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Marranitos (Pig-Shaped Molasses and Ginger Cookies)

These traditional molasses and ginger cookies also known as "Cochinitos" for "Little Pigs"... a favorite childhood treat from the Mexican panadería.

One happy bunch of piggies...

I like to use an assortment of animal cutouts when making these cookies in assorted sizes.

Makes 18 to 24 cookies

Ingredients 

2/3 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon orange zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 egg
1/2 cup molasses
3½ cups all-purpose flour
  

  Directions

1. In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the brown sugar, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, orange zest, salt and ground cloves. Beat until combined, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in the egg and molasses until combined. Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough in half. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Lighty greasen a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper, set aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll out half of the dough at a time to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out shapes with a lightly floured 4 to 5 inch pig shape cookie cutter. Place cutouts 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are light brown. Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer to wire rack, let cool. Makes 18 to 24 cookies.
4. To store, layer cookies between wax paper in an airtight storage container. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for 3 months.
  
Variation: To serve cookies, you can sprinkle with powdered sugar or take the orange, leftover from zesting, combine the fresh juice with some powdered sugar to make a glaze. Lightly glaze cookies when ready to serve. Note: I used a smaller cookie cutter this day. 
 
 

Other recipes by Sonia:

Mexican Red Rice
Buñuelos
Tacos al Pastor
Cheesy Chorizo Bread
Flank Steak Tacos
Frijoles Borrachos con Chorizo
Buffalo Chicken Flautas
Lemon Pepper Chicken Fajitas
Chorizo Pozole Soup with Lime Pickled Red Onions
Dulce de Leche and Chocolate Chip Chimichangas

 

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Tags: Cookies, Dessert, Ginger, Molasses, marranitos

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Comment by Sonia Mendez Garcia on February 1, 2013 at 7:06am: Hhahaha...Ruben!! Enjoy....when you making them?? I will be over, lol!!

Comment by Ruben Martinez on January 31, 2013 at 10:22pm: Thank You Thank You Thank You!!!!! I love Marranitos !!!!!!!!

Comment by Sonia Mendez Garcia on May 20, 2012 at 6:37am: So happy to hear you liked them. I know the first time I made the dough, since I don't bake as much, I had the same problem....I remember working with the dough helped. Kneading dough is one of the hardest jobs for me in the kitchen, because of my bad wrists...but I won't let that stop me, ha ha! Thanks Katie Have a wonderful day and happy cooking!

Comment by Katie Metz de Martínez on May 20, 2012 at 12:03am: I made the marranitos, Sonia! I found the dough a little difficult to work with (very crumbly), but I kneaded it a bit and that helped considerably. I used a gingerbread man cookie cutter...no piggies here. :( The cookies turned out very well. I like the deep molasses flavor and the spices. The cookies also got the seal of approval from the rest of my family. Thank you for the recipe!

Comment by Sonia Mendez Garcia on May 12, 2012 at 5:41pm: I am still on the hunt for a larger pig cookie cutter...no luck yet, so for now they will be baby pigs, hahaha..means we can eat more than one!...:)

Comment by Katie Metz de Martínez on May 12, 2012 at 5:23pm: I love gingersnap-type cookies. I'm definitely going to make these! Too bad I don't have that adorable cookie cutter.