient, so I use whole wheat pastry flour to give my bizcochitos a
deeper flavor while keeping the texture nice and light. Don't worry
about it too much, though, using all-purpose flour works just fine, too.

What You'll Need
1 cup butter (or lard)
1 3/4 cups sugar (divided)
1 1/2 teaspoons anise (seeds)
1 large egg
Optional: 2 Tablespoons brandy or tequila
3 cups flour (all-purpose or whole wheat pastry flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoons salt (fine sea)
1 teaspoon cinnamon (ground)

How to Make It

Cream the butter or lard and 3/4 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy
looking. Meanwhile, crush the anise seeds in a mortar and pestle or use
the back of a small but heavy frying pan.

Add the crushed anise seed, egg, and brandy to the dough and mix to
combine thoroughly. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir just to
combine€”avoid overworking the dough once you've added the to keep the
cookies nice and tender.

Divide the dough in half and pat each half into a 1-inch-thick disk.
Wrap the two disks of dough in plastic and chill them for at least 30
minutes and up to overnight.

In a medium bowl, combine the remaining cup of sugar with the cinnamon.
Set this mixture near a clean work surface where you will roll out the
cookie dough.

Preheat an oven to 300F. Generously grease a baking sheet or line it
with parchment paper. Working with one disk of dough at a time, use
plenty of flour to roll out the dough to about 1/4-inch-thick. Use
cookie cutters or a sharp paring knife to cut the rolled out dough into
shapes.

Dip each resulting cookie in the cinnamon sugar mixture and put the
cookies on the prepared baking sheet. Bake the cookies for 12 to 15
minutes. Transfer them to a rack to cool. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Store the bizcochitos in tins for up to a week.


(Lol, as if!)